Cheney’s planning commission has voted unanimously to recommend approval of rezoning of almost 5 acres of land near the southeast corner of Sixth Street and Simpson Parkway that would pave the way for construction of new Cheney Care Community duplexes.

Cheney City Council will hear the recommendation at an Aug. 13 meeting. The Council has until Sept. 24 to decide whether to approve the rezoning proposal. 

The land is owned by Spokane Valley-based Gordon Finch Homes Inc., which applied jointly with nonprofit Cheney Care Community for the land northeast of the Cheney Care Community campus to be rezoned as two-family residential. It’s currently zoned for single-family residential use.

Cheney Care Community intends to add 12 duplexes — 24 total units — to its Blackstone Estates development just north of Cheney Care Community’s assisted living center on Sixth Street. That development currently has 12 duplexes.

“This is a continuation of exactly the same units that we’ve been building since 2012,” says Cheney Care Community CEO Keith Fauerso.

Fauerso says he’s not sure when construction would start if the ordinance is approved, but he hopes to have completed units available as early as next spring.

“We have to get through all the hoops with the city, get the property platted, and then all the infrastructure work has to happen before we can start construction,” Fauerso says.

Fauerso declined to reveal the expected cost of the new duplex development. According to the Spokane County assessor’s office, the six existing duplex buildings were most recently valued at $2.1 million.

Each unit will have 1,500 square feet of living space, with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well as a garage, he says.

“In addition to the amenities in the unit, we take care of all the grounds maintenance, snow removal, and maintenance inside and outside the units,” Fauerso says.

Brett Lucas, senior planner with the City of Cheney, says the proposal conforms to the city’s comprehensive plan, and the planning commission hasn’t received any negative feedback. He expects the proposal will be approved.

“The only question that may come up in Council is, how do we maintain this as senior-focused housing, versus duplexes for anybody?” Lucas says. “Do we do a covenant or something like that? Otherwise, I don’t anticipate any major issues.”