Appeal by Five Mile residents rejected

Spokane City Council members on Monday rejected an appeal by residents of the Five Mile Prairie area who are fighting a 42-lot housing development known as Estates at Rocky Ridge.

The council voted 6-1 to uphold the hearing examiner decision in May. Councilman Bob Apple cast the lone vote for the appeal because of environmental concerns, inadequate access to adjoining parcels and procedural issues, he said.

The appeal had been brought by Steve Mumm and Erin Jennings.

The owners of the property are identified as Steve Biggar, James Biggar, Paul Hughes and Lesa Hughes. They won hearing examiner approval for a preliminary plat and planned-unit development for 13.5 acres of property at 3700 W. Lincoln Road.

In other business, the council approved:

“A request by Tyroda LLC. to sell back the alley right-of-way between Seventh Avenue and vacated Eighth Avenue from Audubon Street to Government Way.

“An agreement with the state Department of Transportation for temporary traffic signal equipment at Francis Avenue and Freya Street and at Francis Avenue and Market Street during grading and paving of a segment of a new North Spokane Corridor freeway. The city will then install permanent equipment after the work. The cost is $130,500. Construction is expected to start in March.

“Under a community development grant contract with Clear Brothers/DR Construction Services LLC for installing new windows at Guse Summit View Apartments, 820 N. Summit View.

“The low bid of Zumar Industries of Tacoma to purchase 1,500 new high-intensity stop signs in the first year of a two-year program to upgrade city stop signs. The signs will cost about $80,000 over two years.