AH Planning Commission workshop seeks city identity

Just what is the identity Airway Heights residents want for their city?

That is what city staff, the Planning Commission and consultants were trying to get a sense of during a public workshop at the commission’s Sept. 7 meeting. Consultants from SPVV Architects and Studio Cascade presented concepts and designs for the U.S. Highway 2 Revitalization Project and 20-year land use plan update for residents, local business owners and residents to weigh in on.

Staff and consultants previously conducted interviews with stakeholders, business owners and residents at a June meeting at the Airway Heights library. Both firms also spoke with residents during a July 21 open house at the community center.

Ryan Hughes, Studio Cascade senior planner, said his firm’s work for both projects focus on creating a vision for the Highway 2 corridors and designating it into areas for themes and improvements.

“When I look at Highway 2 I see a blank palette that needs direction,” Hughes said.

Some previous feedback to both firms included more safety improvements, pedestrian activity, healthy bicycle and pedestrian and visual elements to enhance the area.

Hughes said the next step is to identify the various Highway 2 corridor areas, draft zone descriptions and guidelines based on community direction and in November “have a complete planning package.”

“If council wants to make tweaks (to the plan), we’ll go back to the drawing board,” Hughes said.

When asked how the revitalization project will be funded, Hughes said there will be different options to fund the project. Toward the end of the workshop, Braaten clarified that funding for the projects will not come from a city-issued tax initiative.

“If the businesses want to get together and create a Business Improvement District, they can do that,” Braaten said. “The reality is most of the funding is going to come from grant money. There’s also economic development dollars out there.”

During the workshop, Hughes conducted an activity where the audience broke into groups and marked on a city map of Highway 2 where they believed was “the heart of the town” and the “east and west entry points.” Most groups felt the heart of the city was the area that encompasses Yoke’s Fresh Market, the community center, Sunset Elementary School and Sunset Park.

Groups were also asked what character themes they felt best described areas in the city. These themes included small town community, suburban life and a destination center.

“This is by no means options A, B, C,” Hughes told groups. “This is ‘who do we want to be? We want to know what do you see and which themes best suit the focus areas.”

All four groups said they felt the central area of the city encompasses “the small town feeling,” while the area along Hayford Road and Highway 2 is suburban lifestyle. Looking ahead, groups felt the western portion of the city will be a destination center after construction of the Spokane Tribe Economic Project is completed.

Studio Cascade, SPVV and staff will hold another workshop during the City Council’s Oct. 24 study session.

The public workshop was not the only point of the meeting.

During commissioner reports, Matt Pederson said John Holloway passed away. Holloway was involved with the city in many ways, such as serving on the City Council, holding the Public Works Director position and being the city’s first volunteer firefighter.

“In the early days of Airway Heights, we had a small staff and he was a big part of that,” Pederson said.

Al Stover can be reached at al@cheneyfreepress.com.