Liberty Lake zoned to slow

As the city of Spokane Valley considers controversial new zoning rules that would change how close buildings are built to the street, citizens have only to look east to Liberty Lake to see how such rules are put into practice.

When Liberty Lake incorporated, the zoning inherited from Spokane County included a lot of rural and suburban designations. The new city adopted the existing zoning temporarily, but quickly changed it. The city’s comprehensive plan was adopted in 2003 and a new zoning map was created in 2005. The changes created several new zones.

“There was no mixed-use zoning before,” said planning and building manager Amanda Tainio.

One of the key changes is in the Neighborhood Center mixed use and Community Center mixed use. Buildings used to be required to be set back a minimum of 25 to 30 feet from the street. Those two zones now have a maximum allowed setback of 25 feet.

Exceptions are allowed if there are public areas such as a plaza, square or dining area in front of the building. The placement of buildings close to the street is to “create a vibrant pedestrian environment, to slow traffic down, to provide a storefront character to the street and to create a walkable environment.”

Businesses now also have to have their parking to the side or in the back, not in the front. They must also provide at least one “pedestrian amenity” such as an extra-wide sidewalk, sitting space, public art or a plaza.

The goal is to help businesses connect to pedestrians on the trails. “We have a big focus in this community on the trails system,” Tainio said.

The prime example of the new rules is the Walgreens at Appleway and Liberty Lake Road. It is only a few feet from Liberty Lake Road, but is set back more from Appleway because of a utilities easement. Next to it is a new gas station close to Appleway with the pumps located behind the building. Having pumps next to the street isn’t allowed under the new zoning, Tainio said.

The placement of the Walgreens caused consternation for many Liberty Lake residents. The city heard complaints and many letters to the editor were written voicing unhappiness.

The complaints died down after the store was built, Tainio said. “I haven’t heard anything since.”

Official complaints may not be made anymore, but people still appear to be unhappy. Longtime Liberty Lake resident Lana Myers wrote a letter complaining about the project months ago and nothing she has seen has changed her mind.

“My opinion is not good on this whole thing,” she said. “Walgreens is situated so totally wrong. With that service station right there, it’s an absolute fiasco to get in and out.”

Her husband, Gary Myers, is even more vocal. “It’s totally ridiculous how close it is to the street,” he said. “There’s been an issue out here all along as far as the stop light and people waiting to get onto the freeway. It’s just compounding the problem. Our city planners out here didn’t plan.”

Resident Dale Flambouras also wrote a letter complaining about the location of the store, but has since moderated her dislike. “I was anxious for the store to come, but it seemed so close to the street,” she said. “Since then I have actually learned what the city plan was. It just seemed like it was such a busy corner. It’s making more sense.”

Still, she said, the building is the first thing people see on the way into town. She still thinks it’s a little too close to the street and too tall, but she’s in favor of any efforts to slow traffic down.