Spokane Imposes Temporary Ban on New Subdivision Housing Due to Wildfire Risk

Citing inadequate fire protection and public safety resources, the Spokane City Council has temporarily halted subdivision development in the wildland-urban interface of Latah Valley.

2 minute read

May 22, 2024, 11:00 AM PDT

By Mary Hammon @marykhammon


Empty subdivision lots with new roads and sidewalks complete and line of evergreen forest in the immediate background under a bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds..

Empty lots in a new subdivision development in Spokane, Washington, await the start of contruction. | Kirk Fisher / Adobe Stock

An article in NonStopLocal, the Spokane City Council passed a moratorium on the development of new subdivision housing in Latah Valley, which abuts wildland on the city’s southwestern edge. According to reporter Faith Iverson, “The Spokane City Council discussed the increased residential development specifically in the Grandview Thorpe neighborhood comparing it to the ratio of fire protection and public safety resources in the area.” The ban prohibits the city from accepting, processing, reviewing, or approving new applications for preliminary short subdivisions or preliminary subdivisions for housing in the banned zone.

This is not the first time a temporary ban has been levied on the Latah Valley neighborhood. Last year, the Inlander reported the Spokane City Council approved a six-month moratorium on development in the area in September 2022 to work on updating fees related to infrastructure costs for new developments. That ban was primarily driven by transportation infrastructure concerns. But after last summer’s wildfires burned down two homes and prompted evacuation notices in July and again in August, citizen groups began calling for a moratorium on development until the city funded the creation of a better wildfire emergency plan and a permanent fire station for the area.

Balancing risk with the need to build more housing, which often pushes development into the wildland-urban interface, will be an ongoing challenge for states and cities as the frequency and severity of wildfires grow. According to research published in the Source NM last year, close to 600,000 people in the United States were directly exposed to wildfires within 3 miles of their homes in the last two decades, 80 percent of those in western states and 70 percent in California. This growing risk has led multiple insurers to stop selling policies in high-risk states.

Monday, May 20, 2024 in NonStop Local

Single-family homes in a suburban neighborhood in Florida.

New Florida Law Curbs HOA Power

The legislation seeks to cut down on ‘absurd’ citations for low-level violations.

June 16, 2024 - The Guardian

Multistory apartment building under construction.

New Tennessee Law Allows No-Cost Incentives for Affordable Housing

Local governments in the Volunteer State can now offer developers incentives like increased density, lower parking requirements, and priority permitting for affordable housing projects.

June 10, 2024 - Nooga Today

Aerial view of intersection in New York City with yellow cabs and zebra crosswalks.

Planners’ Complicity in Excessive Traffic Deaths

Professor Wes Marshall’s provocatively-titled new book, "Killed by a Traffic Engineer," has stimulated fierce debates. Are his criticisms justified? Let’s examine the degree that traffic engineers contribute to avoidable traffic deaths.

June 13, 2024 - Todd Litman

Brick high-rise apartment buildings in New York City

Study: Housing Crisis is About Affordability, not Supply

New research shows that there is no overall shortage of housing units, but all U.S. metropolitan areas face a severe lack of affordable units for low-income renters.

June 18 - University of Kansas

Couple on one side of desk with banker on other side looking at paperwork.

Are Race-Based Lawsuits Affecting Community Lenders?

Shelterforce spoke with community lending leaders and experts about the current mood across the sector. What, if anything, are organizations doing to avoid becoming the next target of conservative activists?

June 18 - Shelterforce Magazine

Rendering of Glory Park in Lewisville, Texas.

New Park Promotes Community and Connectivity in Lewisville, Texas

The city of Lewisville just celebrated the opening of Glory Park/Parque la Gloria, helping to improve park access and the quality of life for residents.

June 18 - Lewisville Leader

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.