Tyler Kimbrell, of the City of Spokane Planning Department, said an important step in the Plan Spokane 2046 comprehensive-plan update is the Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS. “An important step of the Plan Spokane 2046 periodic update to the comprehensive plan is the environmental impact Statement, or EIS,” he said.

Kimbrell said the EIS is a way to understand how choices about future growth could affect Spokane neighborhoods and noted that in Washington State an EIS is required when undertaking a large project or plan such as updating a city’s comprehensive plan. “In Washington State, an Environmental Impact Statement is required when undertaking a big project or plan, like updating the city's comprehensive plan, to understand how that effort may impact the environment,” he said.

He described the draft EIS as the first formal step in that process. “For a comprehensive plan environmental impact statement, the first step is a draft EIS,” Kimbrell said, adding that the draft will evaluate different growth alternatives — distinct ways the city may choose to grow — so the city can compare their potential impacts.

Kimbrell listed the specific topics the draft EIS will study for each alternative, including air and water quality, traffic, noise, housing and jobs, and tied those analyses to potential effects on neighborhoods. “For each alternative, it studies things like air and water quality, traffic, noise, housing, and jobs to help understand how these alternatives may affect the future of Spokane neighborhoods,” he said.

The draft EIS will be released in 2025 to give residents an opportunity to review the options and provide feedback that will inform a preferred alternative. “The Plan Spokane 2046 Draft EIS will be available in 2025 to allow the public the opportunity to consider the different options and let us know what they prefer,” Kimbrell said. He explained a preferred alternative may be one of the draft alternatives or a hybrid that mixes components from multiple alternatives.

Kimbrell said the environmental review process will continue after public input and that the EIS is expected to be completed and adopted in late 2026, noting the final EIS will focus on impacts of the chosen alternative and potential mitigation measures. “The environmental impact statement will then be completed and adopted in late 2026. It will focus on the environmental impacts of the preferred alternative as well as potential ways to weaken those impacts,” he said.

Kimbrell closed by directing listeners to the project website for updates and details on how to participate. To learn more, he said, visit planspokane.org.