This Study Session of Spokane Valley City Council commenced with the First Reading of Ordinance 22-014, a Street Vacation between Mission Avenue and Park Road. On April 26th, Council set a date of July 14th for a public hearing before the Spokane Valley Planning Commission for a street vacation of an unnamed street connecting Park Road and Mission Avenue. The parcel is approximately 370’ x 20’, encompassing approximately 7,400 square feet. The Planning Commission voted 6-1 to recommend the vacation to Council. Council reached consensus to place the item on the August 23rd agenda for a first reading.

Since the City initiated the application to vacate, it will not charge fees for the application process, nor will it seek compensation for the value of the land being vacated. The vacated land will be divided between adjacent property owners. Motion to move Ordinance 22-014 to a second reading passed unanimously.

On July 6, 2021, The City contracted with AHBL, Inc. (AHBL) to design the expansion of Balfour Park. The plan was to complete the design in two phases. The first phase was to increase park design to 30 percent including an events plaza, play areas, splash pad and amphitheater. Those plans included design of site grading, initial parking areas, lighting, multi-use plaza and open areas. The consultant was to also update the cost estimate for full park construction to be used for grant applications. Sidewalks are to be constructed as part of the library’s construction of its new facility. Construction of the planned Phase 1 project was estimated at $3.1 million. 

Phase 2 was to include the architectural park elements identified in the adopted Park Master Plan which included an events plaza, signature playground, splash pad, picnic shelter, sports courts, veterans’ memorial, amphitheater, and a walking interpretive trail.

The low bid for Phase 1 came in at $5.0 million. The economic situation, i.e., materials shortages, inflated prices, and late bid submission all contributed to the unexpected exorbitant costs. After a review of available options, Council is faced with a revision of the design. The amended contract with AHBL calls for an additional $106,178.90, bringing the amended contract total to $481,158.17. Motion to execute Amendment #2 to the ABHL Agreement #21-116 passed unanimously.

In an administrative report, the Spokane Valley Arts Council (SVAC) presented a potential project for 2023. This is pursuant to an agreement between Council and SVAC that there be consensus on any piece that SVAC would try to secure for presentation to the City. The piece is a bronze sculpture entitled Sun Blessing, by Nancy McLaughlin. With consensus, SVAC would apply for a City Outside Agency grant to assist in making the purchase.

In a very interesting discussion, Mercer Mass Timber, a company that acquired the former Katerra property and manufacturing facilities in August 2021, has plans for additional expansion. They currently occupy 37 acres in the City’s northeast industrial park, including a 253,000 square feet manufacturing plant. While the presentation was for discussion only, it served as a notice of consistent interest in that area. 

Since 2014, the City and Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) have been in negotiations on a Stormwater Project (Stormwater) to improve the water quality from stormwater runoff into the aquifer. The City initially received a $2 million grant with the expectation it would make up a $1.5 million revenue gap. That work has been delayed by revenue shortfalls at the legislative level and steadily increasing (inflated) costs of completing the project.
Lately, the City has been awarded $163,685 from Spokane Transit Authority to improve the crossing between City Hall and Balfour Park on Sprague Avenue (Crossing Project). An additional $556,400 has been obtained from the Pedestrian & Bicycle Program. The Stormwater and Crossing Project were originally planned to be completed concurrently. However, escalating costs have moved the costs to more than $5 million with expectations that they could be significantly higher in the timeframe of these discussions. Faced with this dilemma, Council decided to return the DOE grant, separate the projects, and move ahead with the Sprague Pedestrian Crossing Project after gathering more information on the Crossing Project and Spokane Transit Authority’s passenger pickup site.

To be able to accommodate a safe pedestrian crossing and drainage facilities at the project site, staff is proposing to reduce Sprague Avenue from five lanes to three, consistent with the existing lane structure east of University. The intent is to reduce the average speeds from 41.1 mph to 35 mph or less. To that end, a pilot project using tubular markers will be set up for six weeks to evaluate effects on driver behavior and vehicle speeds. Consensus was reached to implement the 3-lane reduction pilot project this fall. 

The second discussion/presentation on the City’s 2023 Budget highlighted the $104,614,473 in total appropriations including $25,174,227 in capital expenditures. Grant revenues of $11,459,062 represent 45.52% of the capital expenditures covered by State and Federal money. 

The City estimates 2023 recurring revenue will be $56,450,500, an increase of 8.04% over the amended 2022 budget. The 2023 recurring expenditure estimate of $52,731,079 is 7.39% greater than the 2022 amended budget. Recurring revenues exceed budgeted recurring expenditures by $3,719,421. The projected balance in the General Fund at the end of 2023 stands At $30,631,616 or 58.09% of recurring expenditures. The City’s full time employee count will increase in 2023 to 105.25 from 103.25. 

A public hearing on the budget as required by state law is scheduled for the September 13th Council meeting.

Earlier this year the City was presented with an opportunity to join with other cities in the state in a suit against the various companies and individuals involved in the manufacture, marketing, and distribution of opioid products and prescriptions. The suit is based on well-documented harm to individuals and communities resulting from use and ancillary illegal activities stemming from the opioid supply chain. A second suit brought by the State Attorney General has included Johnson and Johnson and Purdue Pharmaceutical (bankrupt). The City has joined in that action as well.

An allocation agreement has been reached allowing the City to participate infuture settlement of the cases if or when that happens. Consensus was reached to place the allocation agreement on a future agenda for action.

Spokane Police Chief Dave Ellis presented a summary of actions taken at Hometown Suites. Those actions included six search warrants served by SWAT, 72 arrests, establishment of a nexus with Camp Hope through stolen property and drugs, two employees arrested, approximately half of the staff being replaced, and the eviction of all 13 units.

Follow-up actions include deployment of a high visibility camera trailer to serve as a criminal deterrent, spot checks by police patrol, and continued communication with Hometown Suites management.

City Hall is open for business during normal business hours. The Public is invited to participate in action items or public comment periods in person or via ZOOM. Call 509-720-5000 or www.spokanevalley.org prior to 4:00 p.m. for access instructions.
 

 

At Council’s last meeting they were advised in an administrative report following an application for a street vacation that changes in City personnel, organization, and priorities have uncovered the need to amend the City Code Section 22.140 to update it. Ordinance 22-015 accomplished that goal. The motion to suspend the rules and adopt Ordinance 22-015 passed unanimously.

On October 26th, 2020, Council approved Resolution No. 21-008 which served as a formal notice of the City’s withdrawal from its participation in Spokane County’s Regional Tourism Promotion Area (TPA) effective December 31, 2022. On March 8th, 2022, after revisiting and discussing the issue, Council reaffirmed the decision terminate its participation. 

With the notice of withdrawal from the County’s TPA, Council discussed forming its own TPA for the City. City staff met with hoteliers over the summer to 1) assess their interest in developing a City TPA that would generate funding to promote the City as a tourism destination, and 2) if such interest existed, determine if a petition with enough participating hoteliers to legally create a City TPA was feasible.

After City staff and hoteliers reached agreement on creation of a petition that met all parties’ needs, hoteliers worked together to collect the necessary signatures from qualified hotel owners/operators to meet the requirements of state law. The signed petition is the first step in the establishment of a City TPA. City Resolution 22-017 formally accepts that petition and sets September 13th, 2022, as the date for a public hearing before Council. Motion to approve Resolution 22-017 passed unanimously.

In an administrative report, Council was advised that the system currently used for determining replacement of City snowplows isn’t working. That system calls for a replacement snowplow every three years. The City’s existing fleet of snowplows has been purchased from the Department of Transportation as they are dropped from that agency’s inventory. The average age of our fleet is 35.5 years. In this environment of supply shortages and unavailability of replacements parts, our maintenance crews are having to manufacture replacement parts. 

To provide a more realistic and manageable timetable for replacement, a new program has been developed which will replace one snowplow each year for eight years (including this year). The program would then call for replacement based on age and usage. The average age for replacement would be reduced to 26.9 years, which is a more reasonable age for obtaining replacement and repair parts.

Spokane Valley’s Deputy Fire Chief presented a monthly report, stating that the seven stations in the Valley were making 58 runs per day on average. He mentioned that the department responded to 10,166 incidents year to date in 2022. 

The Spokane Valley Fire Department is the 2022 recipient of “Heart Safe Community” Award for being one of the safest places in the US to have a heart attack. A somewhat reassuring factotum. Burn restrictions went into place on July 20th. 

City Hall is open for business during normal business hours. The Public is invited to participate in action items or public comment periods in person or via ZOOM. Call 509-720-5000 or www.spokanevalley.org prior to 4:00 p.m. for access instructions.

 

 

This Study Session of the Spokane Valley City Council opened with a technical item correction. On April 26th, Council approved Resolution 22-007 authorizing two applications for funding assistance from the Washington State Recreation Conservation Office (RCO) for Phase 2 of Greenacres Park development. The RCO has responded to that application requesting minor language changes in the Resolution to match the RCO’s template that requires verbatim compliance. The City’s new Resolution 22-015 meets the requirement, replacing Resolution 22-007. Motion to approve Resolution 22-015 passed unanimously.
 

Council annually reviews its adopted goals and priorities for how it uses lodging tax revenues encouraging the Lodging Tax Committee to consider those when making award recommendations. In summary, those goals and priorities are: 
 

• To direct awards toward funding projects, activities, events, or festivals that will highlight Spokane Valley as a tourism destination. Lodging taxes will be used for purposes allowed by State law including:

• Tourism marketing

• Marketing and operation of special events and festivals

• Operation and capital expenditures for tourism related facilities owned or operated by a municipality or public facilities district

• Operation of tourism related facilities owned or operated by non-profit organizations

• Prioritize funding for destination marketing projects that promote the City as a tourist destination and for capital expenditures to develop tourism destination facilities or venues within Spokane Valley as a means of drawing additional visitors to the City. 

• Priority consideration will be given to projects with a history of increasing overnight stays and the shopping, dining, and overnight visit components in that category.

• Council will take into consideration revenues received by applicants that were derived from other sources within Spokane Valley and other municipal entities and agencies such as any standing Tourism Promotion Authority and the Spokane Public Facilities District.

• In a departure from past practice, the City will now accept applications from applicants other than non-profit entities for tourism promotion projects.

An award to a Lodging Tax applicant cannot be greater than the amount requested in the applicant’s application. 
 

Notice to any parties interested in applying for tourism grants will be made by newspaper, city website, and letters to past award recipients on August 26th. Applications will be due to the City by 4pm, Friday, September 30, 2022. Candidates will present their applications to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) on Thursday, October 20th. LTAC will make its recommendations for awards to Council at its November 8th meeting, and Council will approve the final awards on December 13th. Motion to approve Council’s Lodging Tax Goals and Priorities passed unanimously.

 

On April 26th, Council set a date of July 14th for a public hearing before the Spokane Valley Planning Commission for a street vacation of an unnamed street connecting Park Road and Mission Avenue. The parcel is approximately 370’ x 20’, encompassing approximately 7,400 square feet. The Planning Commission voted 6-1 to recommend the vacation to Council. Council reached consensus to place the item on the August 23rd agenda for a first reading.

This discussion was followed by an administrative report on amending the City Code on street vacations. Changes in City personnel, organization, and priorities have indicated the need for a review of Code Section 22.140 with an eye to updating it. Consensus was reached to place the item on a future agenda for a first reading.
 

City Manager, John Hohman, presented Council 2023 Budget Goals, refined from its June 14th Budget Workshop. They are, in part:

• Advance Pines/BNSF rail crossing project to construction

• Actively pursue a plan to sustain the City’s Pavement Management Program

• Pursue financial assistance for improving the Barker Corridor

• Sustain and expand economic development efforts and COVID recovery

• Continue to foster relationships with federal, state, and county agencies

• Pursue financing for Balfour Parks, Appleway Trail amenities, and the River Loop Trail

• Execute an extension of our law enforcement contract

• Increase community interactions

These items will be a part of the budget approval process when completed in November.
 

Police Chief Ellis presented an overview of the Regional Safe Streets Task Force including its makeup, statistical trends, recent events, and an update. Violence is increasing as demonstrated by three recent events involving firefights with suspects.

 

In a welcome announcement encapsulated in this press release:

City receives $33 million for Pines Road/BNSF grade separation project
 

Spokane Valley is excited to announce that on August 11, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) awarded $21,689,221 for the construction of the Pines Road/BNSF Grade Separation Project. Funding comes from the USDOT’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program, which invests in road, rail, transit, and port projects that promise to achieve national objectives. The RAISE program prioritized awards for projects that deliver equitable transportation modes for all users. 

Also, in July 2022, the city was notified of two additional funding awards for the project:

• Senator Patty Murray’s sponsorship of the project secured $5 million in the 2023 draft Senate Appropriations bill, which will be realized with the passing of the 2023 budget expected to occur this fall or winter. 

• Spokane Regional Transportation Council awarded $6,404,600.
 

These funds move the Pines/BNSF Rail Crossing Project to very nearly being fully funded. Additional grant applications, if successful, will complete that effort.
 

City Hall is open for business during normal business hours. The Public is invited to participate in action items or public comment periods in person or via ZOOM. Call 509-720-5000 or www.spokanevalley.org prior to 4:00 p.m. for access instructions.