Here’s a list of frequently-asked questions regarding the Sprague/Appleway Revitalization planning process. Have more questions? E-mail Deanna Griffith at the City by clicking here..
Q: How can I get involved?
A: Public involvement is vital to ensure this plan is consistent with the community’s desires and aspirations. Hundreds of citizens attended the three workshops held between September 2006 and January 2007; residents can continue to review and comment on project material posted on this website as work proceeds, and are encouraged to subscribe to the e-mail notification list available on this site. The Spokane Valley planning commission and City Council will also conduct public workshops and hearings on this project, beginning this spring.
Q: Who can take part?
A: All residents, landowners or those employed in the Spokane Valley area are strongly encouraged to take part in the process.
Q: When are the meetings scheduled, and what will be covered?
A: The City and its consultants sponsored three public workshops on this project. The first, on September 13, covered community priorities and hopes for the corridor. The second, held October 11, reviewed how comments from the first workshop shaped the plan’s direction and presented early design concepts for the corridor. The third workshop was held November 30, and concentrated on getting community feedback on street design concepts. A final meeting was held on January 16 to present recommendations based on citizen feedback to date. Commission and Council presentations will take place beginning March 1, 2007. Additional specifics, such as time, place, and meeting agendas are posted on this project page prior to each event.
Q: Who commissioned the plan, and why?
A: Spokane Valley’s new Comprehensive Plan, adopted in April, recognizes the importance of the Sprague/Appleway corridor in the City’s future. Among the specifics, it calls for the creation of a town center on Sprague Avenue, and a mix of residential and commercial land uses along the corridor to allow residents to walk to shops, jobs and other typical daily destinations. The Sprague/Appleway Revitalization Plan was commissioned by the City to help achieve that vision.
Q: How long will the process take?
A: Drafting the plan should conclude in the spring of 2007, with City planning commission and City Council public workshops and hearings. The City intends to have the plan adopted by next summer, in time to help shape budget and policy decisions for 2008.
Q: What’s included in the study area?
A: The Sprague Appleway corridor subarea extends eastward along Sprague and Appleway from the I-90 interchange to just beyond Sullivan Road. A study area map is available for download and viewing here.
Q: How much will the project cost?
A: The consultant contract totals approximately $425,000, including work to prepare an economic and market analysis for the corridor, public process, and an integrated urban design and reinvestment strategy. The developed strategy will include land use, transportation, capital facilities and design guidance intended to focus policy and public investment into an effective revitalization program.
Q: Who are the City’s consultants?
A: ECONorthwest, based in Eugene, Oregon, is the prime consultant on this project. They specialize in urban planning and economics, with experience throughout the Pacific Northwest and the US. Freedman, Tung & Bottomley of San Francisco, California are the urban design and revitalization consultants, providing the bulk of the work and will lead public workshops throughout the process. Glatting-Jackson, of Orlando, Florida, are expert in transportation planning, especially in the conversion of commercial corridors into town center districts and the reevaluation of space needs along public rights of way. Studio Cascade, of Spokane, Washington, specializes in growth management planning and the development of land use and design policy in support of mixed-use, compact development.
