K endall Yards will be the biggest development in Spokane since Expo ‘74 renovated the downtown waterfront. The development promises much. But for promises to become real, two things must happen.

First, Kendall Yards is slotting into a spot surrounded by existing land uses, including quiet neighborhoods and the river. The project must integrate with these existing uses.

Second, to ensure that Kendall Yards walks its talk, land-use permits must be properly conditioned so that promises made are promises kept.

The Summit-Bridge Alliance, a group of West Central neighbors, has developed a list of reasonable steps the city should take, including conditions for the Kendall Yards land-use permits, which will help the project integrate well with its neighbors.

“ Protect the Spokane River and Gorge. How many cities can boast a wild river corridor right downtown? Five thousand new residents in 2,600 new homes – along with the Centennial Trail extension and the Spokane Gorge Master Plan – will put extraordinary pressure on the fragile Spokane River gorge. We must protect the Spokane River’s water quality, wildlife and natural areas. To do this, the city needs to develop an innovative management plan for the Spokane River Gorge that includes restrictions on lighting, pet (predator) control, controlled access points, pathway systems, signage and litter control. Kendall Yards must be a major participant in this process.

“ Twelve-story “Sore Thumbs” are Wrong for Spokane Skyline. Kendall Yards proposes to build 12-story towers along the river bluff overlooking High Bridge Park, Peaceful Valley and Browne’s Addition. The reason? To provide its residents with spectacular views of the Spokane River Gorge, our city’s signature feature. While the developer may profit mightily from condo towers, the rest of must endure looking back at outsized structures that will overwhelm the river corridor. This is simply not appropriate, particularly for the west end of the project.

“ Calming Neighborhood Traffic. The developer completely ignored the impacts of Kendall Yards traffic on the West Central neighborhood. Cars headed for northwest destinations or seeking to avoid bottlenecked arterials will drive through the neighborhood. Summit Boulevard in particular supports heavy bike and foot traffic, but lacks improvements to protect nonvehicular users. We need a West Central traffic study, and a requirement that Kendall Yards’ impacts be mitigated with traffic calming strategies that protect runners and bicyclists, kids in strollers, dog-walkers and myriad neighbors who enjoy our quiet streets.

“ Affordable Housing. The developer is designing Kendall Yards for middle- and high-income buyers. For people living on limited incomes, the problem is two-fold. First, Kendall Yards proposes zero affordable housing (contrast the 10 percent affordable housing provision in the previous Summit proposal for the site). Second, speculation is driving property values and taxes up and low-income people out. Spokane’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan requires developers to provide affordable housing and promotes low-income housing assistance strategies. Because of its proximity to West Central, Kendall Yards is the perfect project to implement these laudable policies.

“ Sustainable Design and Pedestrian Friendly. The developer promises sustainable design, including a pedestrian-friendly/walkable project that is energy efficient and uses green building standards. These design features are offered as a quid pro quo in exchange for increased density. If this is the deal, then sustainable design standards must become conditions of the permit. Kendall Yards needs to “walk the talk.”

“ Giving Away Public Property. The developer proposes the city hand over public property, including streets along the river gorge. This is wrong. Lands such as these, with strong public interest elements, should remain in public hands. Closing vehicle access and extending the Centennial Trail along the north rim of the river gorge is appropriate. If the city decides to “vacate” streets in the project’s interior, then the permit should be conditioned to preserve public access for bicycles and pedestrians. Indeed the city already requires (and gives priority to) public access to the Spokane River Gorge in its North Overlay District. Strong public access and viewshed protection provisions should become conditions of the permit.

This is a pivotal moment in our city’s history. Virtually everyone who lives in this community will be impacted by Kendall Yards. Once the buildings go up, they will not be coming down. Let’s do it right: While recognizing the benefit of developing this property, the city needs to ensure that the project protects the common good.