Spokane council passes drive-through moratorium criticized as ‘legislative ambush’

(The Center Square) – With little notice, the Spokane City Council approved a one-year moratorium Monday for drive-through facilities along major arterial roads to protect future transit-oriented growth.

The proposal came out last Friday, ahead of the council’s Monday committee meeting, where Planning Services Director Spencer Gardner briefed the dais on his plan. It typically takes weeks or months for the council to reach a final vote, but Gardner fast-tracked the moratorium as an emergency ordinance.

The council people ultimately approved it with a 5-2 vote, meeting the threshold required to pass emergency measures. Gardner said it allows time to plan for the upcoming comprehensive plan update, which will guide development for years to come, arguing that it’s hard to undo construction once a building is up.

“We debated this for a while on Friday, and of course, it’s sort of a set deal, so it’s going to happen,” Councilman Michael Cartcart explained before voting against the moratorium. “There’s better...