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Author: Emerson Garfield

Quality of Life vs. Quick Buck

Quality of Life vs. Quick Buck

One week ago, the Spokane County commissioners opted to gobble up another 6,000 acres of surrounding countryside to build more cookie-cutter homes and strip malls. Their expansion of the urban growth area (UGA) could end up costing taxpayers an additional $64 million. Developers and big-box stores are the ones who most stand to benefit.

Map of UGA expansion. Borrowed with the best of intentions from the Inlander's blog post.
Map of UGA expansion. Borrowed with the best of intentions from the Inlander’s blog post.

In his recent column titled “Growth vote unsupported by the math,” the Spokesman-Review‘s Shawn Vestal outlines some of the opposition to the UGA vote as well as the commissioners’ less-than-forthright approach to its actual costs:

The question of whether to expand the county’s growth boundary — whether to sprawl expensively or grow in a more concentrated, smarter fashion — has been an interesting case. Against the objections of everyone from Spokane Mayor David Condon to state growth officials to activist groups, county commissioners Al French, Todd Mielke and Shelly O’Quinn [have] voted unanimously to sprawl.

He references a less euphemistic blog post by Daniel Walters at the Inlander, “Spokane County really screwed up its Urban Growth Area math,” which in turn references a Spokesman news article on the subject.

This decision is something that will affect us at both the city and neighborhood levels.

Sprawl makes us more reliant on cars (thereby increasing traffic and pollution), creates more vacant retail stores and homes near the city center (a surefire way to speed neighborhood collapse), and costs more in taxpayer money in the long run (the additional infrastructure is expensive to build and maintain, and big-box stores draw more money away from the community than they put in). The arguments in favor of sprawl are hard to find — we’d welcome any in the comments.

One of the reasons people proudly cite for living in Spokane is its easy access to green spaces: “Just a 30-minute drive and you’re in the forest!” Urban sprawl beats nature further back, which means that 30-minute drive will eventually become an hour. With the commissioners’ approach to the UGA, over time that clever “Near Nature, Near Perfect” tourist slogan will simply become: “Near Wal-Mart.”

3rd District Town Hall Meetings (Mar 16)

3rd District Town Hall Meetings (Mar 16)

Washington Community Action Network has sent out an e-mail to notify residents that the 3rd District legislators (namely, State Senator Andy Billig and Reps. Marcus Riccelli and Timm Ormsby) will be returning to Spokane to hold two Town Hall Meetings on Saturday, March 16:

  • 10am to noon at Shadle Park High School Auditorium, 4327 N. Ash Street
  • 2 to 4pm at Emmanuel Family Life Center, 631 S. Richard Allen Ct

WA State Community Action Network

If you live in Emerson-Garfield (here’s a handy neighborhood map), you’re in the 3rd District.

Some issues and talking points WA CAN highlights include:

  • Since 2009, $10.5 billion in state budget cuts have torn billion-dollar-sized holes in education, healthcare and other essential services. The proposed all-cuts approach to the budget would pit funding for education against other essential community services.
  • There are over 500 special tax expenditures in WA State’s tax code that have never been reviewed. Most of them have no sunset date. Many tax expenditures are simply outdated or didn’t accomplish their goal like keeping jobs in Washington, therefore they should be subject to a cost/benefit analysis.
  • Washington is one of only 8 states that do not charge state taxes on the sale of stocks, bonds and other speculative investments. The result is that middle class families pay up to six times higher state tax rates then millionaires.

These aren’t the only important talking points, though, so bone up on some of the pressing issues and make sure your voice is heard by your legislators.

Results of Traffic-Calming Votes

Results of Traffic-Calming Votes

In response to the neighborhood council’s call for traffic-calming proposals, two arterial and three residential proposals were submitted by neighborhood residents.

25 MPH speed limit signArterial:

A. Traffic from Monroe uses Lincoln for alternate arterial. With McDonald’s on the corner, there is additional traffic from that. Too many cars are going too fast and not slowing down for the intersections. Signs like “Slow” or MPH signs would be helpful. This includes Nora and Augusta.

B. Maple/Ash Streets and Jackson. Needs a crosswalk light for pedestrians crossing the street to go to Safeway. Very dangerous frequently used crossing, especially bad during rush hour and after dark.

Residential:

A. Chelan Ave off of Monroe St towards Maple/Ash is a wide street for several blocks and so people drive very fast. And it is a busy street — because of its wideness, it is has become a shortcut. There are many kids and pets who live on the street. Request speed-limit signs or something to help deter the noise and traffic.

B. Though not a terribly busy intersection, the traffic from Cora and Euclid often contends for access up the last block (steep hill) to the corner of Euclid and Division. There have been in a couple of near-misses for sure. Tends to be traffic collecting from Cora, Alice, Dalton and Euclid looking for quick access to Division.

C. Cora and Alice between Post and Division. Used as a cut-through at high speeds. Children and church attendees are endangered. Speed-limit sign or “Children at Play” sign is requested.

Results

Earlier this month, the voting members of the neighborhood council conducted an e-mail vote (due to the tight deadline) on the traffic-calming proposals that were submitted. Option B from the Arterial section collected the most votes. Of the Residential proposals, option B won out, but due to its similarity and close number of votes to C, they were combined.

At last night’s neighborhood council meeting, it was decided that option B of the Arterials (i.e., a crosswalk/pedestrian light on Maple/Ash and Jackson) would be the application put to the city. There were only enough resources to carry out one project, and due to our history of alternating residential and arterial projects each year (residential was the focus in 2012), it was decided to go ahead with the winning arterial proposal.

If your traffic-calming proposal wasn’t selected, please don’t be discouraged. It can take a few rounds to be successful, but the increased safety and more pleasant streets will be worth it in the end.

Materials for the Mar 13 EGNC Meeting

Materials for the Mar 13 EGNC Meeting

The next Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council Meeting will take place this Wednesday (March 13). As usual, it will start at 7pm and be held at the Corbin Senior Center.

You can get the materials (agenda, minutes for approval) on the Downloads page, or just download them here:

Some of the big agenda items include:

  • Announcement of traffic-calming voting results
  • Updates to the city’s Comprehensive Plan
  • Neighborhood spring cleanup
  • Updates to the city’s Comprehensive Plan
  • Review of submissions and voting on the neighborhood logo
  • Timing of election of new officers
  • COPS and planning committee reports
  • Nonprofit formation news

We hope to see you there!

Comprehensive Plan Open House (Mar 13)

Comprehensive Plan Open House (Mar 13)

There will be an open house for the 2012-2014 Comprehensive Plan Review and Update on Wednesday, March 13 from 5:30 to 7:30pm. It will take place on the lower level of Spokane City Hall [map] in the City Council Chambers and Chase Gallery.

The open house will be hosted by the Plan Commission and will serve as a follow-up to the district meetings that took place last month. Preliminary findings and survey results from those meetings will be presented and discussed, in addition to the opportunity for those who could not attend the February meetings to take both surveys. Demographic data will also be displayed.

Comprehensive Plan Update, March 13 Flyer

Why is the Comp Plan important? Put simply, it affects every aspect of how Spokane will grow in the coming years. If you don’t want to be unhappy with the city’s development in 2018, this is the meeting you should be attending in 2013.

If you have any questions, contact Jo Anne Wright. Her e-mail is jwright@spokanecity.org; her phone is (509) 625-6017.