Group Appealing Development Ok For 57Th, Regal In/Around: Moran Prairie

The Moran Prairie Neighborhood Association is appealing a county decision to allow development of a shopping center, offices and apartments at 57th and Regal.

Hearing Examiner Mike Dempsey last month approved a series of zone changes for Cedar Builders Inc. of North Spokane on 27 acres at the intersection.

The zone changes for commercial uses were granted even though the county comprehensive plan limits business development to the north side of 57th Avenue.

Cedar Builders controls property southeast of the intersection.

Dempsey extended the commercial land-use designation from the north to the south side of 57th Avenue under a “transition policy” that allows business zones on adjacent parcels.

The neighborhood association is expected to argue that the project would bring too much traffic and too many buildings to property that doesn’t warrant such heavy development.

The land currently is zoned for single-family homes.

The appeal will be heard by the Spokane County commissioners, who can overturn the decision if they find legal errors in the hearing examiner’s ruling. No date for the appeal has been set.

The association is paying $239 for the appeal and another $800 to reproduce a transcript of the public hearing before the county hearing examiner earlier this year.

The proposal by Cedar Builders is the latest in a series of large commercial and multifamily housing projects being sought by developers in city and county portions of southeast Spokane.

Earlier this year, the Spokane City Council approved a plan for a large supermarket and two smaller stand-alone businesses at 44th and Regal.

Neighborhood leaders recently met with another developer seeking to build a gasoline station, fast-food restaurant and convenience store at the northeast corner of 57th and the Palouse Highway, said Susan Brudnicki, association president.

Brudnicki said a separate apartment project is being sought for another parcel at the same intersection.

Rich Naccarato of Cedar Builders wants to build 151 multifamily units, 70,000 square feet of commercial space and 30,000 square feet of offices at 57th and Regal.

Neighbors said they are concerned about traffic, storm runoff and the expansion of strip commercial zoning on both Regal and 57th Avenue.

They have argued for nearly two years that the city and county have inadequate planning for growth in the fast-developing neighborhood.

Brudnicki said developers are in danger of overbuilding apartments. She said the vacancy rate has increased in southeast Spokane rental units in recent months.

“There is not a market for any more apartment complexes here,” she said.