Four the Future - October 25

This week, you have several public participation opportunities.

• STA seeking public input on budget cut proposals
  Source: Spokesman-Review; October 4, 2010
  Summary: Spokane Transit is preparing for service cuts next September. Planning for the cuts is already underway. The cuts affect a number of areas and STA projects they will to reduce ridership by 6 percent. You can read the proposed plan and share your opinion right now.
  Opinion: The board was preparing to cut service by 40% back in 2004 when the voters of the region forced them to put a revenue enhancement on the ballot. Transit will become a more and more important part of our transportation mix in the future. It is important for us all to make sure it is there when we need it.
  
• Help shape Spokane's transportation future!
  Source: Spokane Central City Transportation Alternative Analysis
  Summary: Focusing on the needs of downtown Spokane, this effort needs input to help guide the future of transit for the region. The Open House is on Tuesday, October 26 from 3:30 to 7 p.m. at Riverpoint's South Campus Facility at 412 E Spokane Falls Blvd.
  Opinion: Lots of studies have been done. This is intended to pull them together, and your input should be provided to ensure that the transit options are made available and are integrated into everyone’s planning.
  
• Is The Suspense Killing You?
  Source: SRTC Transportation Blog; October 22, 2010
  Summary: The whole region is waiting with twitchy mouse fingers to play Spokane's transportation planning game. It should be available on Wednesday, October 27 at the Spokane Transportation Vision web site.
  Opinion: *twitch, twitch*
  
• Change in greenhouse size limits proposed
  Source: Spokesman-Review; October 15, 2010
  Summary: Spokane County has been petitioned to allow larger commercial greenhouses on rural lands. The current limit is 20 percent of the least dense rural zones, 25 percent on Rural-5 zones, and 50 percent on rural activity center zones. The public hearing is at 9 a.m., Thursday, October 28, in the basement of the Spokane County Public Works Building at 1026 W Broadway, Spokane.
  Opinion: Really? They want rural conservation lands, the ones specifically held aside for important wildlife habitats, to be completely covered by buildings? Irrational. I don’t even understand why 20% is permitted in those areas currently. Unless the farm is actually using the ground as the growing medium, greenhouses shouldn’t be in rural areas, anyway. In that case, put them in the marginal lands currently designated for industrial purposes. After all, we have a serious oversupply of that.