Planners To Present Growth Options Citizen Input Sought On Comprehensive Growth Strategies

Thu., July 13, 2000

By Isamu Jordan isamuj@spokesman.com

City planners will be fielding public input on comprehensive plan growth strategies at the Northeast Community Center, 4001 N. Cook, tonight at 6:30 p.m.

At the meeting, city planners will give an overview of the three growth alternatives. Citizens will then be asked to vote for their preferred option.

The meeting will be run by Duane Sunwald, chair of the hospitality department for the Community Colleges of Spokane. Sunwald was selected as a neutral facilitator by Avista Utilities community volunteers.

“We wanted an outside facilitator to make sure we get a straight read on what people want,” said Don Hornbeck, an Avista volunteer stationed at the Northeast Community Center.

The first of the three growth options preserves current patterns that focus economic development on major arterials such as Division and Sprague.

The second alternative calls for neighborhood centers, comparable to the Garland district and old downtown Hillyard.

This option would give residents the option of tailoring which businesses would be in their neighborhoods.

The third option places an emphasis on downtown, enhancing entertainment and business while developing housing close to the city’s center.

The Northeast Community Center and the NevadaLidgerwood Neighborhood Council are leaning toward the neighborhood centers option, according to Hornbeck.

If public consensus moves in the same direction, Hornbeck said the groups will aggressively advocate that option.

If not, “we’ll do nothing,” Hornbeck said.

This sidebar appeared with the story: PUBLIC MEETING

Tonight City planners will be fielding public input on comprehensive plan growth strategies at the Northeast Community Center, 4001 N. Cook, tonight at 6:30 p.m.

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