In brief: Spokane Valley mayor will give two speeches

SPOKANE VALLEY – Spokane Valley Mayor Tom Towey will deliver two State of the City speeches on Wednesday to discuss the city’s focus on bringing new businesses to the city and improving city services.

The one-hour speeches are scheduled for noon in the second-floor community room at the Spokane Valley Mall, 14700 E. Indiana Ave., and at 6 p.m. at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place.

Those attending the sessions will have the opportunity to ask questions. The presentation will be videotaped and posted on the city’s website at www.spokanevalley.org.

Hearing examiner OKs 46-lot development

SOUTH GREENACRES – Spokane Valley Hearing Examiner Mike Dempsey approved the proposed Covey Glen North development on the southwest corner of Hodges Road and Sprague Avenue.

Landed Gentry Development Inc. requested a rezone from Single Family Residential to Single Family Residential-Urban and the creation of 46 lots for homes. The 8.58 acre site currently has two homes and several greenhouse buildings on it.

Several nearby residents testified that the project was too dense for the neighborhood

The city said it would require the developer to extend Second Avenue to Hodges Road, which neighbors also objected to. The property owner has indicated he intends to petition the city of Spokane Valley to have that portion of Second Avenue vacated.

“The connection of Second Avenue to Hodges would encourage cut-through and higher speed traffic,” Dempsey wrote in his decision.

But extending the road could also help relieve congestion at the intersection of Barker Road and Sprague Avenue, he said. However, Dempsey said he couldn’t rule on extending the road.

“There is insufficient traffic engineering information in the record to merit the hearing examiner precluding the extension of Second Avenue to Hodges for the project,” he wrote. “However, the extension would not be required if Second Avenue is vacated adjacent to the site by the City Council.”