A Spokane development company is proposing a 207-lot residential subdivision, to be called Blue Grouse Estates, on the West Plains.


The company, Blue Grouse Development LLC, is seeking preliminary-plat approval for the proposed subdivision, which would be located on 46.5 acres of land at the northeast corner of Thorpe Road and Grove Road, just southeast of the Interstate 90-Geiger Boulevard interchange. A public hearing on the companys request is scheduled Aug. 23.


Brian Balch, a partner in Blue Grouse Development, says that pending county approval, the company might start infrastructure improvements for the project this fall, but likely wont begin paving streets until next spring. Blue Grouse expects to begin marketing home lots next year.


Balch, who also is of counsel at the Layman, Layman & Robinson PLLC law firm here, says the Blue Grouse Development doesnt have an arrangement yet with a builder that would construct homes in the subdivision, and also hasnt set a price range into which it would expect homes there to fall.


It will be designed to fit with other developments on the West Plains, he says.


Jim Millgard, a Spokane County associate planner, says that plans submitted to the county include lot sizes at Blue Grouse Estates that range from 5,600 square feet to 13,100 square feet, with the majority of the lots at the smaller end of that range.


The land is zoned for light-industrial uses, but single-family homes are now allowed within light-industrial zones in the county after the Spokane County commissioners approved a land-use change last year.


Spokane County has issued a determination of nonsignificance concerning the potential environmental impacts of the proposed development. A comment and appeal period on that decision ends Aug. 22.


Balch says Blue Grouse Developments ownership is comprised of other Spokane-area residents, but declines for now to disclose further information about his partners.