Coyote Rock developers can move ahead

Developers of a high-end housing project along the Spokane River near Arbor Crest were granted a significant step forward last week when Spokane Valley rezoned 37 acres on the river’s south bank to allow up to 22 housing units per acre.

The gravel-rich land just off of Cement Road had been zoned for mining, but the change approved Tuesday by Spokane Valley Interim Hearing Examiner Michael Dempsey would open the land to a mix of 285 homes and condominiums planned by Neighborhood Inc. of Coeur d’Alene. The project is being called Coyote Rock.

On the south bank of the river, north of Trent near the end of Pines Road, Neighborhood Inc. plans to build 30 new waterfront houses on an unbuilt portion of a subdivision laid out in 1908.

The remainder of the plan envisions condominiums on part of a reclaimed 50-acre site formerly used for mining and heavy industry.

The city of Spokane Valley granted a permit to grade the site on Sept. 22. Then, four days later, the planning department notified the company it would need to apply for a substantial shoreline development permit because work would take place on land restricted by environmental regulations designed to protect the river, wildlife and flood-prone areas.

In other planning news, Dempsey approved a zone change at 711 N. Evergreen Road, which allows the 2.4 acres of land previously restricted to home use to be developed as business property. The land is owned by Stanley Brazington, Michael Mong, Karen Aldrich and Farhad Adorbehi, all of Spokane Valley. The applicant seeking the zone change is contractor Mike Silvey of Spokane Valley.