The Council Brief · Spokane City Council
The February 23, 2026 Spokane City Council meeting covers a large consent agenda of vehicle and equipment purchases (over $470,000 in EVs), several IT/software contracts, an interlocal agreement with Airway Heights, over $16.6 million in weekly claims/payroll, and a $100,000 personal services agreement with the Spokane Immigrant Rights Coalition. The legislative agenda includes special budget ordinances for 911/PSAP capital financing (bonds up to $6,000,000), ten new firefighter positions, four behavioral health paramedic positions, fire training equipment, a Council Rules of Procedure overhaul, a Complete Streets exception for Rowan/Maple/Ash stoplights, a Chick-fil-A alley vacation, an "Immigration Enforcement Free Zones" ordinance, a proposed kratom sales ban/regulation, and a hearing to extend interim height-limit zoning restrictions citywide.
Minutes for this specific meeting were not found in the gazette.
The official minutes for the Monday, February 23, 2026 Spokane City Council meeting were NOT published in this March 4, 2026 gazette issue — the gazette explicitly states they were unavailable and will appear in the March 11, 2026 issue (page 2). Because of this, most agenda items have no recorded vote tally, no-vote list, or discussion detail in this document; they are marked 'not_found' per the instructions. However, several ordinances that were 'Passed by City Council February 23, 2026' are separately printed in full in this issue's Ordinances section (pages 4-7), which is valid evidence the council took final action on those specific measures that day, even though the narrative minutes (with vote counts, discussion, public comment, and no-votes) are not yet available. For items only discussed in the February 2, 2026 Public Safety and Community Health Committee minutes (pages 2-3), that is committee-level discussion, not the February 23 full council vote, so those are also marked 'not_found' for an actual outcome, with a note pointing to the related committee discussion. No vote tallies, no-vote names, or split-vote information are stated anywhere in this document for any item — all ordinances simply say 'Passed by City Council February 23, 2026' without a count.
This ordinance amends the city budget to finance capital needs of the 911 Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) system, tied to a bond issuance of up to $6 million. This funds equipment/infrastructure for 911 emergency call handling, which affects how quickly emergency calls get routed and answered — directly relevant to homeowner safety.
Why it mattersFunds critical 911 emergency communications infrastructure that directly affects public safety response for all residents, financed through bonds that could affect future tax obligations.
Printed as Ordinance No. C36840, amending the mid-biennial budget to transfer $6,000,000 from the SIP Debt Fund to the Spokane United 911 Network Fund for communications equipment; declared an emergency. Shown as 'Passed by City Council February 23, 2026' and delivered to the Mayor February 26, 2026. No vote count is printed.
gazette p. 5, 6This extends an interim (temporary) citywide zoning rule limiting building heights while the city works on a permanent zoning solution. This directly affects what can be built near homeowners, including potential multi-story development height limits in their neighborhoods.
Why it mattersDirectly controls allowable building heights citywide, which significantly affects neighborhood character, density, and property values for homeowners.
Printed as Ordinance No. C36834, extending interim zoning ordinance C36646 (height limits) an additional six months to September 24, 2026, following a required public hearing under RCW 36.70A.390. Shown as 'Passed by City Council February 23, 2026.' No vote count printed. This is the same ordinance referenced by the final title in this list.
gazette p. 5This is the public hearing for extending the interim building height limit ordinance discussed above (ORD C36834), giving residents a chance to weigh in before the council votes on continuing the height restrictions while a permanent zoning plan is developed. This directly affects development potential and building heights in Spokane neighborhoods.
Why it mattersPublic hearing on a citywide zoning height-limit policy directly affecting what can be built near existing homes, impacting neighborhood character and property values.
This is the same measure as Ordinance No. C36834 above (extending interim height-limit zoning ordinance C36646 six months to September 24, 2026), for which the required public hearing was held per RCW 36.70A.390. Shown as 'Passed by City Council February 23, 2026.' No vote count printed.
gazette p. 5This adds ten new firefighter positions to the Fire Department budget to counteract high washout rates at the fire academy, ensuring adequate staffing for emergency response. More firefighters generally mean faster response times and better coverage for homeowners' fire and medical emergencies.
Why it mattersDirectly affects fire/emergency response staffing levels and includes a home smoke-alarm giveaway program, both of which matter to homeowner safety.
Printed as Ordinance No. C36843, adding 10 Firefighter positions (from 136 to 146) and $248,500 in appropriations ($246,000 operating supplies, $2,500 smoke alarms), declared an emergency to counteract high academy washout rates. Shown as 'Passed by City Council February 23, 2026.' No vote count is printed. Matches the Feb 2 committee discussion item 'Special Budget Ordinance - Additional Firefighter Positions & Associated Supplies.'
gazette p. 2, 6This resolution formally authorizes the city to issue up to $6 million in bonds to pay for equipment and improvements to the 911/emergency communications system. Bonds are typically repaid over time and can be a factor in future city debt service and tax considerations.
Why it mattersAuthorizes new city debt to fund emergency communications infrastructure, which affects both public safety capability and potential future tax/debt service obligations.
Minutes deferred; no ordinance or resolution text matching a bond issuance for emergency communications was found printed elsewhere in this issue (the related PSAP item, C36840, is a budget transfer/loan, not a bond resolution).
gazette p. 2This creates four new Behavioral Health Paramedic positions within the Fire Department to respond to mental health crisis calls alongside law enforcement, funded by Spokane County's mental health sales tax revenue (not new city taxes). This could reduce reliance on police for behavioral health crises in neighborhoods.
Why it mattersAdds specialized crisis-response capacity funded by county sales tax revenue, potentially improving public safety and mental health response in neighborhoods without new city taxes.
Printed as Ordinance No. C36844, adding 4.0 Behavioral Health Paramedic positions and $622,862 in revenue/appropriation for salary and benefits to fund co-response services with Spokane County; declared an emergency. Shown as 'Passed by City Council February 23, 2026.' No vote count printed. Matches Feb 2 committee item 'Special Budget Ordinance for 4 Behavioral Health Paramedic Positions.'
gazette p. 2, 7This approves an exception from the city's 'Complete Streets' design requirements (which normally require bike lanes, sidewalks, etc. on all road projects) for a stoplight project at Rowan/Maple/Ash, because parallel routes already serve pedestrians and cyclists. This directly affects how a specific street project near homes will be designed.
Why it mattersDirectly affects design and safety features of a specific street project that could affect nearby homeowners' neighborhood streets and traffic patterns.
A related discussion item ('Limited Exception to the Complete Streets Ordinance for the Rowan Maple/Ash Stoplights Project') appears in the Feb 2, 2026 committee minutes, but no Feb 23 council vote outcome is recorded in this gazette.
gazette p. 3The city will pay $100,000 to the Spokane Immigrant Rights Coalition to distribute emergency financial aid to immigrant families facing crises, such as help with housing, healthcare, and legal costs. This is funded from the city budget and represents a direct city expenditure on social services, though it does not change property taxes or utility rates directly for most homeowners.
Why it mattersDirect city spending of $100,000 in taxpayer-funded budget on a social program, a matter some homeowners may care about from a tax-use perspective.
Minutes deferred; no other reference found in this issue.
gazette p. 2This creates new rules on kratom (a psychoactive plant substance) sales in Spokane, restricting sale to minors and banning enhanced/adulterated kratom products with high concentrations of 7-hydroxymitragynine, following FDA warnings about liver toxicity, seizures, and addiction risk. This affects what can be sold at local gas stations, smoke shops, and convenience stores, and is a public health/safety matter for families.
Why it mattersRegulates a substance sold at neighborhood convenience stores with documented health risks including addiction and toxicity, relevant to family and community safety though not a direct cost to most homeowners.
Minutes deferred; no ordinance text matching this subject was found printed elsewhere in this issue.
gazette p. 2The city is renewing its contract with ParkMobile to let people pay for street parking via a mobile app for another year. The city expects to collect about $2.5 million in parking revenue through this system, while paying ParkMobile up to $300,000 for the service.
Why it mattersAffects convenience and cost of on-street parking for residents and visitors in Spokane's core areas, and generates city parking revenue.
Minutes deferred; no other reference found in this issue.
gazette p. 2This gives up city ownership of a portion of a public alley between Mission and Sinto Avenues (near Ruby/Pearl) so a Chick-fil-A restaurant can incorporate it into their property for a drive-thru and parking. Neighbors near this alley lose public access to that portion of the alley permanently.
Why it mattersPermanently changes public right-of-way into private commercial property, affecting neighborhood access and traffic patterns near the development, though localized in effect.
Printed as Ordinance No. C36642, vacating a portion of the alley between Mission Avenue and Sinto Avenue east of Ruby Street, per a petition representing 100% of abutting property owners, with utility easements reserved for Avista, Lumen, Zayo, and the City. Shown as 'Passed by City Council February 23, 2026.' The gazette text does not name Chick-fil-A, but the location matches. No vote count printed.
gazette p. 4This ordinance restricts city employees from allowing federal immigration agents to access non-public city property (like nonpublic areas of city buildings) without a judicial warrant, and bars city property from being used as staging areas for immigration enforcement. This is a policy affecting how city resources interact with federal immigration enforcement, relevant to residents concerned about local government's role in immigration matters.
Why it mattersSets policy on city property use and cooperation with federal immigration enforcement; matters to community trust and safety but does not change taxes, fees or typical homeowner services.
A related discussion item ('Ordinance Establishing "Immigration Enforcement Free Zones"') appears in the Feb 2, 2026 committee minutes with a question from CP Wilkerson about what counts as 'staging,' but no Feb 23 council vote outcome is recorded in this gazette.
gazette p. 3This approves transferring the city's franchise agreement for operating a fiber optic network from Wholesail Networks to a new company, NFC Northwest, so fiber internet service can continue uninterrupted. Homeowners who use or could use this fiber network benefit from continuity of service, but there's no direct fee change.
Why it mattersAffects continuity of a fiber internet franchise some homeowners may rely on, but involves no fees or direct cost changes.
Minutes deferred; no other reference found in this issue.
gazette p. 2This authorizes Spokane to join a state-run program letting residents in a specific neighborhood (East Central per one amendment, or Hillyard per another) directly vote on how to spend a small pot of state grant money on climate/resiliency projects. Homeowners in the chosen neighborhood could see direct community project investments.
Why it mattersCreates a direct community decision-making process for grant-funded neighborhood projects, relevant mainly to residents of the selected neighborhood (East Central or Hillyard).
A related discussion item ('Authorizing the City to Execute Any Necessary Agreements to Formalize the City's Participation in the Community Participatory Budgeting Program') appears in the Feb 2, 2026 committee minutes, but no Feb 23 council vote outcome is recorded in this gazette.
gazette p. 3This budget ordinance replaces outdated communications equipment at the fire training facility to ensure firefighters are properly trained with functioning equipment. This is an internal capital investment supporting firefighter readiness with no direct fee to homeowners.
Why it mattersSupports firefighter training infrastructure, indirectly relevant to emergency response quality but no direct homeowner cost.
Printed as Ordinance No. C36845, increasing appropriation by $150,000 in the Channel Five Equipment Reserve Fund for replacement communications equipment at the Fire Training Facility; declared an emergency. Shown as 'Passed by City Council February 23, 2026.' No vote count printed. Matches Feb 2 committee item 'Special Budget Ordinance - Fire Training Facility Audio Equipment.'
gazette p. 2, 7The city is renewing a 2-year contract for ankle monitors and other electronic monitoring equipment used to supervise people on probation. This supports community safety but has no direct fee impact on homeowners.
Why it mattersRelated to community safety/probation supervision which can indirectly affect neighborhood safety perceptions.
A related discussion item ('Personal Services Agreement Contract Extension: Electronic Monitoring Services') appears in the Feb 2, 2026 committee minutes, but no council vote outcome for Feb 23 is recorded here.
gazette p. 2This confirms the appointment of a new director for the Spokane United 911 Network, the agency overseeing emergency call dispatch. Effective 911 leadership matters to residents' safety, though this is a personnel confirmation, not a policy or fee change.
Why it mattersLeadership appointment over the emergency communications/911 system, relevant to service quality but not a direct cost or policy change.
Minutes deferred; no other reference found in this issue.
gazette p. 2The Fire Department is purchasing a 5-year training software subscription to manage firefighter training records and certifications. This supports firefighter readiness but has no direct fee impact on residents.
Why it mattersIndirectly supports firefighter training quality and public safety response readiness, but is an internal software purchase.
Minutes deferred; no other reference found in this issue.
gazette p. 2This is routine approval of bills the city has already incurred and is now paying, including money for utilities, contractors, and city operations. These are payments for previously approved city obligations, not new spending decisions, but the scale shows the size of weekly city cash flow that ultimately factors into budgets and taxes.
Why it mattersRoutine payment of already-approved obligations; large dollar figures but represents pre-committed spending, not new taxes or fees.
Minutes deferred; no other reference found in this issue.
gazette p. 2This overhauls how the City Council runs its own meetings — including changing the council's regular meeting day from Monday to Wednesday (effective later in 2026), reducing published agendas, and changing testimony and amendment procedures. This affects how residents can watch, track, and testify at council meetings but not any direct city services or costs.
Why it mattersAffects public participation processes and meeting logistics, which matters to civically engaged residents but has no direct cost or service effect.
Minutes deferred; no other reference found in this issue.
gazette p. 2This is a technical amendment to a decades-old alley vacation ordinance affecting easements in a specific city block. It mainly clarifies existing easements to be released for utility purposes and has narrow, localized effect.
Why it mattersNarrow technical/legal correction to old easements affecting a specific area; limited homeowner relevance beyond those directly adjacent.
Printed as Ordinance No. C36832, amending Ordinance C-16154 vacating a portion of the alley in Block 17, Subdivision of School Section 16. Shown as 'Passed by City Council February 23, 2026.' No vote count printed.
gazette p. 4This is a technical amendment updating an older ordinance that vacated certain streets and alleys, clarifying easements to be released. It has narrow and localized effect on specific properties.
Why it mattersTechnical correction to easements from a historical vacation ordinance; limited relevance beyond adjacent property owners.
Printed as Ordinance No. C36833, amending Ordinance C-22138 covering Hogan Street and alley portions in School Section 16 and the Dennis and Bradley's Addition; declares an emergency. Shown as 'Passed by City Council February 23, 2026.' No vote count printed.
gazette p. 4, 5The city will buy four electric pickup trucks for Solid Waste Collections supervisors to replace aging vehicles, using a state cooperative purchasing contract. This is funded through the Fleet Services budget and does not directly raise homeowner costs, though vehicle purchases indirectly factor into utility rates over time.
Why it mattersRoutine fleet replacement funded through existing budgets; negligible direct effect on homeowners.
The February 23, 2026 council meeting minutes were not available for publication in this issue; the gazette states they will be published March 11, 2026. This item is not otherwise referenced anywhere else in this issue.
gazette p. 2This extends, at no additional cost, a contract that administers the police department's false alarm billing/tracking program. Homeowners with alarm systems who trigger false alarms may be affected by continued enforcement of this program, but there's no new fee here.
Why it mattersContinues an existing no-cost administrative program affecting only homeowners who trigger false alarms.
A related item ('Extension with Central Square for Administration of False Alarm Program (Police)') appears as a Consent Item in the Feb 2, 2026 Public Safety and Community Health Committee minutes, not the Feb 23 council meeting minutes. No council vote outcome is recorded in this gazette.
gazette p. 3This changes the City Council's regular meeting day from Monday to Wednesday, effective later in 2026, and updates city code accordingly. This is a scheduling change for how the public can access council meetings, not a fee or policy change.
Why it mattersOnly affects meeting scheduling/logistics for public engagement, not services or costs.
Minutes deferred; no other reference found in this issue.
gazette p. 2This would amend the municipal code regarding designated festival streets (streets that can be temporarily closed for public events), but the item has been deferred to a future date and is not being voted on at this meeting.
Why it mattersDeferred item affecting street closures for festivals; minor and localized effect on nearby residents when eventually considered.
Minutes deferred; no ordinance text matching this subject was found printed elsewhere in this issue.
gazette p. 2This updates the rules for how city departments can quickly purchase goods/services during emergencies. This is a procedural change affecting city operations, not a direct homeowner cost.
Why it mattersImproves city's ability to respond during emergencies via procurement rules, indirectly relevant to disaster response but procedural in nature.
Minutes deferred; no ordinance text matching this subject was found printed elsewhere in this issue.
gazette p. 2The city is purchasing one electric pickup and one electric SUV for the Facilities Department to replace old vehicles used for transportation and equipment hauling. This is a routine fleet upgrade with no direct cost to homeowners.
Why it mattersMinor internal fleet purchase with no direct homeowner cost or service impact.
Minutes for the Feb 23, 2026 meeting deferred to March 11 issue; no other reference found.
gazette p. 2Spokane will provide building plan review, permit intake, and building inspection services to Airway Heights under this agreement. This does not affect Spokane homeowners directly, but reflects the city's development services capacity being shared with a neighboring city.
Why it mattersNo direct effect on Spokane homeowners; service is being provided to a different jurisdiction.
A related discussion item ('4700: DSC Interlocal Agreement with Airway Heights') appears in the Feb 2, 2026 committee minutes, but no council vote outcome for Feb 23 is recorded here.
gazette p. 3This approves payment of city employee payroll that has already been earned. It is a routine administrative action with no new policy or direct effect on homeowners.
Why it mattersRoutine payroll processing; no new taxes, fees, or policy changes for residents.
Minutes deferred; no other reference found in this issue.
gazette p. 2This would have replaced two leased vehicles used by the Engineering Department with electric pickups, but the item was indefinitely deferred before this meeting and is not being acted on.
Why it mattersDeferred indefinitely; no immediate homeowner impact, and even if enacted it is a minor internal fleet matter.
Minutes deferred; no other reference found in this issue.
gazette p. 2This extends the contract for armored car cash transport services at various city locations through May 2026. This is a routine back-office service contract with no direct effect on homeowners.
Why it mattersPurely administrative cash-handling service with no homeowner-facing impact.
Minutes deferred; no other reference found in this issue.
gazette p. 2The city is renewing a software licensing agreement for AutoDesk design software used by engineering and other departments. This is an internal IT tool purchase with no homeowner-facing effect.
Why it mattersInternal software licensing with no direct effect on residents.
Minutes deferred; no other reference found in this issue.
gazette p. 2The city is purchasing a one-year subscription to financial planning and budgeting software used by city staff to manage the municipal budget. This is a back-office tool with no direct homeowner cost.
Why it mattersInternal financial software purchase with no direct homeowner impact.
Minutes deferred; no other reference found in this issue.
gazette p. 2This confirms a mayoral appointment of a new city budget director. This is a personnel decision with no direct fiscal or policy impact on homeowners.
Why it mattersPersonnel appointment; no direct effect on residents' costs or services.
Minutes deferred; no other reference found in this issue.
gazette p. 2This updates internal ethics rules for city officials and employees. It is a governance/administrative matter with no direct effect on homeowners.
Why it mattersInternal governance/ethics code update; no homeowner-facing impact.
Minutes deferred; no ordinance text matching this subject was found printed elsewhere in this issue.
gazette p. 2The council formally approves written minutes from prior council and committee meetings. This is a procedural housekeeping item with zero impact on residents.
Why it mattersPurely procedural approval of meeting records.
Minutes deferred; no other reference found in this issue.
gazette p. 2This is a housekeeping update to city code to reflect new department names after a prior reorganization. It has no substantive effect on residents.
Why it mattersPurely a naming/technical update with zero policy or cost impact.
Minutes deferred; no ordinance text matching this subject was found printed elsewhere in this issue.
gazette p. 2