Your Connection to the Spokane Valley City Council

Spokane Valley City Council opened its last meeting in May by taking action on the Second Reading of Ordinance No. 21-005. In March of this year, the City initiated an amendment to modify relevant chapters of the City’s Municipal Code updating it to accommodate several State and international codes that apply to buildings, residences, mechanical, fire, plumbing, and wildlife interface which have been amended. Those codes became effective throughout Washington State on February 1, 2021. The City’s Planning Commission took up the issue and on March 25, 2021 and voted 5-2 to recommend Council approve what is now Ordinance 21-005.

Cities and Counties are required to enforce the adopted State Building Codes pursuant to state law. Building permits issued by the City’s Permit Center on or after February 1, 2021 are being reviewed for compliance with the 2018 Energy Code. Motion to approve Ordinance 21-005 was unanimously approved.
A project to reconstruct the intersection of Argonne Road and Montgomery Avenue with concrete pavement including ADA curb ramps, signal improvements, and stormwater upgrades was presented for Council action. The project was included in the 2021-2016 Transportation Improvement Program adopted by Council on May 26, 2020. The project will be funded with Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) and Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) grants together with City funds.

Project Costs
Preliminary Engineering    $267,000
Construction     $2,859,987
Total Estimated Costs     $3,126,987

Project Budget
City Funds    $967,244
TIB Grant    $1,858,810
DOE Grant    $300,933
Total Budget    $3,126,987

The project was advertised for bid on April 30, 2021, with the City receiving two bids. The Engineer’s estimate for the intersection replacement was $2,588,587.90. The lowest bid was from Corridor Contractors at $2,388,970.90. The motion to award the construction contract to Corridor Contractors was approved unanimously.

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued a call for projects in April 2021 under the RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) grant program. That program was formerly the BUILD program with a succession of other acronyms preceding it. The completion of funding for the Barker Road/BNSF rail crossing was accomplished under such a grant, the TIGER grant.

The City has two projects that qualify under the RAISE grant criteria: The Pines Road/BNSF Rail Crossing and the Bigelow-Sullivan Corridor Project. Both projects have been submitted for grants through other programs, so staff recommended that the Pines/BNSF Project be submitted for this new RAISE round of applications in the amount of $16,239,622 or 67% of the total anticipated funding needs.

The City having already committed $4,695,417 of its own funds and other land acquisitions increasing that number, scores extra points on the eligibility scale. A motion to authorize the City Manager to apply for the RAISE fiscal Year 21 grant for the Pines/BNSF Rail Crossing Project passed unanimously.
The City is required by state law to update its comprehensive plan and development regulations every eight years which it did in 2016 with an additional Code Text Amendment in September 2020 addressing annexation. During the updating process, it was identified that the stated goals for development weren’t being met. The City hired a consultant to ascertain 1) The Problem, and 2) Possible Solutions.

The first problem was limited new industrial development because of restrictive and conflicting industrial zoning. That problem was addressed by consolidating light and heavy zones into a single zone allowing a broader array of industrial uses. That consolidation has proved to be a critical element in the progress the City has made in developing its Northeast Industrial Area (NIA).

The next barrier was the ability to deliver streets, water, and sewer to the NIA. Working with Spokane County and Consolidated Irrigation District, the City was able to extend those services to the NIA. In addition, the City adopted a Planned Action Ordinance (PAO) for the NIA. The PAO provides predictability, streamlining, and time savings in permitting and compliance for new projects. The result is there are very few vacant parcels remaining in the NIA. However, this highlights the necessity for adding more land for industrial development. To accomplish the addition of more industrial land, a modification to the state’s UGA (Urban Growth Area) regulations will be necessary.

A late amendment to the agenda brought a discussion on re-opening City Hall and Council Chambers to open meetings with Council present and citizens able to comment in person or via ZOOM although however the citizen chooses to participate. The rules emanating from Olympia are confusing, so Council agreed to defer open public meetings until June 30. The scheduled June 15 Budget Workshop will be in Council chambers with the public able to participate via ZOOM. City Hall will be closed on Memorial Day, May 31. There will be a Council meeting on June 1.

Staff is scheduled to be physically present at City Hall by the 15th of June. But City Hall will be closed except by appointment. Appointments for service can be made by calling 509-720-5000 or visiting www.spokanevalley.org.

This Study Session of Spokane Valley City Council started with a public hearing on the proposed 2021 Budget Amendment (Ordinance 21-006). The hearing was followed by the First Reading of Ordinance 21-006, amending the City’s 2021 budget.

Since the adoption of the City’s 2021 Budget last December, several events have necessitated a 2021 Budget Amendment. An increase in sales tax revenues increases recurring revenues by nearly $3.1 million. Additional expenses increase total recurring expenditures by $12,769,313. This amendment will affect 5 funds resulting in a total revenue increase of $15,002,274 and an expenditure increase of $15,216,330. The amendment includes the addition of the new position of GIS Analyst.

Motion to move Ordinance 21-006 to a Second Reading passed unanimously.

Central Valley School District owns 17.7 acres at the corner of 44th Avenue and Bates Road which it finds surplus to its needs and intends to sell. The City is interested in purchasing the property for parkland. The property is appraised at $1,575,000. Fire District #8 which serves the southern portion of the City is interested in purchasing 3-4 acres of that property to replace its aging station near there. The City would sell that amount to Fire District #8 upon completion of its purchase. The motion to authorize the City Manager to complete the purchase passed unanimously.

The City, in affiliation with other regional entities, participates in the operation of Centennial Trail. Recently, the County offered to sell a parcel at North Flora Road and East Montgomery Avenue to the City that would also comprise an integral part of City plans for a Loop Trail and that would connect with Centennial Trail. The parcel’s area is 19,690 square feet, with an appraised price of $286,000. Move to authorize completion of purchasing the property passed unanimously.

Evergreen Road between Sprague and Broadway Avenues is due, under the City’s Six Year Transportation Improvement Plan, to undergo a grind and overlay resurfacing together with installation of ADA curb ramps, pavement repairs, laying of ITS conduit and signal upgrades at the Broadway intersection. Estimated project costs are $1,900,000 funded entirely from City finances. Bids were opened on May 14th but were not available for entry into Council information packets at publication. Since construction time is limited, the motion was to award the contract to Selland Construction, the lowest bidder at $1,607,864 at this meeting. Motion passed unanimously. Each year, as required by state law, the City reviews its Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) with an eye to adding projects that address the transportation needs of the City. The list includes projects that are intended to be implemented in the next six years, progress on those already on the list, and eliminating those completed. When adopted, the TIP is submitted to the Washington State Department of Transportation by June 30th of each year.

This year’s list includes 9-‘2022 Closeout Projects’, 5 Bridge & Grade Separation Projects, 15 Intersection Improvement Projects, 27 Reconstruction/Preservation Projects, 4 Citywide Projects and 4 Sidewalk, Trail, and Stormwater Projects for a total of 64 projects scheduled to be addressed over the next six years. For a complete listing of the projects please visit www.spokanevalley.org and look for the May 17 Council Agenda. A Public Hearing on this TIP is scheduled for June 8th followed by a Council resolution to adopt the TIP.
In 2019 the State Legislature passed legislation requiring cities to create and adopt a Housing Action Plan (HAP) to define strategies and implementation that promote greater housing diversity and affordability for residents of all income levels. The HAP includes four main components: 1) A Housing Needs Assessment, 2) A review of policies and regulations affecting housing development, 3) Strategies to increase housing based on needs, and 4) an Implementation Plan. In choosing to create a HAP, the City hired consultants to design and develop the plan. The City’s Planning Commission on April 22nd, after conducting a public hearing, issued its findings. Council, on June 1st, will entertain a motion consideration to adopt the HAP.

On March 22, 2021, the City moved into Phase III on the Governor’s Roadmap to Recovery. At CenterPlace, Phase III allows up to 50% of fire capacity of a meeting room, a maximum 200 attendees at a Greatroom event, 10 people to a table, with food buffets and service permitted. Outdoor events can be much more relaxed. While CenterPlace still remains closed to the general public, a range of activities within the Governor’s guidelines are taking place with reservations and special event applications. More information will become available as mandates are lifted or call 509.750.5200 for details.

City Hall currently remains closed except by appointment. Appointments for service can be made by calling 509-720-5000 or visiting www.spokanevalley.org. However, staff will be returning to be physically present at City Hall by June 15th. If/when direction from Olympia reaches dependability, Council meetings in Council Chambers will begin thereafter.

This formal meeting of Spokane Valley City Council opened with two proclamations: 1) Recognizing May as Older Americans’ Month, and 2) Recognizing May as AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) Month including the June 12th Heritage Day celebration at CenterPlace’s West Lawn Plaza.

The City initiated an amendment to modify relevant chapters of the City’s Municipal Code updating it to accommodate several State and international codes which have undergone amendments. Those codes became effective throughout Washington State on February 1, 2021. The City’s Planning Commission took up the issue and on March 25, 2021, voted 5-2 to recommend Council approve what is now Ordinance 21-005.

Cities and Counties are required to enforce the adopted State Building Codes pursuant to state law. Building permits issued by the City’s Permit Center on or after February 1st, 2021 are being reviewed for compliance with the 2018 Energy Code. Motion to move Ordinance 21-005 to a Second Reading was unanimously approved.

SRTC (Spokane Regional Transportation Planning Council) is the region’s conduit for state and federal funding. Changes to state law in 2019 require that tribes have voting rights on the Council, which until then they did not. After analysis of the interlocal agreement among the various SRTC participants, they concluded it was necessary to rewrite the agreement to 1) include the tribes to comply with the newly enacted state law, and 2) add one additional voting representative for Spokane Valley since it recently crossed the 100,000-population requirement for a second Council member. Motion to approve the proposed SRTC interlocal agreement passed unanimously.
The prospective new owners of Splashdown have requested suspension of lease payments for 2021 like the one agreed to in 2020 because of the uncertainty of their ability to open this season and the considerable costs of refurbishing to re-open if they were subjected to a “false start.” The City considers having Splash-Down in place and under contract as an advantage for summertime activity. The proposed amended agreement will postpone payments for this year and extend the term of the contract through 2025. Motion to approve the amended lease passed unanimously.

In 2012, the City entered an interlocal agreement with the County to provide Emergency Management Services. Those services include administration and coordination of emergency programs to preserve life in the event of a catastrophic event. The County has presented a new interlocal agreement updating the terms of service, participation, program administration, and optional services. The revised agreement includes a three-year term with one three-year renewal. A motion to authorize the City Manager to finalize and execute the Interlocal Agreement for Emergency Management Services was approved unanimously.

Spokane Valley Police have in the past up to 2008 assigned personnel to field a bicycle patrol. Manpower issues have limited that capability, with periodic patrols now conducted by SCOPE volunteers. Bicycle patrols provide the ability for increased visibility in hard to patrol areas such as Appleway Trail, Centennial Trail, Balfour Park, and Sullivan Park. Bicycle patrol capability also increased police interaction and engagement for special events such as Valleyfest and large group gatherings.

Each year as the City begins to prepare its budget for the ensuing year, Council has an initial opportunity to discuss the Potential and Pending Projects worksheet to prioritize how money in its Capital Reserve account should be allocated.

New sources of funds in 2021 include:

    Transfer from the City General Fund    $11,126,343
    Interest Earnings    $16,700
    State Funds for Flora River Trail Property    $977,764
    Total added    $12,120,807
    Less: Funds allocated previously     $1,851,716
    Total Remaining for allocation    $10,269,091

Potential Projects for discussion include park land acquisition, improvements to Balfour Park, Barker Corridor improvements, Sullivan and Trent interchange, City Hall repairs, Fairgrounds building project, and design for the proposed River Trail. Obviously missing is the Pines Road Rail Crossing project as the City pursues outside grant funding for the remainder needed for completion.

City Hall currently remains closed except by appointment. Appointments for service can be made by calling 509-720-5000 or visiting www.spokanevalley.org.  However, staff will be returning to be physically present at City Hall by the 15th of June. If/when direction from Olympia reaches dependability, Council meetings in Council Chambers will commence as quickly thereafter as possible.

This Council Study Session led off with a Motion Consideration to authorize a City application for a Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) grant. The Commission has $564,000 available for projects that benefit school zone safety. A staff evaluation has identified three projects, all School Zone Flashing Beacons, at 1) Horizon Middle School, 3915 S. Pines Road; 2) Continuous Curriculum School, 16924 E. Wellesley Avenue; and 3) City School, 8920 E. Valleyway Avenue. The total project cost is $60,000 with the grant request at $51,000 and a City match of $9,000. The motion was unanimously approved.
 In a proposed amendment to the City’s 2017 Interlocal Agreement for Law Enforcement Services, the Tactical Unit (TAC) was re-established after being inactive. The purpose of TAC is to provide specialized law enforcement response to civil disturbances and crowd control incidents. Additional changes addressed services provided by the Sheriff, Dedicated City Officers, and Combined number of Officers in Shared Units. The changes were made after an ongoing review and consolidation in the Spokane Regional Emergency Communications agreement. Motion to approve the Addendum to the City’s Interlocal Agreement for Law Enforcement Services passed unanimously.

 The original construction agreement for the Barker Road/BNSF rail crossing approved by Council on March 31, 2020 called for the relocation of Avista equipment in order to construct the crossing. Avista completed the work, but in the process, incurred expenses above the initial estimate due to the need for larger transmission structures than originally included in the estimated costs. The result increased the estimate by $161,914.59, bringing the total cost of the move to $910,907.22. The City is responsible for paying the additional cost. Motion to authorize the City Manager to pay the bill passed unanimously.
 The Appleway Stormwater Improvement Project, slated for completion later this year, calls for the extension of Appleway Trail west from University Road to Farr Road. The Trail’s Master Plan also looks to possibly extend the Trail westward to the Dishman Hills Natural Area. To do this, two parcels owned by the County are critical for providing stormwater management facilities and trail segments. The County intends to sell the properties for $42,000. A motion to approve purchase of the two parcels was unanimously approved. The City, in concert with other regional entities, participates in the operation of Centennial Trail. Recently, the County offered to sell the City a parcel of 19,690 square feet, at North Flora Road and East Montgomery Avenue, that would comprise an integral part of City plans for its planned Loop Trail and connection with Centennial Trail. The appraised price is $286,000. No action was taken.

 Since 2015, the City has maintained a contract with the County for operation of its Geographic Information System (GIS). The operator is a County employee housed at City Hall. As the City grows, it has become apparent that this service and the person conducting it should be under the direct control of the City. In further analysis, there would be a cost saving of nearly $27,000 to hire a person for the job plus the ability of that employee to be an integral part of the City’s Business Development Team. Consensus was reached to move forward with the transition from County to in-house. In 2012, the City entered an interlocal agreement with the County to provide Emergency Management Services. Those services include administration and coordination of emergency programs to preserve life in the event of a catastrophic event. The County has presented a new interlocal agreement which includes a three-year term with one three-year renewal. Consensus was reached to proceed to a Motion Consideration and further discussion at Council’s May 11th meeting.

 Since the adoption of the City’s 2021 Budget last December, several events have necessitated a 2021 Budget Amendment. The amendment will affect 6 funds resulting in total revenue increases of $15,002,274 and expenditure increases of $13,316,330. The amendment also includes adding the new position of GIS Analyst. Approval requires a public hearing on May 18th with final approval on May 25th.

 SRTC (Spokane Regional Transportation Planning Council) is the region’s conduit for state and federal funding. Changes to state law in 2019 require that tribes have voting rights, which until then they did not. After analysis of the interlocal agreement binding SRTC participants, it was decided to rewrite the agreement to 1) include the tribes, and 2) add one additional representative for Spokane Valley since it has now crossed the 100,000- population requirement for a second council member. Consensus was reached to place these changes on a future agenda.

 Central Valley School District is the owner of 17.7 acres at the corner of 44th Avenue and Bates Road which it intends to sell. The City is interested in purchasing the property, appraised at $1,575,000, for parkland. Fire District #8 is also interested in purchasing 3-4 acres of this property to replace its aging station near there. Consensus was reached to place a motion consideration on a future agenda.

 The prospective new owners of Splashdown have requested suspension of lease payments for 2021 like the ones agreed to in 2020 because of the uncertainty of their ability to open this season and the considerable costs of refurbishing to re-open if they were subjected to a “false start.” Consensus was reached to place the issue on a future agenda for motion consideration. The City’s Parks Department would like to proceed with a modified aquatics program at City pools this summer. The suggested program would comply with the Governor’s mandates for safety while offering much-needed avenues for activities for children. Council reached consensus to proceed to a June 1st date for program review prior to approval.

 City Hall remains closed except by appointment. Appointments for service can be made by calling 509-720-5000 or visiting www.spokanevalley.org.

View Past Spokane Valley City Council Highlights