Residents fight box stores

Residents of the Southgate area in southeast Spokane are planning to continue their fight against a proposed land-use change that would allow big box retail stores along South Regal Street at the Palouse Highway.

Last week, city Hearing Examiner Greg Smith rejected an appeal by Virginia Patano and the Southgate Neighborhood Council challenging a city staff determination that the land-use change would not significantly affect the environment.

“We don’t want big box stores up here,” Patano said following the decision on Nov. 13.

Black Development is seeking a change from residential to large commercial use for two parcels of 12 and 15 acres on the east and west sides of Regal Street.

Patano said neighborhood council members had not decided last week whether to appeal Smith’s ruling.

However, the proposed land-use amendment still requires a public hearing before the Plan Commission, which would forward a recommendation to the City Council for possible action.

Patano said the neighborhood would fight the amendment before both the commission and the council.

The Plan Commission has set a hearing on the Black land-use amendments and five other proposed land-use amendments for Dec. 12 at 4 p.m. in the lower level of City Hall.

Another one of the amendments would change land use from residential to district center on 16 acres of land east of Regal Street near 44th Avenue. Patano said she was told that site is being eyed for a Home Depot store.

A major concern of residents is the affect the commercial development will have on existing streets, which they said, are already busy with traffic.

“Each developer, they are only interested in their little section,” Patano said. “None of them are looking at the whole picture.”

The neighborhood council is pushing City Hall to undertake a neighborhood planning effort that would consider the larger issues of traffic, storm water disposal, parks, open spaces, trails, utilities and appropriate land uses prior to approving any land-use changes.

They may have a sympathetic ear with new City Council members and a new mayor taking office in coming months after campaigning as pro-neighborhood, Patano said.

The area under dispute was part of a 207-acre annexation in 2005, which was endorsed by large landholders who wanted the chance to develop their properties commercially.