A proposed land-use change that would have allowed large apartment complexes in a mostly rural neighborhood along Barker Road was dumped tonight by the Spokane Valley City Council.

Council members voted 6-1 against moving the proposal forward for further consideration, saying the infrastructure is inadequate to accommodate apartments and that it would be detrimental to the existing neighborhood.

"This is not an apartment building neighborhood," said Councilmember Ed Pace.

The proposal by Whipple Consulting Engineers would have reclassified a 5-acre parcel at Barker Road and the old Sprague Avenue from low- to high-density residential.

The neighborhood, however, banded together to fight it, packing several City Council meetings to protest the change.

"We feel pretty good," said Danny Smith, who shares a home with his daughter and son-in-law on a 1-acre parcel adjacent to the proposed land-use change. "We knew it was close and had no idea how the vote would go."

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