It looks as if residents of southeast Spokane who don’t want to be big-boxed in are going to have to deal with the kind of suburban development they’ve boxed out for years. Drawn by the lure of millions in sales-tax dollars, the City Council on Monday approved a rezoning of the area that will turn it into one of the city’s major commercial districts.

But the city has a duty to ensure that the large stores are thoughtfully integrated into the neighborhood. The Plan Commission was so concerned that it voted against a rezoning request.

The main problem is that the current streets are too skinny to accommodate a large increase in traffic. The center point of the new developments would be at South Regal Street, which has three lanes, and the Old Palouse Highway, which has two. Neither street is the kind of wide arterial traditionally associated with large commercial centers.

At present weekend traffic presents a challenge, with the combination of stores and a large soccer complex that draws vehicles from all over. Add two or three big-box retailers, and it’s easy to see why neighbors are fretting.

On a positive note, representatives for the Southgate neighborhood and developers have met to hash out agreements on storm water runoff, pedestrian and bike paths, store designs, and landscaping.

But the size of the stores has remained a sticking point. The City Council has paved the way for a 135,000 square foot store – possibly a Target – along with two slightly smaller retailers.

City Councilman Al French correctly notes that south Spokane residents routinely leave the city to go shopping and that the city misses out on that sales-tax revenue. But the city must be prepared to spend money to make room for those revenue generators.

Complicating matters are long-range plans to make major traffic changes in south Spokane, including the extension of 44th Avenue from Regal to Freya streets and building a “crossover” near 37th Avenue and Ray Street that would connect to Freya near Ferris High School.

While those changes might help move traffic, they’re already meeting neighborhood opposition. How will the city handle the traffic in the meantime? What happens if those plans fall through?

If city leaders are intent on pursuing these large developments, they need to produce a clear vision of how they plan to ease the impact.