This week’s Spokane Valley City Council meeting began with an invocation, the pledge of allegiance and approval of the following meeting agenda.
SPECIAL GUEST
In advance of Councilmembers voting on a ban on kratom at the March 3 Council meeting, City of Spokane Council President Betsy Wilkerson reported on the new ordinance banning kratom sales passed by the City of Spokane on March 2, 2026. She encouraged Spokane Valley Councilmembers to support the ban and recommended that our cities work together on unified messaging to educate the community about the new regulations.
General Public Comments
Each week, community members have an opportunity to address Councilmembers for up to three minutes during the General Public Comment period, either at the beginning or end of each meeting, either in person or via Zoom.
ACTION ITEMS
#1 – Second Reading: Ordinance 26-003 – Adopting SVMC (Spokane Valley Municipal Code) 7.55 Kratom Sale and Distribution
Proposed Ordinance 26-003 was discussed by Council on Dec. 23, 2025, and Feb. 10, 2026; the proposed Ordinance 26-003 would prohibit the sale and distribution of any kratom product within Spokane Valley. The State of Washington does not currently regulate or prohibit the sale or possession of kratom. Several bills were under consideration by the Legislature; however, none of the proposed bills will be moving forward this session.
Violation of the Ordinance 26-003 would be a class 1 civil infraction with a $250 fine. Each separate sale, advertisement or distribution of kratom is considered an independent violation subject to penalties for each day the violation(s) continue. Any kratom retailer found guilty of violating SVMC 7.55.030 may have its business license revoked or denied pursuant to SVMC 5.05.080. While the ordinance goes into effect five days after publication, staff and law enforcement will engage in a 30-day education and outreach period with retailers prior to enforcement of the ordinance.
A motion to approve Ordinance 26-003 prohibiting the sale of kratom products within Spokane Valley and establishing a penalty for a violation of such prohibition passed with 6 votes in favor and 1 vote against.
#2 – Bid Award: South Sullivan Road Preservation, CIP #366
This project will remove and replace the existing pavement on south Sullivan Road from 8th Avenue to 24th Avenue, construct a sidewalk on the west side of Sullivan from 8th to 24th, install Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) infrastructure, add a pedestrian crossing south of Central Valley High School, implement stormwater revisions and complete traffic signal revisions within the project limits. The project is funded through a combination of local funds and a $3,957,000 grant from the National Highway System; the grant does not require a local match. Staff described the call for projects process and noted that twelve bids were received. The engineer’s estimate was for $5,144,613. The lowest, responsive and responsible bidder is Selland Construction, with a bid of $3,937,200.
A motion to award the South Sullivan Road Preservation project to Selland Construction, Inc. in the amount of $3,397,220 and authorize the City Manager to finalize and execute the construction contract passed unanimously.
#3 – Amended 2026 Federal Legislative Agenda
The Council adopted the 2026 Federal Legislative Agenda on Oct. 28, 2025; at that time, staff advised Council that amendments would be likely needed prior to the Council delegation trip to Washington, D.C. in late March 2026. The proposed amendments included:
Added $4 million federal appropriation (sponsored by Rep. Baumgartner and Sen. Cantwell) to the funding secured for the Sullivan/Trent Interchange project
Added a pending $20.8 million FY ’26 BUILD application for the Sullivan/Trent project
Added $400,000 to the funding secured for the Barker/I-90 Interchange project that was adopted as part of the 2026 budget
Updated the funding section to adjust funding secured, total costs and funding gaps for the four projects Updated FY ’27 CDS request amounts to:
- Argonne Bridge at I-90, $3 million
- Sullivan Trent Interchange, $5 million
- South Barker Corridor, $2 million
- Barker/I-90 Interchange, $2 million
A motion to amend the 2026 Federal Legislative Agenda as presented passed unanimously.
NON-ACTION ITEMS
#4 – Potential Grant Opportunity: Pedestrian Bicycle Program (PBP) and Safe Routes to School (SRTS)
In January 2026, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) issued a call for projects for the PBP and SRTS programs, which aim to improve safety and to encourage more walking and bicycling. Staff listed city projects funded by past awards from these two programs. There is no local match requirement for the PBP and SRTS programs. Staff have evaluated projects within the adopted six-year Transportation Improvement Program and identified five projects eligible for the grant programs. The projects listed below are recommended for application.
- Barker/Appleway Roundabout
- Appleway Crossings
- Arterial Crossings
- Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety Improvements Planning: Sprague (Argonne to Sullivan) and Sullivan (Sprague to Mission)
- Citywide School Zone Flashing Beacon and Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon Installations
Council reached consensus to proceed with proposed projects. The proposed projects will be brought back before the Council for a motion consideration at a future meeting.
INFORMATION ONLY (No presentation or discussion)
#5 – City of Spokane Valley Land Use Hearing Examiner 2025 Annual Report
EXECUTIVE SESSION
The Council adjourned into Executive Session to discuss potential acquisition of real estate and potential litigation. No action was taken upon return to open session.
About Spokane Valley City Council
City Council meetings occur most Tuesdays at 6 p.m. at Spokane Valley City Hall, 10210 E. Sprague Avenue, Spokane Valley, and online via Zoom. Meeting agendas and minutes are available at SpokaneValleyWA.gov/Agendas. Community members are invited to attend Council meetings to participate in action items or public comment periods in-person or online. Council meetings are broadcast on Comcast channel 14. Email the Council at CityCouncil@SpokaneValleyWA.gov or learn more at SpokaneValleyWA.gov/CityCouncil.
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