Conversations have started about establishing scenic viewshed regulations to preserve views of the Spokane River and other natural features in the city of Spokane by limiting new building heights and girths in certain view corridors.


Its unclear at this point how and where such regulations would restrict development and precisely what views would be protected, but Spokane City Councilwoman Mary Verner says that with some of the citys natural assets already being blocked, the city needs to consider protecting views.


I want us to deliberately address this issue in our community, Verner says. If we dont address our views, our children will wonder why those views werent protected.


Viewshed, a term often used by planners, is in its simplest terms everything visible from a specific vantage point. In the urban planning arena, the term refers to views of natural elements with scenic or historic value to a community.


The City Council passed a resolution this week directing the citys planning commission to prepare recommendations regarding viewshed regulations. At the suggestion of fellow council members, Verner amended the resolution to say that view issues should be addressed as much as possible in an upcoming update of the shoreline master program, which regulates development near the Spokane River and Latah Creek.


Steve Franks, the citys planning director, says the city started to update its shoreline master program six months ago, for the first time in 30 years. As part of that process, the city will look at access issues, including visual access.


In my mind, its among the most exciting work were doing in planning right now, Franks says.


He says the update is expected to be completed in about a year.


While Verner supports protecting views through the shoreline master plan update, she says the river isnt the only natural feature in the Spokane area that should be addressed.


For example, she says, in the Five Mile area on Spokanes North Side, the city has talked about height restrictions to preserve views from the Five Mile bluff. Verner argues, though, that its just as important to preserve views of the bluff and its basalt cliffs from the base of the bluff.


While Verner envisions such rules applying mostly to views of natural features, she says they could apply to views of historic, man-made features as well, such as the clock tower in Riverfront Park or the Spokane County Courthouse, northwest of downtown.


Ive tried to keep an open mind and wait for the planning commission to make their recommendations, she says.


Franks says that just a few view-related regulations are in effect currently within the city. Height districts are established near St. Johns Cathedral, which is on Spokanes South Hill and is visible from parts of downtown and the North Side, and below Cliff Drive, which also is on the South Hill and from which much of Spokane can be seen.


The city also has building height restrictions, primarily downtown. Verner says those restrictions, however, are a zoning function thats intended to concentrate high-rise development in certain areas. Such rules might be useful in preserving views in some instances, but that isnt their intent.


Verner, whose City Council district includes much of south Spokane and part of downtown, says she has wanted to pursue viewshed regulations both because of concerns that her constituents have expressed and because of her own concerns on the subject.


It was a common thread of desire to protect whats beautiful about Spokane, she says.


Contact Linn Parish at (509) 344-1266 or via e-mail at linnp@spokanejournal.com.