[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6329062,"mediaKeyId","2316536-05d9e3d5e736e258a647c7808f5a7782","parentId",2316536,"title","City outlines $6 million tree‑equity project; crews paused pending federal grant administrator guidance","audioSeconds",2722,"startMs",7322000,"endMs",10044000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2316536-05d9e3d5e736e258a647c7808f5a7782&start=7322&end=10044","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2316536-05d9e3d5e736e258a647c7808f5a7782/thumbnail_7322000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6329062/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/City-outlines-6-million-treeequity-project-crews-paused-pending-federal-grant-administrator-guidance","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6329062-fee764ebe431668c1b2f8b1938ebc4e3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771185087&Signature=Q1R9iyC5qo8EsVJHyCHwQwti6O5DCiZ~2LWMUZJDbxfEB7SFMlSwi38kSBdjZhvucf0573SpDpO9YjYM~8BNIMqBXYl-~d3CRi77ZyqaCMFUG0xW8wh0YHeLUwBWHDPvhI9Mdmbg1j8d2Sye1biZ0QiW4U81rWy0pzWvQ6oyef85APZXwR~shYG-1w5CBaFklP84nkse-Jlx1gSU9NXY1wU~W5YjQxvqCl8PDKLmVm9-4DGbG5d50M88P5HzLrpGXvkVaScYUrqeQGd5GEA9k9HO4X~52HqQYtU7yfN9WxUTBltjhbgxNoQ7qvzitKlF7sX~9XUQ8bTuE-7dOBOScw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Spokane City, WA","date","2025-02-15T09:11:39.163Z","article","Katie Husseyke, an urban forester with Parks and Recreation, briefed the board on “TX‑Ready Spokane,” a multi‑year tree‑equity project funded with federal grant awards and local sub‑awards. The grant work packages include removing hazardous dead street trees, pruning to extend the life of existing street trees, and planting new trees in neighborhoods with the lowest canopy cover.

Scope and partners: Husseyke said the city applied for a larger award and is implementing a $6 million award that targets disadvantaged and low‑canopy areas inside the program boundary (most of the city except the upper South Hill and large parts of northwest Spokane). The Spokane Conservation District is a key partner and is supplying trees from its own $6 million award; the Lands Council will handle expanded education and outreach and help secure homeowner commitments for planting and care. Husseyke said contractors have been engaged with locked unit pricing and that the team had planted 77 street trees in the fall and removed roughly 100 of the nearly 400 right‑of‑way dead trees so far.

Maintenance, equity and homeowner responsibilities: Staff said they will offer replacements and education and seek homeowner commitments to water new trees during hot summer months. Husseyke warned that “trees will not last our hot summer months if they don’t receive water,” and described low‑cost establishment approaches (mulch rings, turf removal, branded watering buckets) rather than higher‑maintenance irrigation systems. Board members raised questions about tenant/landlord responsibilities for trees on rental properties and the city said staff will ask applicants and tenants to involve property owners so the abutting owner understands long‑term obligations.

Grant pause and financial status: Staff said the US Forest Service (grant administrator) has asked the city to pause new expenditures pending clarification of federal guidance; Parks staff said they were pursuing agency clarification and that about $250,000 in invoices remain pending reimbursement under the grant. Staff and board members discussed legal and congressional channels to seek clarification and asked municipal managers to track reimbursements and contractor commitments to limit fiscal impacts.

Implementation and policy discussion: The urban‑forestry team said the project pays immediate safety dividends (removing hazardous dead trees), builds canopy in disadvantaged neighborhoods (East Central, Logan and others), and supports longer‑term resilience. Staff noted prior local conversations about steady funding for street‑tree maintenance (a 2011 stormwater fee proposal had previously failed by one council vote) and suggested that the city consider ongoing funding sources rather than relying solely on periodic large grants.

Ending: Husseyke and contractor partners said they will continue outreach and neighborhood mailings; the board offered to help identify community connections and suggested the team provide the board with inventories and status updates while the grant‑administrator question is resolved.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","February 13th, 2025 Climate Resilience & Sustainability Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","City urban‑forestry staff told the board they have begun removing dead street trees and planting in low‑canopy neighborhoods under a multi‑year federal grant, but said contractors are on hold while grant administrators review spending guidance.","taxTitle","Spokane, Spokane County, Washington","taxId",2644,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6329071,"City staff outlines option to rejoin county aquifer protection area; board signals support to draft resolution",915,459000,1374000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2316536-05d9e3d5e736e258a647c7808f5a7782&start=459&end=1374","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2316536-05d9e3d5e736e258a647c7808f5a7782/thumbnail_459000.jpg","/articles/6329071/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/City-staff-outlines-option-to-rejoin-county-aquifer-protection-area-board-signals-support-to-draft-resolution","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6329071-be4d2d09f878a1454ff18d13828ec206/orig.mp4?Expires=1771185087&Signature=ImEjk7ibIosz2bBfc6vOZNfQXuMpqwcu7pq7REAsl73qvzss0UTjo-chSztKHLdjVYqlQStAatWeJr3tMWpFT7WYJH6Dz7KvqsARXQFLxUM9G1jTN9PLGTeWf0~-jCaZjouOzhdPfBChi3KksHvL6IobX0NckUwETRSFUsBoq7rrUh3YrixDuQWkvXx2pgMWJPXgTunqQQyjPuq7flN4aFrsiwDpDXNGW2KR1qpg3RYVeEfb-Ca~qvXbikJv4rHhwgpE2272thHLZNxXfxI4TkskL2icB8-jicOfVgu82tUHDRAj6BaOutLPkyXyJMa2KFePprqcP4fa0vsqk-OJ4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Marlene Weist, a city staff presenter, told the Community Resilience and Sustainability Board that the city has “an opportunity to join the county in what’s called an aquifer protection area.” The county’s authorization for the APA expires at the end of 2025, and the county plans to ask voters to renew it; the city would need to adopt a resolution and an interlocal agreement to be on the ballot.

Why it matters: The APA revenue is dedicated to groundwater protection, monitoring and education. Weist said the county’s current fee structure charges about $15 per year for residential properties connected to the municipal water system and an additional $15 per year for properties served by on‑site sewage systems, and that those fees fund projects such as septic-system removal, monitoring, stormwater controls and public education. Weist also estimated the city’s share of revenue at roughly “1.8 ish million, perhaps on an annualized basis if the rate is kept that same $15 per residential unit.”

What staff presented: Weist described the Spokane Valley–Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer as the region’s sole-source aquifer and reviewed potential uses for APA funds, including monitoring groundwater quality (PFAS and legacy contaminants were mentioned), stormwater and wastewater investments, and projects to make wells and well sites more resilient to projected climate impacts. She noted the city currently delivers up to about 50,000,000 gallons of water per day in summer peak conditions and that some well infrastructure is shallow relative to future resilience needs.

Board discussion and next steps: Board members asked about trade-offs (whether deeper or more wells would be the response to reduced recharge) and about equitable cost allocation for customers outside city limits served by city water. Weist said the city already serves Airway Heights under a long‑term arrangement and described capital contributions from that jurisdiction; she characterized the current capital arrangement as involving a $15,000,000 capital investment from Airway Heights toward system improvements (as stated by staff during the meeting).

After discussion, staff asked whether the board would like them to draft a resolution for the board’s consideration at the next meeting. No formal vote was taken; the board indicated there was interest in moving forward and staff said there is room on the March agenda to consider a draft resolution and an interlocal agreement. The meeting record therefore shows a direction/assignment rather than a formal decision.

What was not decided: The board did not vote to join the APA, and no final interlocal agreement or ordinance was adopted during the meeting. Any city participation would require a future council resolution and then a voter decision under county ballot procedures.

Ending note: Staff said they would prepare materials and a draft resolution for the board’s review next month to clarify costs, proposed uses and the text of an interlocal agreement for council consideration.","Marlene Weist, a city staff presenter, told the Community Resilience and Sustainability Board that the city has “an opportunity to join the county in what’s called an aquifer protection area.”",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6329066,"City consultants present climate survey results, vulnerability index and policy audit; board weighs engagement plan for Earth Day workshop",3011,1387000,4398000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2316536-05d9e3d5e736e258a647c7808f5a7782&start=1387&end=4398","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2316536-05d9e3d5e736e258a647c7808f5a7782/thumbnail_1387000.jpg","/articles/6329066/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/City-consultants-present-climate-survey-results-vulnerability-index-and-policy-audit-board-weighs-engagement-plan-for-Earth-Day-workshop","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6329066-e34e34af15d0b8921a78b45b6e884b06/orig.mp4?Expires=1771185087&Signature=AgJKYD25dHDZB12iKHtUQc7TllX9moPmcm2ufjw4YeYafVvvuKrasHsh8XlGSJJdzFi7985yo1No10Ua2LzIEgZ8nUe3CrD44JIWkHZntkgl8SKqMbgd58PnKxoiPmL7dbpqNJZo13P3jRETiS7mvzGianJay8tuLYAQWSoYsBYdCwmu-Zi2v~rBPayGPogIQ0~6iQO91Jf~pJGww6IY1aEQNIynJXpkmEvF7HOP8a60aPzlBcN~B-0ve2OvK8QFG-VyJKupOCfMpk387cV4PlWQzjGAAUIx-VuvfbirCzKFx-vbacUjwjam81BJWC5H3Zk72X2W-Vyp-YAJ~PO6YA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City planning consultants updated the Community Resilience and Sustainability Board on three linked pieces of the city’s climate-element work: a community survey and outreach plan, a draft climate risk and vulnerability assessment (CRVA) and a policy audit intended to identify gaps the new climate element should fill.

What the consultants reported: Casey (project engagement lead) said the public survey ran Dec. 9–Jan. 31 and returned 573 responses (Casey noted that earlier outreach and distribution channels were extensive); other staff members later said they had circulated the survey widely and referenced a 1,500 figure when discussing outreach channels. The team said a written survey-analysis report would be available to the board by the next meeting and said they had compiled an email list of about 600 people who asked to stay involved.

Engagement plan: Consultants proposed an in‑person, communitywide workshop on Earth Day (April 22) at West Central Community Center, tentatively 6 p.m.–7:30 p.m., plus at least two focused follow‑up focus groups (one potentially for Spanish speakers) to reach underrepresented groups. The team said they had translated the survey into five languages and planned targeted outreach to groups including tribal representatives, senior centers, youth organizations, community centers (Karl Maxey, Northeast Community Center), schools, Spokane Conservation District, Salish School and others. Consultants and board members discussed reducing barriers to participation — food, family‑friendly timing, possible stipends for focus-group participants, bus passes and on‑site translation — and the team said some stipend/budget decisions would be scoped for focus groups.

Vulnerability index, mapping and policy audit: The consultant team described a test version of an interactive vulnerability mapping tool that combines exposure, sensitivity and adaptive‑capacity indicators. Board members urged plain‑language labels (for example, identifying health impacts and tree canopy rather than only “adaptive capacity”) and asked that the team provide methodology details and an appendix so technical users can audit how index scores are calculated. Consultants said they plan a public launch of the index at the end of February and that an early draft of the CRVA would be presented to the board in May.

Policy audit takeaways: The consultants said the audit flagged policy gaps across sectors (transportation, stormwater/CSO, housing/renters, tree canopy, public‑health preparedness and others) and recommended clearer implementation and progress‑tracking language. Board members suggested a public dashboard, clearer language about the city’s role versus community roles, and inventorying community organizations’ existing climate actions as a possible low-cost way to scale implementation.

Board feedback and next steps: Board members recommended neighborhood‑level mapping (not just ZIP codes), cross‑tab analysis by income, age, race/ethnicity and neighborhood, and geospatial overlays (for example, Gonzaga heat-mapping). The team pledged to incorporate those requests and to return with a survey analysis and refined engagement plan. The next steps described were: public index launch (end of February), Earth Day community workshop (April 22) and a draft CRVA returned to the board in May. No city policy or resolution was adopted at this meeting.","Consultants for Spokane’s climate‑element update briefed the Community Resilience and Sustainability Board on survey results, an interactive vulnerability index and a policy audit and asked for the board’s input on Earth Day outreach and focus‑group planning.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City outlines $6 million tree‑equity project; crews paused pending federal grant administrator guidance

City staff outlines option to rejoin county aquifer protection area; board signals support to draft resolution

City consultants present climate survey results, vulnerability index and policy audit; board weighs engagement plan for Earth Day workshop