Environment Tension mounts over state plan to transfer 192 acres in Spokane to private developer

A pending land swap by the state Department of Natural Resources is sparking controversy in Spokane.

The department wants to transfer nearly 200 acres southwest of the city’s downtown to a private real estate developer, which has plans to build as many as 1,000 homes, a park and a civic center. In exchange for the land, the city would get a different commercial plot in Bellingham.

The state says this fits with its goals to generate revenue for schools and increase housing on state lands. The Spokane property was once used for logging but hasn’t generated timber revenue in more than a decade, so it is time to find another use for it, according to the department.

But nearby residents and many city leaders say the surrounding infrastructure is not ready for such heavy development and that the plans could eliminate some of the last undeveloped land in and around Spokane.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/12/12/tension-mounts-over-state-plan-to-transfer-192-acres-in-spokane-to-private-developer/