"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
I have already submitted comments on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), but I recently learned that the City of Spokane is planning to remove the requirement for environmental reviews on developments to promote infill throughout the city. I am against these haphazard developments that lack thorough impact assessments, and I strongly oppose the elimination of environmental reviews.
To illustrate, last year a developer proposed constructing 16 townhomes adjacent to the east side of upper Lincoln Park on Mount Vernon St and Mount Vernon Dr. The proposal ignored the wetlands to the south which had not been identified and that flow into the property. Without objections from neighbors, the development would have caused significant damage to this ecologically sensitive area, potentially leading to seasonal flooding for homeowners downhill. When this oversight was brought to the attention of the City and State, a comprehensive environmental study was conducted, resulting in the protection of this delicate ecosystem. This underscores the importance of MANDATORY notification to neighbors prior to approval of infill development proposals, regardless of size and completion of thorough environmental reviews prior to approval of these developments. I believe there are numerous other critical areas throughout the city that may only be identified and safeguarded through thorough environmental reviews before development. The Growth Management Act mandates the protection of critical areas such as forests, habitats, and natural lands and this includes lands within the Urban area. Removing environmental reviews contradicts the requirements of the GMA. I appreciate your attention to this oversight.
As a board member of Spokane Urban Nature, I also agree with the comments they are submitting in support of the Climate Resilience and Sustainability Board's recommended Policy Land Use & Zoning 2- 4, i.e. "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 including through codes, capital investments, and regional partnerships."
Finally, I strongly support inclusion of a plan to study the impact of infill developments to determine whether or not these developments are achieving the goals intended i.e. increase the inventory of affordable housing. I have heard that several of these developments on the South Hill, which have had
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very negative impacts on the neighborhoods in which they were built, have gone into foreclosure because they could not be sold or rented.
Thank you for your attention to these concerns.
Sincerely,
Carol Landa-McVicker
[Personal contact details omitted from the reading text.]
Carol Landa-McVicker
Feb 15, 2026
Local Resident
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Resending as email to City didn't go through.
Carol Landa-McVicker
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
I have already submitted comments on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), but I recently learned that the City of Spokane is planning to remove the requirement for environmental reviews on developments to promote infill throughout the city. I am against these haphazard developments that lack thorough impact assessments, and I strongly oppose the elimination of environmental reviews.
To illustrate, last year a developer proposed constructing 16 townhomes adjacent to the east side of upper Lincoln Park on Mount Vernon St and Mount Vernon Dr. The proposal ignored the wetlands to the south which had not been identified and that flow into the property. Without objections from neighbors, the development would have caused significant damage to this ecologically sensitive area, potentially leading to seasonal flooding for homeowners downhill. When this oversight was brought to the attention of the City and State, a comprehensive environmental study was conducted, resulting in the protection of this delicate ecosystem. This underscores the importance of MANDATORY notification to neighbors prior to approval of infill development proposals, regardless of size and completion of thorough environmental reviews prior to approval of these developments. I believe there are numerous other critical areas throughout the city that may only be identified and safeguarded through thorough environmental reviews before development. The Growth Management Act mandates the protection of critical areas such as forests, habitats, and natural lands and this includes lands within the Urban area. Removing environmental reviews contradicts the requirements of the GMA. I appreciate your attention to this oversight.
As a board member of Spokane Urban Nature, I also agree with the comments they are submitting in support of the Climate Resilience and Sustainability Board's recommended Policy Land Use & Zoning 2- 4, i.e. "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 including through codes, capital investments, and regional partnerships."
Finally, I strongly support inclusion of a plan to study the impact of infill developments to determine whether or not these developments are achieving the goals intended i.e. increase the inventory of affordable housing. I have heard that several of these developments on the South Hill, which have had
[PDF page 2 of 2]
very negative impacts on the neighborhoods in which they were built, have gone into foreclosure because they could not be sold or rented.
Thank you for your attention to these concerns.
Sincerely,
Carol Landa-McVicker
[Personal contact details omitted from the reading text.]