City Will Keep Close Eye On County Decisions

Spokane city officials will be watching what county commissioners do with the siting of manufactured homes as the issue surfaces this spring under state growth management policies.

The city currently allows manufactured housing on land specifically zoned for it in three areas: Latah Creek, Hillyard and parts of Indian Trail.

There have been no regulations affecting the type or condition of homes in those areas and a committee is drafting standards.

A moratorium has been placed on new units until those are approved by the City Council.

Among provisions being debated are that homes be less than 10 years old, have a pitched roof, skirting, and be at least 864 square feet.

The committee’s regulations are expected to be approved by the City Council before the moratorium expires May 1.

Darlene Becker, a north Spokane resident who heads the committee, said its members are being careful with the ordinance as they know it might become a precedent for all neighborhoods.

Likewise, Jim Bamberger, vice chairman of the city plan commission, said Spokane and other communities will have to look at opening some single-family neighborhoods to manufactured homes in order to satisfy the mandates of state growth laws.

The laws require each community adopt provisions for affordable housing. For Bamberger, there are few options in some areas except to allow factory-built homes, where a new unit can be placed on an existing lot for $25,000.

“There are neighborhoods where the land is cheap and there is no incentive to build new homes. My guess is if you did allow them, there would be quite a few of them,” he said.

The challenge, according to Bamberger is to write a law that will allow manufactured homes to be integrated into existing neighborhoods.

But such laws require that the city be able to enforce design standards.

“The city’s going to have to make a record that it can meaningfully enforce the standards that it sets,” said Bamberger.