The Council meeting commenced with a public hearing on the City’s 2019 Amended Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The public hearing was followed by Council’s adopting a resolution amending the 2019 TIP, bringing it into conformance with the changes occurring or that will occur to keep the plan current. Projects that have been completed and closed out are: Broadway Avenue Intersections, Argonne to Mullan; Mission Avenue Reconstruction, Flora to Barker; Euclid Avenue Preservation, Sullivan to Flora; and Appleway Trail, Sullivan to Corbin.

A current, working TIP is required by state law and must be an integral part of the City’s Comprehensive Plan. Before property taxes may be expended on a project, or a project can be eligible to apply for a grant, a TIP must be in place.

In a motion consideration, Council approved an interlocal agreement with Spokane County for acquiring right-of-way to improve the intersection of Sullivan Road and Wellesley Avenue. The agreement is part of the overall plan for the Bigelow Gulch Corridor Project (Bigelow), which, when completed will significantly increase traffic on Sullivan. The County has promised $99,625 as its share of the project. However, because of the complexity of the entire project and the involvement of several entities, it is possible that the County may assume overall control of the project.

In keeping with the City’s continuing efforts to streamline the permitting process for business development, it has been working on implementing a Planned Action Ordinance (PAO). This PAO is a tool that is available for use by developers to enhance the permitting process for industrial development in the Northeast Industrial Area of Spokane Valley.

Projects that meet the PAO criteria have the option to use the environmental analysis and mitigations identified in their development plan. Using a PAO is entirely voluntary but provides predictability and time savings because the additional environmental requirements imposed by local, state and federal agencies will have been addressed. Should the developer choose to not use the PAO program, he or she will proceed through the existing permitting program.

On December 13, 2018 the Planning Commission reviewed the PAO program, conducted a public hearing, then voted 6-0 to recommend City Council adopt the program.

The January 15th administrative report on the City’s amendment to its six-year Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) included plans for a westerly extension of Garland Avenue from Barker Road to Flora Road. The project is part of the improvements planned for Barker Road south of the rail crossing to Euclid Avenue. Funding for the Garland extension portion would come 50% from City funds and 50% from the adjacent property owner. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $3 million.

The US Department of Transportation annually calls for projects under its Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program. That program covers a variety of transportation projects including rail crossings. INFRA funds are limited to 60% of a projects total cost. In the past, the City has unsuccessfully applied for INFRA grants on Pines and Barker rail crossings. It was decided that waiting for the next round of calls for projects would be prudent. In the meantime, the City is in discussion with the County to join the County’s Bigelow Gulch project with the City’s North Sullivan Corridor project.

The envisioned cooperation would capture the remaining costs of the County’s Bigelow Gulch project, the City’s North Sullivan corridor improvements which include the reconstruction of the Sullivan/Trent interchange including the Sullivan Bridge over Trent, widening Sullivan between Wellesley and Trent, plus left turn lanes, lighting improvements, and safety features for cyclists and pedestrians, and improved lighting. Estimated cost for the entire project is $50 million.

Please note these upcoming events:

The February 12th Council meeting is cancelled. Council will be attending the Association of Washington Cities Convention in Olympia.

The regular February 19th Council will be cancelled. Instead Council will hold its winter workshop beginning at 8:30am in Council Chambers. The workshop normally continues until 2:30pm. The workshop is open to the public.

Council approved the contract for work on Appleway Trail amenities on the University to Pines segment. The contract calls for a restroom, topsoil, limited turf and dryland seeding, trees, drinking fountain, and benches. A negotiated contract has been made with AM Landshaper, Inc. to complete the project by June 30th. Contract cost is $653,670.40, of which $539,320 is from a legislative appropriation, and $125,000 from City funds.

In 2018, the State Legislature adopted laws to allow the City and property mortgage holders to address nuisances at abandoned properties that are in the process of foreclosure. The City itself has passed similar legislation and has been implementing those new laws to address chronic problem properties.

Previously, banks were unable to address nuisances at abandoned properties until foreclosure was complete. Under new law, once the City determines the property to be in at least mid-foreclosure and abandoned, the banks may address nuisance violations onsite immediately.

With its Code enforcement department fully staffed, the City was able to process a record number of cases in 2018, both administratively and through litigation. Over 700 complaints were successfully addressed. The City was focused on two continuously hazardous nuisance properties that had accumulations of garbage, litter and junk as well as recurring criminal activities on site. Those properties are now in the midst of complete renovation and restoration by the new owners. The result has been very positive for the neighborhood.

Three neighbors gave public comment on how the removal of the prior tenants and restoration of the blighted properties have improved the neighborhood. They feel safe once again, and children can now play outside.

Council also heard a program update on the City’s economic development marketing plan. In May 2018, the City awarded a $125,000 marketing agreement to KREM Marketing Solutions, a full-service agency to continue to implement the City’s five-year economic development marketing strategy developed in 2016 by Atlas Advertising. That strategy is focused on three key areas: branding and community engagement, tourism and event development, and economic/business development.

As part of the 2018 services agreement, KREM Marketing Solutions has:
a. Developed and implemented marketing campaigns that utilize both broadcast (TV) and digital advertising.
b. Developed supplementary printed and/or other materials, including brochure templates and the ‘Hot Topic’ survey.
c. Reviewed and recommended changes to enhance the City’s communication tools, including websites and social media content, and enhance user interaction through search engine optimization and other marketing strategies.

The City has $125,000 set aside in its 2019 budget to continue and enhance the program with additional advertising and expanded area coverage. The focus will be to continue to build the City’s brand and identity, increase tourism by developing events to draw visitors, and expand regional awareness. A major emphasis will be on stimulating economic development by generating interest in the advantages offered by locating in the City.

Please note these upcoming events:
The February 12th Council meeting is cancelled. Council will be attending the Association of Washington Cities Convention in Olympia.
The regular February 19th Council will be cancelled. Instead Council will hold its winter workshop beginning at 8:30am in Council Chambers. The workshop normally continues until 2:30pm. The workshop is open to the public.

On June 5th, 2018 Council adopted Resolution 18-003, the 2019-2024 Six Year Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). That plan lays out the projects the City intends to complete or commence work on during that six-year period. The plan is dynamic in that it will be periodically reviewed and if necessary, amended.

The TIP is necessary because the City relies on grant assistance for those planned projects. In order to qualify for grant money, or to expend Real Estate Excise Tax (property tax) money on roads, the City must have a TIP in place.  The action that Council will be taking up later this month will be to amend the current TIP. The projects and costs listed in the adopted TIP are based information available at the time of adoption.  

The proposed amendment will update costs to reflect current conditions. In the interim, the City has also received grant award letters from the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) City Safety Program, necessitating the addition of new projects into the TIP.

The list of added road improvement projects includes: Barker Road reconstruction, Garland to GSP; Barker Road reconstruction, Spokane River to Euclid; Sprague and Barker intersection improvement; Adams Road sidewalk, 16th to 22nd; Barker Road Westbound I-90 Interchange, Boone to I-90; Citywide Reflective Signal Backplates; Citywide Reflective Post Panels; and Garland Avenue Construction, Flora to Barker.

The Study Session also included a discussion of the citizen request to reduce the gambling tax rate on gaming establishments in Spokane Valley. Specifically, the request was for a reduction on card game taxes. Currently, the City rates are 6% versus 2% in Spokane. However, when gaming tax rates in the two cities are compared to utility taxes, the differential is quite dramatic, with Valley utilities untaxed, while Spokane utilities are taxed as high as 20%.

Brown’s Park, across from University High School, has been the focus of considerable improvement, with 16 new sand volleyball courts added in the last year. Also added were a basketball court and a splash pad. Further improvement plans are for restrooms, trail and lighting, fencing, grading and earthwork, and a large shelter.

Last November 6th, the Mayor appointed a five person independent salary commission to “….review and establish the salaries of the Mayor and Councilmembers.” The review was proposed by a citizen who was concerned that those salaries had not been reviewed since 2007. State law provides for council compensation increases by 1) action of the affected council, or 2) a review and action of an independent commission. Council chose option 2. By doing so, whatever the commission recommends will apply without action by Council unless a referendum is passed to suspend the process.

The Salary Commission considered three factors in its analysis:
    1. The amount of time Council spent and level of responsibility in performing their duties;
    2. A comparison of compensation in cities of like size in the state; and
    3. The results of a survey from among the City’s citizens. That survey indicated support for an increase

The Commission’s recommendation was to increase the Mayor’s salary from $975 to $1,775 per month and increase Councilmember’s salaries from $750 to $1,415 per month.  The Commission also recommended that a regular review, at least every three years, be instituted going forward.

The first meeting of 2019 for the Spokane Valley City Council commenced with a proclamation declaring the City of Spokane Valley a proud EWU Eagles Supporter and congratulating Eastern’s football team on earning the right to play for the national NCAA Division I Championship.

A public hearing on a proposed code text amendment was followed by Council action adopting Ordinance 19-011. The ordinance which pertains to residential development in mixed use zones was presented to Council on December 4, 2018. After lengthy discussion about open space requirements, Council opted to remove all open space requirements in mixed use zones, considering that requirements for open space already exist in those zones, and that neither Spokane nor Spokane County require open spaces in mixed use zones.

As the 2019 Legislative session nears commencement, Council put final touches on its legislative agenda by amending the section on reduction of regulatory burden on business to include working to reform of the aggressive regulatory agenda of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

In previous action by Council adopting an interlocal agreement with Washington State Depart of Transportation providing for the City to engineer the westbound I-90 interchange offramp, WSDOT proposed to advance $900,000 for the estimated cost of the project. After consultation with state auditors, that proposal was changed to a pay for the work on an “as completed” basis.

In its December 18th meeting, Council discussed the idea of joining Water District #3, as it replaced three miles of its water line, to use the opportunity to repair or replace the adjacent City streets.  In areas where one side of the road will be disturbed by line construction, the City would, where needed, resurface the other side, virtually creating a new road. That project will continue through the construction season of 2019.  The City’s costs are not expected to exceed $375,000.

The Mayor made three appointments to the Spokane Valley Planning Commission. He re-appointed Timothy Kelley and James Johnson, while appointing Robert McKinley to his first term.  All are appointed to three-year terms. Planning Commissioners serve without compensation.

The Mayor also re-appointed Council members to the same committee or board assignments they currently hold, except Councilwoman Peetz who is newly appointed to the Tourism Promotion Area Board. In the newly established position for a City representative on the Aging and Long-Term Care of Eastern Washington Board, Mayor Higgins appointed himself.

He also appointed Chris Nelson to the Spokane Hotel/Motel Commission which advises the County Commissioners on the expenditures of Special Assessment revenues from the Spokane County Tourism Promotion Area to fund tourism promotion in Spokane County. Ms. Nelson will serve as an ex-officio member of that board.

Council heard a proposal regarding the annual review of employee benefits. That review will be placed on the next formal meeting’s Consent Agenda.

Occasionally the City conducts business with an entity in which a Councilmember has a financial interest.  In those circumstances, when payment for the product or service comes for consideration, the Councilmember necessarily recuses themselves from that deliberation. During internal discussions contemplating a means to avoid the interruption of business in those circumstances, it was determined that the recusal was required.