Council returns Meadow Point to examiner

Spokane City Council members voted 6-1 on Monday to affirm a hearing examiner decision approving a 371-lot development in southwest Spokane.

But the council did not give Meadow Point Landing a full go-ahead.

Rather, it returned the developer’s application to the hearing examiner to reconsider the plat’s compliance with open space and park requirements of the city’s land-use law.

Councilman Bob Apple voted against the decision because he said there was no basis for returning the application to the hearing examiner and holding up the developer.

“The simple fact is there is no right to deny the developer to proceed,” he said in criticizing the decision.

Residents of the neighborhood brought the appeal against Hearing Examiner Greg Smith’s April decision because the development would remove a native forest without providing for open space, trails, park land or other recreational features.

In addition, the new families who move into the houses would add to congestion at the intersection of U.S. Highway 195 and Meadowlane Road, the appellants argued.

The project is being sought by T.J. Landco.

The council hearing on July 24 was attended by nearly 100 area residents, including members of the Protect Eagle Ridge and the Latah Valley Neighborhood groups.

Council members Monday said they are frustrated about possible traffic congestion along U.S. Highway 195. The state Department of Transportation is exempt under the growth management law from having adequate roads in place prior to new development, although local government must meet the so-called concurrency requirement, they said.

The developer has agreed to provide a slice of land for future highway improvements, but those improvements are years off at best, said Councilwoman Mary Verner.

The intersection of Meadowlane and U.S. 195 has not had enough accidents to make it a state priority for improvements, she said.