In response to written requests for additional review time, on April 3, the Spokane Valley Planning Commission voted again to extend the public comment period for the Sprague-Appleway Revitalization Plan.

The comment period is now open until 5:00 pm, May 2, 2008. All correspondence should be either emailed to dgriffith@spokanevalley.org, or mailed to the City at:

Planning Commission
City of Spokane Valley
11707 E. Sprague Ave., Suite 106
Spokane Valley, WA 99206

The Planning Commission will meet again on Thursday April 17, at 6:00 pm. Unlike previous meetings, the group will move to the Second Floor conference room at City Hall, at the north end of the main hallway.

Review and deliberation on the Sprague-Appleway Revitalization Plan will continue next week, with another Planning Commission meeting set for Thursday, April 10. The meeting scheduled for April 3 was cancelled due to a lack of a quorum. The group plans to meet weekly until deliberations are complete.

Public comments on the plan will continue to be received through Friday the 4th, no later than 5:00 pm, and should be submitted to dgriffith@spokanevalley.org .

All commission meetings will take place from 6:00 to 9:00 pm in Council Chambers, City of Spokane Valley City Hall, 11707 E. Sprague Avenue. A copy of the April 3 agenda is available below, with an updated version posted later this week.

Due to an enormous turnout at the Thursday, March 13 Planning Commission hearing, the official public comment period for the Sprague-Appleway Revitalization Plan has been extended, and a second meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, March 20 at 6:00 pm.

On Friday the 14th, Project Manager Scott Kuhta sent the following message to those on the City’s notice and project e-mail list:

Due to the large audience and amount of public testimony shared with the Planning Commission at last night’s hearing, the Planning Commission has continued the Public Hearing regarding the Sprague/Appleway Revitalization Plan and Corridor Subarea Plan document until March 20th, 2008 at 6:00 pm.  There were approximately 150 people in attendance last night and testimony was shared regarding the roadways, building orientation and setbacks, zoning and signs.  Anyone who did not get an opportunity to speak to the Commission is invited to do so on March 20th. The meeting will be held at City Hall, 11707 E. Sprague Avenue in the Council Chambers, on the first floor.”

Any written public comment can be sent to . The Commission voted last night to leave the public comment period open until the close of business on Friday March 21st, 2008.

We are hoping to have the minutes from last night’s meeting (in draft form) done by Tuesday March 18.  We will be posting those to the website and will send out the link as soon as they are posted.  We will also be posting any written comment to the website and will send an alert as soon as that is accomplished.  Please do not hesitate to let us know if you have any questions.  Check out the project website for information contained in and regarding all aspects of the plan at http://www.spragueappleway.com. 

Sincerely,

Scott Kuhta, AICP
Project Manager and Senior Planner
509-688-0049

Have questions, comments, ideas or thoughts about the plan? Get in touch soon - the Planning Commission’s review of the document will provide critical recommendations for later consideration by Council, so now’s the time to read up, consider the future of the Valley, and weigh in!

On Thursday, March 13, the Spokane Valley Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to receive input and deliberate on the draft Sprague and Appleway Corridors Subarea Plan. Notice on the meeting was published in the Valley News Herald and the Spokesman-Review on February 22, and is also scheduled to run in the February 29th issues.

The plan affects all property fronting Sprague Avenue and Appleway Boulevard between I-90 at Sprague and approximately one half mile east of Sullivan Road, and proposes new development regulations for all properties within the Plan Area, including building use, heights, setbacks, building orientation, signs, parking, streets and open space and building design. It also includes recommendations for street network improvements for Sprague and Appleway.

The hearing will occur during the regular meeting of the Planning Commission, Thursday, March 13, beginning at 6:00 p.m. A copy of the meeting notice is linked below, in addition to a copy of the press release issued March 3.

On January 19, the Sprague & Appleway Corridor plan process will take another step forward with a presentation by consultants Michael Freedman and Troy Russ at a joint City Council and Plan Commission meeting.

The meeting, which will begin at 6:00 pm in City Hall, will present elements of the “Book III” portion of the plan, which suggests actions the City should take to revitalize the corridor. These include establishing the proposed City center and making transportation and streetscape improvements. Because transportation will be the primary focus of the presentation on the 19th, Russ, from lead transportation consultant Glatting Jackson will speak about the plan’s various boulevard, multi-modal and commercial transportation proposals.

All residents and interested parties are encouraged to attend. As with previous meetings, informational posters, CD-ROM copies and take-home summaries will be available to help introduce the plan to the public.

City Hall is located at 11707 East Sprague Avenue. (GMAP)