CIVICS | Plus, getting solar panels might come at a higher cost and the final reading on Cannon Shelter plans.
Finance and Administration Committee
A redistricting law rewrite?
Despite a recent legal challenge, the city’s redistricting maps approved last November were upheld by a judge earlier this month. A challenge to the redistricting process revealed that Councilmember Zack Zappone was aware that the new maps benefitted liberal candidates in his district, District 3. Judge Tony Hazel suggested the council should not be part of the redistricting process in the future, but he ultimately ruled that the current maps were not illegally gerrymandered.
Now, conservative Councilmember Michael Cathcart has proposed a new process for redistricting. Cathcart’s proposal, which would need to be approved by Spokane voters, would create a 7-person redistricting committee. On the committee, three members would be selected by the mayor, three by the city council and the final member would be chosen by those six members.
The proposal includes prohibitions for committee members, which include no members being registered lobbyists and a requirement that committee members have not served and cannot serve in office within two years of their time on the board. The proposal also includes public meeting requirements for the committee.
Once the committee submits recommendations, the council would be prohibited from revising those proposals, as was the case with the map proposed by Zappone that council approved last year. We haven’t heard much about the political viability of this proposal, so we’ll see how discussion goes.
Pay up for solar panels
In 2018, the city council passed an ordinance waving building and construction permits for solar panel systems. In the last couple years there’s been a huge bump in solar permits in Spokane, from 73 systems in 2019 to 605 last year.
This major increase has meant that the Development Services Center (DSC) and Fire Department are spending a lot of time inspecting and reviewing systems at no cost to the property owner rather than charging fees like they would for other permits and inspections. Last year, the DSC lost more than $275,000 in fees for these inspections and the fire department missed out on more than $538,000 in fees. In all, those fee waivers saved people an average of $1,340 per installation. The retail cost of solar in Washington averages about $16,900, but consumers pay closer to 11,800 after federal tax credits, so the waived fees in Spokane represent just over a 10% savings.
Council is proposing ending the fee waiver for these permits. If these fees are reinstated it could hurt the city’s net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 goal. From 2017 to 2019, city emissions remained flat.
Future fire department investments
The Spokane Fire Department hired a consultant to generate plans for future budgets for the department and system improvements. Some issues discussed in the meeting included challenges with reaching residents in the Latah Valley area, aging stations and making sure that there are proper facilities for firefighters to decontaminate their gear. Firefighters are exposed to toxins released both in the combustion process of the fires and in the fire retardants used to put them out. Recent studies have shown that cancer is the number one killer of firefighters.
Still contracting for HR
As the city continues to dig out of the deep staffing hole that has plagued city departments, they are proposing continued contracting with Archbright for human resources consulting. This requires a budget amendment shifting $60,000 from staffing to contracting.
Fewer hybrids for police department
Production issues at Ford mean the city can’t get hybrid SUVs for the police force, at least not as soon as they’d like to. So, council member Cathcart is sponsoring a consent agenda item allowing the department to go ahead and get standard SUVs rather than wait for a delayed delivery of hybrids.
Agenda hereMonday, April 17 at 1:15 p.mCouncil Chambers in the Lower Level of City Hall808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 9920The meeting is also live streamed here.
Spokane City Council
Final reading for Cannon Shelter respite
The city council will have the final reading for a resolution that would start the process of turning the Cannon Street Shelter into a medical respite facility for unhoused people. Details are still limited on how many beds would be made available at the respite facility and how the city will pay for the transition. This resolution is only to allow the city to “engage with local health care providers” that would transition the facility. Read all about it in last week’s CIVICS.
Agenda hereMonday, April 17 at 6 p.m.Council Chambers in the Lower Level of City Hall.808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201The meeting is also live streamed here.
Liberty Lake City Council
Books subject to council approval
The Liberty Lake City Council will be holding the second reading of an ordinance that would give them final say over library policies, which would include the power to ban books.
The new law would ensure that decisions made by the board are “subject to City Council approval.”
This ordinance first came to the council in February, and community members spoke out against it then. The council has been holding workshops with the library board in the months since. The ordinance coming in front of the council this week is the exact same as the February ordinance, according to the drafts in the agenda packet, but the council could make changes to the wording at this meeting.
Unlawful camping discussion
The council will also be having a workshop discussion on proposed amendments to city ordinances to address camping and storing personal property in public places. The city set up a working group, which met between Feb. 4 and April 11, to propose changes to address camping on public property. There’s nothing in the packet that indicates what these proposed changes will be, but you can read the current laws (Title 8 of the city ordinance) here.
Agenda hereTuesday, April 18 at 7 p.m.In person at Liberty Lake City Hall or Zoom link here.22710 E Country Vista Dr, Liberty Lake, WA
Spokane County Board of County Commissioners
In the zone
Pages 26 through 49 contain details for 15 zoning change requests. These code changes are being requested for various reasons, but most revolve around increasing development. There’s a map on page 26 you can check to see if any of these zoning proposals are in your neck of the woods.
Money for affordable housing
The county is disbursing $1.25 million to Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners (SNAP) to in federal emergency rental assistance. SNAP was the only applicant for the funding, which will go to affordable housing projects that “very low-income” populations. The money will fund the replacement of the Pine Villa Apartments, a 50-unit affordable housing project in North Spokane.
Agenda hereTuesday, April 11 at 2 p.m. Public Works Building1116 W Broadway, Spokane, WACommissioner’s Conference Room, First Floor
Spokane Transit Authority Board of Directors
Such a thing as a free ride
As Spokane Transit Authority (STA) prepares to launch the new “City Line,” an east-west rapid electric bus line between Spokane Community College and Browne’s addition, the board will be discussing a free promotional period for the new service. Options range from no free rides to keeping the route free through next spring.
For more on the launch of the new line, checkout today’s piece from Emry Dinman in the Spokesman Review.
Division Street Bus Rapid Transit public hearing
Follwing on the heels of the opening of the City Line, STA is working on a proposed Division Street rapid bus line. The hearing will include a presentation from staff and time for the board to ask them questions, then the floor will open up to the public for comment.
STA is conducting preliminary engineering and design work to figure out what the line will include, but a 2019 study found that the line should include a 10-minute frequency level of service on weekdays, stations at major intersections, dedicated bus lanes for a portion of the route and more. This hearing will help STA further refine the plan and they will vote on it May 18.
Admin fees for Connect cards
The STA staff will be asking the board to allow them to collect a $5 administrative fee for physical new or lost/stolen Connect cards. The new fare collection system launched in October and allows riders to pay for their fare with a contactless system and enables them to reload their cards more easily.
The fee won’t apply to people under the age of 18 who are issued a card and STA will credit the $5 fee when the customer registers their account on the Connect phone app or website.
Agenda hereThursday, April 20 at 1:30 p.m.1230 West Boone AvenueWatch virtually here
Spokane Public Library Board of Trustees
Agenda here (once posted)Tuesday, April 18 at 4:30 p.m.Indian Trail Library906 W. Main Ave, Spokane
Bicycle Advisory Board
Agenda here (once posted)Tuesday, April 18 at 6 p.m.Council Briefing Center, City Hall.808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201To join virtually click here.
Housing Action Subcommittee
Agenda here (once posted)Thursday, April 20 at 9:30 a.m.City Council Briefing Center, Spokane City Hall - Basement808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201The meeting is also virtual on Microsoft Teams here.
