Emerson-Garfield Community

The Spokane BAT is currently leading the region’s engagement in a statewide broadband and digital equity planning process. Through mid-June of this year, we will be working to understand infrastructure gaps better, identify available digital equity resources, and develop a plan to address our community’s specific needs that will roll into our state’s BEAD strategy. It is estimate that upwards of $1 Billion dollars may be coming to WA State through BEAD allocations. This is DIRECTLY determined by the robustness of our Digital Equity plan work from each county and tribal BAT contributions.

This work can only be accomplished with the help of a wide range of community stakeholders. We are contacting you as a community representative whose input is highly valuable to this process. 

We kindly request that you complete the survey(s) below by April 15th, 2023. 

These surveys are brief (5 minutes), and the information will be utilized strictly for broadband and digital equity planning purposes. If you are not able to access the online form version, please contact

Ariane E. Schmidt  MBA, MCSE, PMP Acting Executive Director
Office: 509-477-2625 | Cell: 509-385-3441

and they will assist in providing you an alternative entry format.  

Not all of the forms below may apply to your entities involvement in the broadband space. That is just fine. Please just feel free to fill out what you feel is important information related to your work in digital equity that needs to be included as part of the story of Spokane County.

Local Infrastructure Asset Survey   https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScvyJu5ZHM2iWwQ05Tb4dVlbzxhAk6CdPz3FbD2Glg-SmsxdA/viewform?usp=share_link

Take this survey to help us collect information to identify what assets (infrastructure, staff) your organization already has in place that might help support local broadband infrastructure development efforts. (Right of way, conduit, GIS staff, telecom staff, grant writers, etc.)

The Department of Planning and Economic Development is working on a variety of programs and projects to best serve our community, including drafting changes to how we regulate short-term rentals.

You’ve likely seen short-term rentals (e.g. Airbnb, VRBO) in the news nationally for their possible impacts on long-term housing supply. In response to how this alternative lodging option has grown in popularity, Planning staff have been working on changes to provide for the orderly and safe provision of short-term rentals in Spokane.

Join them for a virtual open house to outline proposed changes and answer questions you might have.

Thursday, April 13

5:30-6:30 p.m.

Virtual meeting on Microsoft Teams

Meeting ID: 296 703 689 75

Passcode: umVE27

Download Teams | Join on the web

You are invited to be a part of the Building Opportunities for Housing conversation for the City of Spokane. These discussions will be based on the results from the housing survey everyone has been asked to fill out. If you haven’t yet, here’s the link (closes April 1st).

This will be a series of discussions on two nights, followed by a larger group discussion on April 28 where participants from all three City Council Districts will come together to share what’s been learned throughout the process.  Each meeting will include guided small-group working sessions to discuss and update the vision for housing in Spokane.  They’re looking for a broad range of voices at the table and to ensure enough people at the table to consider a diverse range of experiences.

Attendees will be asked to:

• Commit to attending the first two meetings, at least.
• Bring their experiences and thoughts around hosing from the point of view of Spokane residents.
• Be willing to share, but also to listen to others—this is meant to be a collaborative community-building discussion.

Each meeting has 25 places at the table, and spots are filling fast.  For those that RSVP for one of the remaining places, they will receive a small “thank you” gift card at the conclusion of the events.  There is a little space beyond the 25 seats for people who want to come and hear what is discussed, but space at the tables and in the small groups will be limited.

To sign up please RSVP soon at developmentcode@spokanecity.org.  People hoping to attend should provide their name, email address, and phone number.  Alternatively, you can call 509-625-6194 to be added to a remaining slot.