Fairchild AFB studying land-use laws in area

Spokane County has hired a nationally recognized land-use consultant to study how land-use laws can be used to ensure that Fairchild Air Force Base is not harmed by too much development or the wrong kind of development on civilian-owned land surrounding it.

Matrix Design Group of Sacramento, Calif., will be used to identify significant land-use issues affecting Fairchild, such as construction within the flight path for the base.

Local government officials hope to avoid land-use encroachment that might threaten the future of Fairchild as an air base.

“Growth without consideration of the needs of FAFB could compromise existing and possible expansion of aircraft missions in the future,” according to an overview on the county’s planning department Web site (www.spokanecounty.org/bp/).

“As growth occurs, the need for coordinated planning between (the Department of Defense) and Spokane County and neighboring cities is needed to protect the mission readiness of the base and its flexibility to respond to future threats or changes in mission.”

The need for the “joint land-use study” became apparent after the county commissioners voted to allow apartments in the light industrial zone along the base’s flight path several years ago. That law was later changed, but some apartments were built under the flight path and other properties gained the right to develop apartments in the future by having applications completed prior to the change, officials said.

The Air Force seeks to limit residential uses under its flight approaches.

The joint land-use study, under a $244,000 grant from the Department of Defense, seeks to create a collaborative planning process, county officials said.

Public workshops are expected near the end of this summer. Any recommendations from the study will be the subject of public hearings prior to implementation, said Jim Falk, county planner on the project.

“We are not just looking at current conditions,” Falk said. “We’ll take a look at their future operations.”

A Fairchild official last year said there are currently few land-use conflicts involving Fairchild and civilian uses surrounding it.

Fairchild officials would like county officials to adopt Department of Defense “air installation compatible use zones,” known as AICUZ. Those military land-use standards are the best way to satisfy the state prohibition against communities impeding military bases, officials have said.

A related study is under way to determine the best location for runway expansion at Spokane International Airport.