Spokane County expands growth boundary

A long-standing dispute between Spokane County and the city of Spokane was resolved partially Tuesday in a decision that could someday help the city expand its borders.

The ruling made Tuesday by county commissioners expands Spokane’s urban growth boundary – or possible future city limits – by more than 20 square miles. Commissioners stressed, however, that the annexation process is completely separate from Tuesday’s decision and that the land could remain unincorporated.

Despite the agreement, the city already has filed a challenge to a portion of the decision regarding Spokane’s request to include 15 square miles north of city limits within Spokane’s growth boundary. Commissioners only expanded the city’s growth line two square miles on the north, not including land proposed for annexation by Mayor Dennis Hession on the west side of Division Street north of Francis Avenue.

Unlike other cities and towns in the county, Spokane did not have an urban growth boundary for the past five years because county leaders said city officials did not prove that they had the ability to provide those areas with municipal services.

The largest area of expansion approved by the county is about 17 square miles between Airway Heights and Spokane.

Spokane officials expressed frustration with the length of time it took the commissioners to designate growth boundaries to the city. Commissioners said the delay was the result of changing personnel.

“If you follow the Growth Management Act, you would have designated these areas five years ago,” Hession said.

The city’s petition regarding land north of city limits is expected to be heard by the Eastern Washington Growth Management Hearings Board in August.

Commissioner Todd Mielke said the county divided the north section of land based on topography. Whatever was easiest for the city to service with its sewers was placed within the Spokane growth boundary; the rest will be cheaper to serve by the county’s sewer system and will remain in the county’s growth boundary, Mielke said.

“The idea is whenever you go against gravity and Mother Nature, it gets extremely expensive,” Mielke said. Placing all the land within Spokane’s growth boundary “just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense from the perspective of citizens and taxpayers.”

Hession noted that a large portion of the contested area north of the city already is surrounded by Spokane, and that the county’s sewage system is dependent on the city.

“They may be county sewer pipes,” Hession said, “but they all go into the city’s system.”