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Medical Lake reviews Part 3 of comprehensive plan: urban growth area swaps, Nike brownfield and parks/policy changes
Summary
Council members discussed Part 3 of the comprehensive-plan periodic update, including an urban growth area swap to shift potential growth toward Silver Lake, rezoning the Nike brownfield from industrial to residential, impact-fee updates and park-access goals; staff will refine maps and return with an action plan.
City planners presented Part 3 of Medical Lake—s comprehensive plan periodic update on July 7, explaining proposed swaps in the urban growth area (UGA), changes to zoning maps including a rezoning of the Nike brownfield site, and revisions to impact-fee methodology and park-access standards.
Planner: "Our state allows four types of impact fees: schools, fire protection, transportation and parks. Medical Lake adopted school, fire protection and parks in 1999," staff said, explaining that the city has rarely revisited fees (parks was updated in 2011) and that the fire-impact fee needs re-evaluation because the department that informed the original fee no longer exists in the same form. As a result, the staff proposed discontinuing the fire fee at year-end and revisiting it if Spokane County Fire District 3 later adopts a methodology.
On urban growth areas, staff said the city is seeking a swap: surrendering a southwest expansion area the county does not expect to grow in exchange for acreage closer to Silver Lake and the base, where growth is more feasible. "We are asking to reduce that [north UGA acreage] to about 100 acres and swap the other to get 100 acres toward Silver Lake," the planner explained.
The Nike site in the city was discussed at length; staff recommended removing industrial zoning and designating the property for residential uses while acknowledging environmental (brownfield) remediation would be a developer responsibility.
Council members raised questions about park access, ADU calculations, reduced sprawl language, and how the state—s affordable-housing expectations (the planner recited a 187-unit target for certain income bands) affect local regulation. Staff said the state reviews comprehensive plans for compliance and that the plan must reduce barriers to housing but that actual construction depends on market forces and developers.
The council asked staff to produce clearer maps, an action plan with measurable items, and to return with updated drafts to the steering committee and planning commission before the formal hearing and second reading.
