County asks Airway Heights, Medical Lake and Spokane for plan to protect air base from encroaching development
By RYAN LANCASTER
Staff Reporter
Spokane County Commissioners asked West Plains cities on Monday, March 1, to consider implementing a shared plan that aims to protect Fairchild Air Force Base from future encroachment.
Along with the county, the cities of Spokane, Airway Heights and Medical Lake fall within the boundaries of a joint land use study, which was instigated three years ago with the help of a Department of Defense grant to determine the effects of growth around Fairchild.
A steering committee, including representatives of all affected jurisdictions, developed a set of proposals that will guide local planning and zoning policies to prevent incompatible land uses and noise complaints around the base. The study established four military influence areas where base operations could potentially impact communities or local activities might adversely affect the military's mission. Military Influence Areas draw lines around exactly where actions will be applied and are divided into the areas of regional jurisdiction, interagency coordination, noise impact and land use overlay.
The study will, among other strategies, enforce stricter building codes on both new and existing structures near the base in order to reduce noise attenuation and light pollution and will restrict commercial density in certain areas as well as restrain residential development under flight approach areas.
“We want to make sure that the air force base remains here in Spokane and that we don't do anything in terms of land use that's going to compromise the existence of the base,” Spokane County Commissioner Bonnie Mager said to about 30 area leaders and administrators, including Spokane Mayor Mary Verner, Airway Heights Mayor Patrick Rushing and representatives of the Spokane City Council, Boundary Review Board and FAFB.
Local governments are now being asked to pursue necessary comprehensive plan amendments or development regulations in order to comply with the study. Spokane County planning director John Pederson said there's a better chance of securing Department of Defense funding to help with the implementation process if jurisdictions take collaborative steps in that direction, but funding or no it's vital that the process moves forward.
County project planner Jim Falk said about 40 similar studies have been done near military installations across the county but in many cases jurisdictions struggle to apply the findings of studies years after completion due to a breakdown in interagency cooperation. A lack of agreement could jeopardize Fairchild's future, including its placement on a short list of military locations being considered for the next generation of tanker aircraft, he said.
Pederson distributed a draft resolution on Monday that sets forth principals of collaborative planning and asked for its adoption by respective legislative bodies as soon as possible. The resolution would establish a joint land use study implementation coordinating council made up of five individuals, four appointed by each participating jurisdiction and a fifth appointed by Fairchild. This council, assisted by a technical assistance group, would be responsible for reviewing draft comprehensive plan amendments, development regulations and code amendments for compliance with the study.
Pederson said past regulations have already established a light industrial buffer around the base and residential densities have been kept very low, meaning few steps need to take place to meet the terms of the study. As it stands, any changes to the area would need to be looked at on a case-by-case basis with Fairchild as a partner in the process.
“It's up to the local jurisdictions from this point forward to identify what level of protection we feel is appropriate, what kind of planning we think is appropriate, to protect (FAFB),” he said.
Ryan Lancaster can be reached at ryan@cheneyfreepress.com.
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