Spokane City Council Passes Mary's Place Preservation Ordinance

Spokane City Council Passes Mary's Place Preservation Ordinance

Lisa Gardner, City Council Communications Director, 509.625.6226

Tuesday, November 5, 2024 at 8:58 a.m.

During Monday's Legislative Session, Council voted unanimously on Ordinance C36575, stating that structures listed under the Spokane Register of Historic Places and structures that are aged 50 years or older will be required to maximize preservation and reuse of salvageable materials when the property owner seeks to demolish the building.

"I am grateful for this Administration, the Historic Preservation Office, and the collaborative efforts from Council Members to pass this policy," said Council Member Paul Dillon, who co-sponsored the legislation with Council Member Kitty Klitzke. "The demolition of Mary's Place was a wakeup call to the community about the need to take steps to improve historic preservation policies, which are an integral fabric that ties Spokane."

"As our city continues to grow and takes a new façade, there is an appreciation of the story our historic buildings tell, and this ordinance will help us preserve, and possibly repurpose, our city's history going forward," said Council Member Kitty Klitzke.

The Historic Preservation Office is charged with implementing this policy and supporting property owners and applicants with guidance on preserving salvageable materials. Upon passing of this ordinance, a new chapter to the Spokane Municipal Code Chapter 15.06 to Title 15 of the Spokane Municipal Code to read as follows:

15.06.0 Preservation of Salvageable Materials

15.06.010 Purpose and Findings

15.06.020 Definitions

15.06.030 Deconstruction Requirements

15.06.040 Salvageable Materials

15.06.050 Authority of Historic Preservation Office

15.06.060 Compliance

15.06.070 Exemptions

The ordinance is estimated to take effect on December 4, 2024.

About the Spokane City Council
The City Council is the legislative body of the City of Spokane, which is home to more than 220,000 people and is located in the heart of the Inland Northwest. The City's 2,000 employees strive to deliver efficient and effective services that facilitate economic opportunity and enhance the quality of life for all our citizens. For more information, visit SpokaneCity.org/CityCouncil/ and follow us @SpokaneCityCouncil on Facebook.

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