Painted Hills opposition starts online fundraising

Neighbors of the proposed Painted Hills development off Dishman-Mica Road in Spokane Valley have started a GoFundMe page to raise money to support their opposition to the proposed construction of 580 homes on the former golf course.

The Painted Hills Preservation Association recently mailed a flier encouraging residents to send their concerns to City Hall before the comment deadline, which ended Sunday.

Among many issues, the association lists increased traffic on narrow roads, overcrowded schools, frequent flooding of the area and a negative impact on the environment and wildlife in the area.

“Development is a travesty and it will ruin the environment,” said Daniel L. Pavelich, a member of the association. “The ideal situation would be to have the city purchase the land and turn it into a park.”

After the golf course closed, the property was purchased by Dave Black of Black Realty Inc. for $1.1 million in 2013.

Today, Dave Black and Bryan Walker, a broker with NAI Black, each own 50 percent of the property.

Walker said he understands the neighbors’ concern – “They all purchased property on a golf course, and suddenly it’s no longer there” – but he insists he’s listened to the concerns and made changes to the plans for the development.

“There are at least 15 things we’ve changed because of the neighbors’ concerns,” Walker said.

The development consists of 580 units: 228 apartments, 206 single family homes, 52 “empty nester” ranchers on a three-hole chip and putt golf course and 40 estate homes, plus permission to add 52 loft units on top of commercial development facing Dishman-Mica. Home prices start at $300,000.

“This is not low-end housing we’re building,” Walker said.

The Clubhouse Restaurant on the southwest corner of the property is still scheduled to open. 

Walker said the business has a 10-year lease and recently picked up a new partner.

Other commercial development – like a nail salon, a day care center or other service businesses – may open in the area zoned mixed-use retail on the west side of the development, facing Dishman-Mica Road. 

As it’s outlined now, the development does not require a change of zoning.

City zoning rules require that 30 percent of the property is left open.

Yet Pavelich and the association are determined to challenge the development every step of the way.

The association hired Seattle-based Tilghman Group to review the traffic study submitted to the city by the developer.

That review states that the traffic study fails to follow city code requirement for traffic impact analysis, inaccurately describes Dishman-Mica Road and underestimates the number of car trips generated by the development.

The city has not yet reviewed the traffic study.

“We can’t know if it’s accurate or not until we’ve completed our review,” said John Hohman, Spokane Valley community development director.

The area has a history of flooding, including flooding over Thorpe Road. Walker said the development would remedy the flooding, but the association claims remediation will have a negative impact on the aquifer and the creek running through the area.

Spokane Valley Planner Lori Barlow said the city has a flood plain ordinance the developer will have to follow, and that it’s the responsibility of the developer to determine if there are any wetlands on the property.

“The Department of Ecology says there may be wetlands on site, but we don’t know yet,” Barlow said.

Pavelich said another problem with the development is overcrowding of local schools.

“It’s our understanding that students at University High School, Chester Elementary School and Horizon Junior High are being denied admission because the schools are full,” Pavelich said. “There is no room for more kids.”

Spokeswoman for Central Valley School District Marla Nunberg said recent passage of the school bond means the district will be able to accommodate additional students.

“However, not at Chester Elementary School. Ponderosa Elementary School could be another option,” Nunberg said, adding that Central Valley School District is reviewing its elementary school boundaries, with new boundaries to be implemented in 2017-18.

The association has also collected more than 300 signatures in opposition to the development and submitted them to the city.

Spokane Valley does not have a process for submitting signatures, but Pavelich said the association’s Seattle-based attorneys recommended submitting the signatures regardless.

“It does not go unnoticed by the hearings examiner,” Pavelich said.

Walker said he’s had countless meetings with neighbors and made many changes – like adding trails, sidewalks and a school crossing – to the project.

The Carmel of the Holy Trinity – an order of nuns that adheres to strict privacy and silence – is one neighbor that initially was critical of the development.

In a letter signed on Sept. 5, Walker reached an agreement with Holy Trinity that includes nine conditions guaranteeing the monastery’s privacy.

The next step in the process is a public hearing about the development, but no date has been set.

“I think this development should require an environmental impact study,” Pavelich said. “We still believe the ideal situation would be for the city to buy the land and turn it into a park.”