(The Center Square) – In the midst of a housing shortage, the Spokane City Council asked the state to delay a 160-acre land exchange on Monday as a Redmond-based development company hopes to build upwards of 1,000 homes in Latah Valley.
While the state needs to build more than a million units over the next 20 years, Spokane County was around 20,000 short last year, even when only considering affordable housing. Despite this, the officials passed a resolution 5-2, asking the Washington State Department of Natural Resources to delay the Thorpe Road Exchange for 180 days.
The council majority wanted the delay to hear additional concerns, but the minority said the city shouldn’t stand in the way development.
The council passed a building moratorium for Latah Valley in May, so Blue Fern Development can’t build yet, though it would likely take years to lay the groundwork. DNR leases the land for logging outfits to generate revenue for building schools, but the lack of a tenant isn’t helping.
“The public did not get a say,” one Spokanite testified Monday, “The people who use this place and the people who care about it as a natural space, not as a developed land.”
Several residents testified in support of the resolution, noting a lack of tribal input and similar concerns from hearings over the building moratorium. The area only has a few ingress and egress points and limited fire protection infrastructure, setting the stage for wildfires.
The main reason for the moratorium was to pause development while raising money for the needed infrastructure. However, it only applies to new applications for unplatted land; another project is already slated to bring around 1,000 homes, and this project could double that.
Blue Fern wants to trade the Thorpe Road Property for a 4-acre lot in Whatcom County with a grocery store. While Spokane approved the resolution asking for a delay, it has no power over DNR, which will hear public testimony on Wednesday before making a decision next month.
Councilmembers Paul Dillon and Lili Navarrete spoke about their experiences with DNR and how, during one meeting, the department told them it did not consult the Spokane Tribe.
“To not involve the Spokane tribes in developing in what I call right now modern colonization is an insult,” Navarrete said.
If the land exchange goes through, Blue Fern intends to build Latah Park on the site, including 500 to 1,000 homes, with much of the acreage slated for trails, parks and “civic programming.”
The city requested the property under DNR’s Trust Land Transfer program last year but didn’t rank high enough among 30 applications. Mayor Lisa Brown and her administration have noted an intention to work with the state to find the best solution for everyone, including the local tribe.
“We have to look at, you know, what our people need most at the moment, and, right now, I think what our people need most is housing,” Councilmember Jonathan Bingle said in dissent.
