City Asks Public for Input into Building Heights along Riverfront Park

Kevin Freibott, Planning and Development Services, Assistant Planner, 509.625.6184

Friday, January 19, 2018 at 3:37 p.m.

The City is seeking public input into a possible increase in allowed building heights on the south side of Riverfront Park. The Comprehensive Plan for the City and the Downtown Plan both envision development on the two surface lots on either side of Stevens Street, but the property owners have expressed concern that the current height restrictions will prevent them from developing those sites as envisioned by the City and the public.

In response, the City conducted a working study of the height requirements with a final report issued and adopted late last year. In accordance with the findings of that report, the City is seeking input into possible amendments to the height restrictions on the south side of the park. The current proposal is to allow greater heights in that area in exchange for a limitation on uses in towers (residential or hotel only) and consideration of shadowing impacts on the Park. Under consideration are limitations on the floor size of towers and the distance between them.

In order to gather a wide range of comments and input, the City has updated the project page and created an interactive page with background information, building simulations, and shadow animations. That interactive page also includes a survey for respondents to provide input directly to City Planners working on the project and to the Plan Commission and City Council. Please lend your voice to the project and take the time to view the webpage and fill out the survey. We are happy to take any comments or questions you have directly as well. Please feel free to email the project manager at kfreibott@spokanecity.org.

Please take the time to see the project materials and answer the short survey at the end!