Staff briefs council on proposed map amendments to EIS; no action taken

City planning staff presented proposed map changes tied to Resolution 2026-0035, which would select a preferred alternative for an environmental impact statement.

Spencer Gardner, representing staff, described the Cathcart amendment as extending a section of Francis Avenue — roughly between Crestline and the Market Street/North Spokane corridor — so that staff could consider increased land-use intensity there. Gardner said the Zippone amendments would remove a small "bubble" of proposed intensity at North Indian Trail (where the neighborhood opposed the change) and would add increased intensity north of Wellesley along a high-frequency transit route and briefly west on Francis toward the transit center.

Gardner said the amendments are geographically isolated and can be adopted independently; staff circulated the language early for council review and did not request action at the agenda-review meeting. A neighborhood representative told the council the community opposed the North Indian Trail intensity because the area has limited access ("one road in and one road out") and creating a jobs center there would not make sense, the speaker said.

Council members may consider the circulated amendments at a future meeting; staff did not indicate a final vote date during the briefing.