I am writing to submit comments on the PlanSpokane 2046 Draft Environmental Impact Statement. I urge the City to take the following positions to protect Spokane's natural lands, tree canopy, and wildlife habitat:
1. Support a Tree and Natural Land Inventory. Spokane has a 30% tree canopy goal and strong community support for natural land protection, but lacks adequate codes to achieve it. An inventory of trees, natural areas, and wildlife habitat is necessary to inform a critical areas code. The Growth Management Act requires protection of critical areas, forests, habitat, and natural lands.
2. Support an enforceable Critical Areas Ordinance. Unprotected natural lands exist throughout the City, as shown in Exhibit 3.3-3. A strong, enforceable ordinance is essential to protect wetlands, forests, habitat, water quality, and riparian areas.
3. Oppose the blanket Environmental Review exemption. As shown in Exhibit 7, all Spokane neighborhoods would be exempted from environmental review in two phases. This threatens critical areas citywide and should not proceed as written.
4. Support an Environmental Review exemption only for parcels that are 100% disturbed and impervious, as identified in Draft EIS Exhibit 3.1-3. Exemptions should be targeted, not blanket.
5. Support the Climate Resilience and Sustainability Board's recommended Policy Land Use & Zoning 2-4, which calls on the City to "protect, restore, acquire, and maintain urban agricultural lands, urban forests, critical areas, shorelines, habitats, and open spaces as interconnected natural systems that provide flood protection, heat reduction, and carbon sequestration benefits." The Draft EIS as written will harm Spokane's neighborhoods, natural lands, and tree canopy. I urge the City to revise it accordingly.
Joshua Porter
Feb 18, 2026
Local Resident
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Dear PlanSpokane Team,
I am writing to submit comments on the PlanSpokane 2046 Draft Environmental Impact Statement. I urge the City to take the following positions to protect Spokane's natural lands, tree canopy, and wildlife habitat:
1. Support a Tree and Natural Land Inventory. Spokane has a 30% tree canopy goal and strong community support for natural land protection, but lacks adequate codes to achieve it. An inventory of trees, natural areas, and wildlife habitat is necessary to inform a critical areas code. The Growth Management Act requires protection of critical areas, forests, habitat, and natural lands.
2. Support an enforceable Critical Areas Ordinance. Unprotected natural lands exist throughout the City, as shown in Exhibit 3.3-3. A strong, enforceable ordinance is essential to protect wetlands, forests, habitat, water quality, and riparian areas.
3. Oppose the blanket Environmental Review exemption. As shown in Exhibit 7, all Spokane neighborhoods would be exempted from environmental review in two phases. This threatens critical areas citywide and should not proceed as written.
4. Support an Environmental Review exemption only for parcels that are 100% disturbed and impervious, as identified in Draft EIS Exhibit 3.1-3. Exemptions should be targeted, not blanket.
5. Support the Climate Resilience and Sustainability Board's recommended Policy Land Use & Zoning 2-4, which calls on the City to "protect, restore, acquire, and maintain urban agricultural lands, urban forests, critical areas, shorelines, habitats, and open spaces as interconnected natural systems that provide flood protection, heat reduction, and carbon sequestration benefits." The Draft EIS as written will harm Spokane's neighborhoods, natural lands, and tree canopy. I urge the City to revise it accordingly.
Thank you for considering these comments. Joshua