Updating the Historic Preservation Code

SMC 17D.100.230

Adding Centers & Corridors for Historic Preservation Review

when Demolition is Proposed

Changes to Review of New Construction (to meet new state laws)

The Historic Preservation Office understands that Centers and Corridors are important places to focus new development within the City of Spokane. Centers and Corridors have a distinct sense of place and historic buildings are certainly a contributing factor to the attractiveness and appeal of these areas. Centers and Corridors is a zoning designation. If you’d like to check the zoning on a property, the City Map is available. The addition of Centers and Corridors to SMC 17D.100.230 may help focus development to avoid demolition of historic buildings.

The Historic Preservation Office, alongside the Spokane Historic Landmarks Commission, already reviews demolitions of properties within the Downtown Boundary Zone as well as within the 15 National Register Historic Districts in the city. That review has been happening since at least the year 2005. This proposal would add Centers and Corridors to the existing demolition review.

Additionally, the City of Spokane Centers & Corridors Study (June 2024) states this about Historic Preservation in our Centers and Corridors (page 36):

There are currently few protections against the demolition of historic buildings within the urban fabric of some historic Centers. Placing appropriate controls on demolition of historic structures in Centers and Corridors and standards that support adaptive re-use can help ensure historic structures support the development of a sense of place in centers, linking these areas past and its future.

The proposed changes to the current ordinance (SMC 17D.100.230) are a first step toward protecting important historic buildings in our Centers and Corridors.

Changes to Review of New Construction

Recent changes to state law have limited the review of new construction by Commissions or Boards (such as the Spokane Historic Landmarks Commission).While HB1110 is already in place for review of middle housing, HB 1293 will not come into affect until 6 months after Spokane’s next Comprehensive Plan amendments (2026). The new laws require that local governments have “objective design guidelines” that can be reviewed administratively. The Historic Preservation Office wants to proactively make sure that our codes are in keeping with the intent of these new state laws. The Historic Preservation Office and SHLC will still be able to conduct design review on historic properties and new construction within locally designated historic districts such as Browne’s Addition, the Cannon Streetcar Suburb Historic District and Corbin Park, amongst others, but we will no longer be able to review new construction within the downtown zone and National Register Historic Districts when eligible buildings are demolished. Rather than the SHLC reviewing the new construction plans, we have added some objective design review criteria such as the size of the replacement building and the materials that may be used which will be reviewed by Historic Preservation staff.

The Process for Property Owners Proposing Demolition in a Center and Corridor Zone

When a building within a Center & Corridor is proposed for demolition:

1. Eligibility – the building would have to be at least 50 years old and meet one of the criteria for listing on the Spokane Register of Historic Places:

(Category A) Those structures that are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our local history; or
(Category B) That are associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; or
(Category C) Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction; or
(Category D) That have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important to prehistory or history; and
(Category E) A property that represents the culture and heritage of the city of Spokane in ways not adequately addressed in the other criteria, as in its visual prominence, reference to intangible heritage, or any range of cultural practices.

In addition to age and meeting the SMC criteria to be eligible, a property must also have “integrity.” Integrity meaning that there is enough original material or form to convey the property’s historic significance.

2. Determining Eligibility:

Historic Preservation staff may find the building is not eligible for listing administratively and may waive requirements for the submission of an eligibility document.
If the HP Office has not administratively determined that the building is eligible, the owner may choose to hire a consultant to write a report on eligibility.
Staff will review any document provided by owner/consultant and make their own recommendation to the SHLC:
- A public hearing will be scheduled on the next SHLC agenda
- Decision of SHLC on eligibility is final (can be appealed to the Hearings Examiner)

3. If the property to be demolished is found NOT ELIGIBLE for listing on the Spokane Register of Historic Places, that is the end of the review and a demolition permit may be obtained and demolition may proceed.

If a property is found to be ELIGIBLE for listing on the Spokane Register of Historic Places

Historic Preservation staff would review the replacement structure to make sure that it meets objective design criteria such as size and materials. The new building would also have to meet all zoning and design guidelines within the Spokane Municipal Code.
Additionally, property owners must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Director of the Developer Services Center (DSC) in consultation with the Historic Preservation Officer (HPO) that they have a valid and binding commitment or commitments for financing (such as a term sheet or MOU) for the replacement structure.
Full building permits and a financial commitment from the property owner would be required prior to the demolition permit being issued to avoid speculative demolition and loss of historic buildings without concrete plans for redevelopment.

Changes to SMC 17D.100.230

National Register Historic Districts:
The replacement structure shall have a Floor Area equal to or greater than seventy-five percent (75%) and not larger than one hundred fifty percent (150%) of that of the contributing structure(s) to be demolished.
Downtown Boundary Area or Centers and Corridors Zones:
The replacement structure shall have a Floor Area equal to or greater than one hundred percent (100%) of that of the eligible or listed structure(s) to be demolished. The maximum size of the replacement structure shall be as determined by the underlying zoning of the area.
Overlap of National Register Historic District with Downtown Boundary Area or Centers and Corridors Zone:
i. For property within a National Register Historic District and also with the Downtown Boundary Area or a Centers and Corridors Zone, the replacement structure shall have a Floor Area equal to or greater than seventy-five percent (75%) and not larger than two hundred percent (200%) of that of the contributing structure(s) to be demolished.
ii. In cases where another section of Title 17 imposes a minimum Floor Area that exceeds two hundred percent (200%) of the contributing structure to be demolished, the minimum Floor Area of the other section shall apply. The replacement structure’s Floor Area shall not exceed the minimum Floor Area of the other section, plus ten percent (10%).
Removing language in section D that dealt with demolition provisions best left to other agencies such as Clean Air, landscaping and abatement of hazardous materials.
Also removing the language that allowed for a building smaller than at least 60% of the floor area ratio* of the demolished, historically eligible building if:
- Current code allows smaller buildings if there is a public benefit (green space or public art)
- Current code allows the owner to “submit plans in lieu for design and approval by the city’s design review board subject to applicable zoning and design guidelines”

*The City of Spokane Planning Department is moving away from using FAR (floor area ratios) in their code sections, so Historic Preservation is following their lead and using floor area (square footage) as a measurement term for building size.

Upcoming Dates to Know:

Spokane Historic Landmarks Commission Workshop: Wednesday, August 21st, 3:30 pm

Plan Commission Workshop: Wednesday, August 28th, 2:30 pm

Plan Commission Workshop #2: Wednesday, September 11, 2 pm

In Person Workshop: Wednesday, September 18, 4-5 pm; City Hall, City Council Briefing Center

Online Workshop: Thursday, September 19, 12-1 pm (Join TEAMS meeting)

Plan Commission Hearing: Wednesday, October 9, 4 pm

Spokane Historic Landmarks Commission Hearing: Wednesday, October 16th, 3:00 pm

Municipal Code Amendments to SMC Chapter 17D.100.230

SEPA DETERMINATION: A Notice of SEPA Determination and Checklist for the non-project action known as the “Adding Centers & Corridors for Historic Preservation Review when Demolition is Proposed” is being created. The proposal adds review of demolition requests of properties that are eligible for listing on the Spokane Register of Historic Places within the Centers and Corridors zones by amending the citywide development regulations in the Unified Development Code of the Spokane Municipal Code 17D.100.230.

This code change is currently under review by the Spokane Historic Landmarks Commission. It will also go to the City Plan Commission. The Plan Commission will hold a workshop and a public hearing on this item on August 28th, 2024. A second workshop will be held with the Plan Commission on September 11th, 2024. A final hearing on the amendment will be held by the Plan Commission on October 9th, 2024. Then City Council will vote on this proposal. If you’d like to provide comments or add your name to the interested persons for this project, please contact Logan Camporeale, lcamporeale@spokanecity.org. SEPA comments should be sent by 8/30/2024.