Safe, rural Glenrose

What’s the point of county zoning if zoning definitions can be easily misinterpreted by the county planning department to cater to a specific want?

We live in a rural community in Spokane County where a private developer is wanting to build a large sports complex with multiple fields of synthetic grass and stadium lighting in order to host state-wide tournaments.

Per the county, the area in question is designated a Community Recreational Facility, which is defined as for the “diversion from normal activities for persons within the area which it is located.” Statewide sports teams from Deer Park, let alone Seattle aren’t “within the area.” So the planned use for the sports complex is in direct violation of its zoned definition.

We support kids’ sports, but don’t believe the zoning of a rural community should be abused when other viable options already exist.

If the county’s zoning rules can be so easily changed in our neighborhood, what’s to prevent the rules to be easily changed tomorrow in yours?

Peter Sanburn

Spokane