Population may reach 16,535 by 2046
CHENEY – In a collaborative effort aimed at addressing the future landscape of the city, officials from the Planning Commission and City Council convened Feb. 6 to delve into the intricacies of the Cheney Land Quantity Needs Analysis.
Aren Murcar, Project Manager at SCJ Alliance, a civil engineering company, led the presentation, emphasizing the significance of the session as “a high-level meeting.”
The discussion primarily revolved around housing needs, buildable lands and economic opportunities in the city and its urban-growth area.
The analysis, as Murcar outlined, aimed to determine the city’s capacity for future development, extending beyond mere enumeration of buildable lands to encompass housing needs and economic growth projections.
With Cheney projected to reach a population of 16,535 by 2046 — a substantial increase from the current approximate population of 13,000 — anticipating and accommodating this growth emerged as a focal point of the discussion.
The Housing for All Planning Tool estimated a need for 2,534 new housing units by 2046, with an emphasis on middle housing options to diversify the housing landscape. Murcar stressed the importance of maximizing land potential to meet these demands effectively.
“There’s more land that’s being under-used that could be used to accommodate more than that,” he said.
However, discussions were not without skepticism and queries from planning commissioners and council members. Concerns arose regarding the methodology behind data collection and population projections.
While Murcar emphasized adherence to guidelines provided by the Department of Commerce, commissioners sought clarity on the underlying data and its reliability.
“This is where the county is headed,” Murcar said. “Pay attention to the higher estimates over the average estimates.”
Recommendations put forth included amending the urban-growing area, focusing on infill development and incentivizing middle housing projects through tax exemptions and utility fee waivers. Discussion also touched upon revising development regulations and exploring mixed-use zones to enhance housing diversity and accessibility.
Concerns were raised regarding water scarcity amid population growth and the evolving landscape of Fairchild Air Force Base, with attention drawn to the preferences of incoming personnel for housing options.
“It’s not just single family homes,” Councilwoman Jacquelyn Belock said. “It’s what is realistic for the next 40-50 years.”
Murcar echoed this sentiment, highlighting the challenges of aligning aspirations with practical constraints.
“We’re trying to strike a balance between what we want and what is feasible, and they don’t always align,” he said.
Clare is an Eastern Washington University graduate and a reporter at Free Press Publishing.
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