Valley weighs preservation, property rights

The Spokane Valley City Council took another tentative step toward adopting a historic preservation ordinance at its meeting Tuesday evening, but it remains concerned about preserving the rights of property owners.

Council member Arne Woodard wanted to know if an ordinance would allow the city to declare a building historic and prevent the owner from tearing it down.

Gloria Mantz, development engineer in Spokane Valley’s community and economic development department, said that depends on how the ordinance is written.

“We can decide if only the property owner can nominate the property,” Mantz said, adding the owner would have to consent to the property’s historic designation.

A historic preservation ordinance would make Spokane Valley eligible for historic preservation grants from the state. It would also allow the city to give tax incentives to property owners who chose to preserve old buildings.

Establishing a historic preservation ordinance requires a historic preservation commission – which is different from the planning commission – to hold regular meetings and evaluate projects that involve historic properties.

The council spent some time talking about Spokane’s historic demolition ordinance, which is intended to preserve landmark buildings downtown, but also got in the way of Larry H. Miller Lexus Spokane’s plan to expand along Third Avenue. Two old garages were deemed eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places and that meant they couldn’t be torn down.

Both Woodard and council member Chuck Hafner found that scenario undesirable.

But Spokane Valley is still far from that level of regulation.

Mantz explained that staff is working on writing the ordinance using a state template, but adjusting wording to meet Spokane Valley codes.

If the ordinance is adopted, it’s not certain if city staff, a hired consultant or an interlocal agreement with the city of Spokane will manage the program.

City manager Mike Jackson rounded off the conversation by saying the property right concerns can be kept at the forefront as the ordinance is developed.