City may use parcel to obtain overpass site

The city of Spokane Valley is considering rezoning property across from Mirabeau Point Park from park/open space to mixed use center. The city-owned land is immediately north of the Mirabeau Trailhead on the Centennial Trail and lies between Mirabeau Parkway and the trail.

Community Development Director John Hohman said he put the rezone on this year’s comprehensive plan amendment docket as a placeholder since the plan can only be amended once a year. “At this point in time, we have not had the time to do the research to determine if this is a viable possibility,” Hohman told the City Council on Tuesday night.

In an interview Monday, Hohman said the city is looking at rezoning the land so it can be offered for sale or lease to a property owner whose land is needed for the Pines Road overpass spanning the BNSF Railway tracks just south of Trent Avenue. The overpass is part of the Bridging the Valley project and is in the design phase.

Hohman said John Miller wants to develop a parcel he owns on Pines just south of Pinecroft Way but is unable to because a chunk of it will be needed for the overpass, which includes a realignment of Pines. The city planned to use the vacant park land for an expanded parking lot, but is now looking at letting Miller lease or buy it as compensation for land needed for the overpass.

A good use of the land would be for a restaurant or similar business that would serve park users, trail users and employees at the nearby Pinecroft Business Park, Hohman said. The parking lot for any new business would be open to park and trail users, he said.

Hohman told the council Tuesday that he plans to research the issue more before bringing it before the planning commission for consideration and ultimately to the City Council for approval.