Peter Barnes

Spokane Valley took a step toward taking care of its own streets Tuesday as the City Council approved measures to begin transferring parts of its street maintenance contract from Spokane County to private contractors. "At the end of year three, about half of the contract would be transitioned, potentially, away from the county," Public Works Director Neil Kersten told the council regarding the new plan for road work.

Spokane Valley looked into what it would take to expand its borders Saturday. Specifically, how to accommodate 36,000 new people over the next 20 years.

After driving and walking through the area last week, Spokane Valley's City Council members determined that offices would be the best fit for empty land running along Interstate 90 near Valley Mission Park. "There's nothing else that is going to happen to that property if it isn't designated for the offices," Councilman Dick Denenny said at Tuesday's meeting.

In a 4-3 decision Tuesday, the Spokane Valley City Council voted formally to reaffirm existing billboard rules after confusion on whether a cap on the number of billboards would allow them to be relocated. Councilman Rich Munson brought the topic to the floor again after saying he didn't realize that the billboard rules, which the council agreed to by consensus at an earlier meeting, would allow existing signs to be rebuilt elsewhere in the city.

Where exactly should Spokane Valley build a city center? During deliberations Tuesday night, the Spokane Valley City Council made several small changes to its proposed land-use map. Absent from the conversation was further discussion on Spokane Valley's city center.

In Spokane Valley's Ponderosa neighborhood, it looks like the verdict on denser development will be out for at least another six months. At its meeting Tuesday, the City Council took steps toward approving a second six-month extension of interim low-density zoning in the Ponderosa and Rotchford Acres neighborhoods.

About 16,400 homes could be built on vacant land in and around Spokane Valley, city planners said. That would bring a 47 percent increase in the city's present population – or roughly 40,000 additional residents inside the Valley's existing urban areas. At its regular meeting Tuesday night, the City Council reviewed new data on the land capacity of Spokane Valley and other urban areas on its borders.

Homeownership has long been a symbol of independence. Many consider the financial wherewithal to buy property where their family members can live as they please a central part of the American Dream. But as new subdivisions sprout all over the Inland Northwest, the keys to most new homes now come with restrictive covenants.

Spokane Valley is growing. As the population increases and houses keep going up, more and more open space is being used for new subdivisions. Because of the way the Valley developed in the past, many of these projects are taking place on large empty lots in existing neighborhoods. New Developments is a new Valley Voice feature that aims to show Valley residents where new projects are planned and roughly what they will look like.

The Spokane Valley City Council on Tuesday decided to pare back the list of aesthetic corridors in the Valley and add a few more in new areas. Currently, Appleway at the couplet, Evergreen from Sprague to Indiana, Indiana from Pines to Flora and Mirabeau Parkway fall under the aesthetic corridor designation that limits sign heights to eight feet, and imposes other rules to make the roads more attractive.

Facing reams of state guidelines for Spokane Valley growth, city leaders turn enthusiastic when discussing the plans for a new city center New public buildings, mixed-use developments and high-end condos in a walkable area are envisioned in the urban center of an area that has been characterized by uncoordinated suburban sprawl.

Billboards in Spokane Valley are here to stay under the latest revisions to the city's comprehensive plan. In a 4-3 decision, the City Council removed language added by the Planning Commission that eventually would have reduced their number.

At it's meeting Tuesday the Spokane Valley City Council started looking at the recreational programs the city will offer this summer and in coming years, weighing the possibility of adding cultural activities and programs for youth. The city's recreation offerings have been limited to summer children's programs for the past three years while the city developed a long-term parks plan. With that document written and moving closer to approval, city leaders are considering adding activities in the future.

High winds spread power outages across the Inland Northwest early Wednesday, forcing a school in Spokane Valley to bus its students to another building and cutting off the lights for more than 12,000 customers of two electric companies. Winds in some areas topped 50 mph in the early morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Despite misgivings about how the city and county would split the cost, Spokane Valley City Council members approved an agreement that will fund a school resource officer for the East Valley School District next fall. "I will stand here as your chief and tell you that the program is absolutely vital," said Spokane Valley Police Chief Cal Walker before the 5-1 vote.

Big Brothers Big Sisters will receive $2,000 from the city of Spokane Valley in 2006 following recommendations from the city's Student Advisory Council. This is the first year in which the council of Valley students was given an advisory role in the city's budget for youth programs.