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Mansfield Grocery Conditional Use Permit- *AGENCY* COMMENTS DUE 2/12/2025 by 5pm

Mansfield Grocery Conditional Use Permit- *AGENCY* COMMENTS DUE 2/12/2025 by 5pm

⚠️Important update regarding the Mansfield Grocery Conditional Use Permit – Public Comments Update, 2/4/25: The Agency / Department comments are due by Wednesday, 2/12/2025 at 5pm.⚠️
EGNC is one of the agencies that would be able to provide comments, and so, we are holding a special meeting on Monday, 2/10/25, at 6pm (location TBD and via Zoom) in order to discuss any comment that we wish to submit as a council.

Update, 2/4/25:
We received clarification from Steven Bafus via email with the following:

Just wanted to provide some clarification on the current status of the Mansfield Type III Conditional Use Permit.

  • The application is currently in the 14-day agency/department comment (aka Request for Comments (RFC)) period which ends on 2/12/2025. This period is intended for various agencies (including the E-G Neighborhood Council) and city departments to provide their comments on the proposal. Comments received from citizens during this time will be added to the record for the Hearing Examiner’s decision.
  • There will be a 15-day formal public comment period after the agency/department comment period is complete. Citizens can submit their comments during this time. Citizen comments received during the public comment period will be added to the record for the Hearing Examiner’s decision.  A citizen who provides a comment during the above-mentioned RFC may also submit their comment during this public comment period. All owners, taxpayers, and occupants within a 400’ radius of the site will receive a mailed notice of this public comment period.  A sign will also be posted on site. Both the mailed notice and sign will also contain information regarding the forthcoming public hearing.

I wanted to provide this clarification as I noticed the E-G website has a posting for comments due on 2/12/2025, which again is deadline for agency/department comments. Citizens will have a chance to provide their comments during the forthcoming 15-day public comment period as mentioned.


Mansfield Grocery Conditional Use Permit – The applicant is proposing a Retail Sales and Service use (grocery store) in the existing structure located at 601 W Mansfield Ave, parcel 35074.2512. Spokane Municipal Code 17C.370 – Existing Neighborhood Commercial Structures in Residential Zones will allow existing neighborhood commercial structures that once housed a legal neighborhood commercial use to be reused for low impact neighborhood scale and neighborhood serving businesses. 

👉Please send all comments to Steven Bafus, Planner at sbafus@spokanecity.org by 5pm 2/12/2025.

This is a Type III application and there will be a Public Hearing in front of the City Hearing Examiner. This proposal was initially processed as a Type II application under record number Z24-217CUP2. The decision for this record was appealed and remanded by the Hearing Examiner to be processed as Type III application. No changes to the original plans are proposed.

File/Application Number: Z25-047CUP3

Location: 601 W Mansfield Ave. Parcel no. 35074.2512, SHANNONS 2ND L12 B6

For more information about this application and how it relates to the Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood council, you can read EGNC meeting minutes from April 2024 – now, and read this previous post.
Please note that the City posts updates like these on the City’s project webpage: https://my.spokanecity.org/projects

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Warmest wishes from the EGNC, we hope that all enjoyed a wonderful holiday season and that the start of 2025 has been going well. 😊

We often skip a meeting in January, but we will be holding a meeting this month.
The EGNC meeting will be this Wednesday, January 8, 6:00 PM, at the Corbin Senior Center (827 W Cleveland Ave, Spokane, WA 99205) and also via Zoom. 

As there is no crucial business on the agenda, this will be a light meeting and we will aim to keep it short. If you are unable to attend, please let us know (emerson.garfield@gmail.com) so we can mark an excused absence for you.

We hope to see you there!

EGNC Invitation – Commute Trip Reduction Virtual Open House

EGNC Invitation – Commute Trip Reduction Virtual Open House

EGNC would like to share the information below with the Emerson/Garfield community.

From the Spokane Regional Transportation Council –
In partnership with Spokane County and Commute Smart Northwest, SRTC is currently updating the region’s Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) Plan. The CTR program is intended to help reduce drive-alone trips throughout the region and encourages the use of alternative transportation options such as public transit, biking, walking, and teleworking options.

As part of this effort, we wanted to invite you to our virtual open house, scheduled for Wednesday, August 21 at 6pm. During this time, attendees will learn more about Commute Trip Reduction and can share their commute experience and obstacles. If you’d like to join us, you can join via zoom at the link provided: https://bit.ly/CTR-OPEN-HOUSE

You can also provide your input by taking our 3-minute survey: https://bit.ly/CTR-SRTC.
También disponible en español: https://bit.ly/CTR-SRTC-ESP.

Your comments help inform planning strategies and investments throughout the region. Survey results will be shared between SRTC and a host of local planning agencies, such as Spokane County, the City of Spokane, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Airway Heights, Cheney, and Medical Lake.

If you have any questions for us or would like more information, you can reach out to mredlinger@srtc.org and bkloskey@srtc.org – or contact the SRTC office at 509-343-6370.

Thank you for being a valuable part of this community, and we hope to see you at the virtual open house!

Mansfield Conditional Use Permit – Update and Additional Information.

Mansfield Conditional Use Permit – Update and Additional Information.

In May, the council approved a motion to write and submit a letter of opposition from the EGNC to the Spokane City Planning staff regarding the 601 W. Mansfield Conditional Use Permit. This permit would allow a new convenience store in the interior of the Emerson Garfield neighborhood. Many neighbors also submitted comments indicating opposition independently. City staff provided notice of approval of the Conditional Use Permit on 7/9/24. In part, the decision stated: “Staff received 76 public comments on the proposal: six during the agency review period and 70 during the public comment period. One comment was in favor of the proposed use. The remaining comments expressed apprehensions or opposition to the proposed use.”


At the EGNC July meeting, held 7/10/24, the council approved a motion to write an additional letter of objection in support of appealing the decision. A neighborhood member, of their own accord and not as a representative of the council, has been reaching out to lawyers and looking into the potential costs of the decision appeal process. This neighbor has set up a GoFundMe account to cover the anticipated fees for these efforts, including lawyer fees and the $250 appeal filing fee. Due to the consistently high level of engagement on this matter, we are sharing that information here so that those who are interested may choose to participate. 

601 W. Mansfield – Opposition Form Letter

601 W. Mansfield – Opposition Form Letter

Thank you for your willingness to share your feedback on the proposed “Grocery” store on 601 W. Mansfield. Below you will find a sample letter to help you in reaching out to elected officials and Spokane City Planning staff. Feel free to edit or adjust your letter to highlight your own concerns and align with your opinions on the matter. For a comprehensive list of concerns, please reference OPPOSITION: 601 W. Mansfield
PLEASE NOTE: Comments are DUE by 5/15/24 (This Wednesday).
Please send your personalized email to the following individuals:
Kitty Klitzke, District 3 City Council Member; Zack Zappone, District 3 City Council Member; Betsy Wilkerson, President of City Council; Spencer Gardner, Director of Planning Services; Steven Bafus, Project Planner

To: sbafus@spokanecity.org

Cc: bwilkerson@spokanecity.org, zzappone@spokanecity.org, kklitzke@spokanecity.org, sgardner@spokanecity.org 

Subject: Written Comment of Concerns Regarding Conditional Use Permit for 601 W Mansfield

Text: 

Mr. Steven Bafus,

My name is (insert name) and I am an owner/a resident of (insert address). I am reaching out to you  in regard to the proposed Mansfield “Grocery Store” project located at 601 W Mansfield Ave, as it pertains to the city’s conditional use permit application. 

[Location: 601 W Mansfield Ave. Parcel no. 35074.2512, SHANNONS 2ND L12 B6 File/Application Number: Z24-217CUP2]

I would like it to be recorded that I am opposed to this project for several reasons that stem from a list of concerns compiled by myself and other members of the Emerson-Garfield community who would be the most negatively impacted by the approval of this permit. 

This site is located along a primary walking thoroughfare for both children and families, it is predominantly a residential area, and is near multiple schools. The area has plenty of existing businesses within a brief walking distance that provide convenience food and beverages, such as Indiana Market and the 76 station. Unfortunately, the area also has struggles with crime and loitering being present. Based on the precedent set by this developer’s other businesses, Broadway Mini Mart and Amerimart, they are wholly misrepresenting their plans. The documentation calls this a “grocery store”, but would more accurately be described as a convenience store, not a neighborhood grocery store. An additional convenience store in the area would exacerbate the current challenges and is not likely to add value in a meaningful or beneficial way. A “neighborhood serving” business would not reduce property values or cause unnecessary stress upon a neighborhood and its neighbors. The most recent previous use onsite was a dental office, a business with far less impact (traffic, noise, light pollution, parking issues, etc.) to a residential or family oriented environment than a convenience storefront would have. 

There is also concern about improper filing of the land use application, as a grocery store must sell fresh produce and the owner has indicated that the intended store plans to only sell pre-packaged and processed foods, as well as tobacco products and alcoholic beverages. An additional concern is that local neighbors were not properly notified via mail as is the standard process for a land use adjustment. This was confirmed via verbal testimony from multiple residents during the Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council meeting held on 5/8/24, City Council Member Zach Zappone and ONS staff member Gabby Ryan were present. 

Lastly, this project has been processed as a type 2 Conditional Use Permit- a procedure that does not require public hearing. Type 2 CUPS are appropriate for buildings smaller than 3000 square feet. However, according to the submitted site plans, the build sq ft exceeds 3000 sq. ft. (3480 sq ft.). WIth this discrepancy, we request that the project follow type 3 conditional use permit procedures: requiring a community meeting hosted by the application and a public hearing. This misstep significantly limits the options and opportunity for the neighborhood to speak out about this application. 

If you choose to allow this adjusted use to proceed, I would request that you consider a few contingencies to be put into place, perhaps via a legal covenant between the owner and the City:

  • Require the store to close at 9pm. If it is truly meant to be a neighborhood grocery store, most people have done their grocery shopping by that hour and it will be closed in time for Spokane residential noise ordinance.
  • Require the site to use/ install “dark sky” compliant exterior lighting, to the benefit of local wildlife and the neighbors. 
  • Prohibit the property from receiving permits for the sale of hard alcohol, lottery tickets, and tobacco products. Again in support of a “neighborhood serving” grocery store.
  • Do not permit extensive change of the building’s facade, in keeping with the existing design precedence, and in an effort to maintain the look and feel of the residential area. 

My opposition to this project comes from the fact that it is operating in bad faith, which implies knowledge of the negative impact it will likely cause. I would gladly advocate for a community-oriented project that enhances the neighborhood’s quality of life. However, this proposed project does not meet those requirements. 

I kindly request that you carefully consider these points of concern raised by the Emerson-Garfield community when evaluating the permit application for the Mansfield “Grocery Store” project.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

(Your Name)
[Your Position]
Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood resident