About Our City

Community Vision

A city of opportunities where people thrive and businesses prosper.

Our Values

• Community Identity and Pride - Spokane Valley promotes an environment that supports the home and family, and job and education opportunities.
• Focus on the Future - Spokane Valley is a visionary city encouraging its citizens and their government to look to the future beyond the present generation, and to bring such ideas to public discussion, enhancing a sense of community identity.
• Open, Collaborative Government - Spokane Valley values a "user-friendly government, in which governance practices and general operations consider how citizens will be served in the most responsive, effective and courteous manner."

About Spokane Valley

Welcome to Spokane Valley, located near the eastern border of the state of Washington. The City was incorporated on March 31, 2003. At the time, it was the largest incorporation in the state, and the 2nd largest single incorporation in U.S. history.

With a population of more than 107,000 residents, Spokane Valley is the 9th largest city in Washington state as of 2022. The incorporated area of Spokane Valley encompasses approximately 38.5 square miles of land area, with room for residential, commercial and industrial expansion. Within the incorporated city limits, there are about 438 miles of roadway. It has an extensive retail tax base and is home to several major auto dealerships and the Spokane Valley Mall, which includes over 700,000 square feet of gross leasable floor area. There are more than 11,000 businesses registered to operate in Spokane Valley as of January 2023.

The City Hall can be found at 10210 E Sprague Avenue. City Hall is easily accessible from Interstate-90. See maps and directions to CenterPlace Regional Event Center and City Hall (PDF).  Public transit service in the region is provided by Spokane Transit Authority.

FINANCIALS

The City of Spokane Valley's property tax levy rate for 2021 is $1.1014 per thousand dollars of valuation. Total property tax levy amounts vary by district. Go to the Spokane County Assessor's website to look up property tax information by address.

Within the City of Spokane Valley, the applicable sales tax rate is 8.9%. Read more about city finances. 

There are more than 11,000 businesses registered to operate in Spokane Valley as of January 2023. Information and resources for those interested in starting or relocating a business to our area can be found on the city's Economic Development page, including demographic and economic data for the region, specific information on developable properties, and more.

PARKS AND RECREATION

There are many recreational opportunities in and near Spokane Valley, with 11 city parks, three city pools, seven miles of the Centennial Trail and 5.6 miles of the Appleway Trail. Find out more on our Visitors page.

The City of Spokane Valley is also home to three major public facilities including CenterPlace Regional Event Center, Avista Stadium - home to the Spokane Indians baseball team - and Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, where you can enjoy a variety of great events.

CenterPlace at Mirabeau Point in Spokane Valley is a 54,000-square-foot regional and community gathering facility. In addition to a great room/banquet facility, numerous meeting rooms, multi-purpose rooms, and a high-tech lecture hall, it houses the Spokane Valley Senior Center and some Community Colleges of Spokane classes. 

CenterPlace combines with the recently completed Mirabeau Meadows Park and Mirabeau Springs to form a regional conference and cultural center serving Northeast Washington, Northern Idaho and Western Montana.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

The Spokane Indians, a minor league baseball team, plays its home games in Avista Stadium located just inside the city limits on the east side of Havana Street. Avista Stadium is one of the finest facilities in the Northwest League and can seat 7,200 spectators.

The second major facility is the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center. Various shows and events are held throughout the year at the Fairgrounds.

The Spokane Centennial Trail boasts 37 miles of paved path running along the Spokane River from the Idaho state line (3 miles from our border) to Nine Mile Falls, west of the City of Spokane (which borders the City of Spokane Valley to the west). It has something for everyone. You can walk, bike or inline skate, ride horse-back in designated areas or simply enjoy the natural beauty of the area.

Spokane Valley prides itself on quality neighborhoods and schools, along with strong business and retail centers. Friendly people, natural surroundings and beautiful weather are part of what make Spokane Valley a favorite destination for visitors from all over the world. With all four seasons represented, we have an abundance of recreation activities. There are four distinct ski resorts, 75 lakes within an hour's drive, and many hiking and biking trails to enjoy.

Our Values

• Community identity and pride
• Focus on the future
• Open, collaborative government

Core Beliefs

• We believe that Spokane Valley should be a visionary city encouraging its citizens and their government to look to the future beyond the present generation and to bring such ideas to public discussion and to enhance a sense of community identity.
• We believe that elected body decision-making is the only lawful and effective way to conduct the public's legislative business and that careful observance of a clear set of Governance Coordination rules of procedure can best enhance public participation and decision making.
• We believe in the City Council as policy leaders of the City. One or more City Council members are encouraged to take the lead, where practical, in sponsoring Ordinances or Resolutions excepting quasi-judicial or other public hearings and the statutory duties of the City Manager as set forth in RCW 35A.13.020.
• We believe in hearing the public view. We affirm that members of the public should be encouraged to speak and be heard through reasonable rules of procedure when the public business is being considered, thus giving elected officials the broadest perspectives from which to make decisions.
• We believe that the City of Spokane Valley's governance should be known as "user friendly," and that governance practices and general operations should consider how citizens will be served in the most responsive, effective and courteous manner.
• We believe that the economic and commercial job base of the community should be preserved and encouraged to grow as an alternative to increasing property taxes. We believe it imperative to have an expanded and diverse economic base.
• We believe that Councilmembers set the tone for civic discussion and should set an example by:
  • Setting high standards of decorum and civility.
  • Encouraging open and productive conversation among themselves and with the community about legislative matters.
  • Demonstrating respect for divergent points of view expressed by citizens, fellow Councilmembers and the staff.
  • Honoring each other and the public by debating issues within City Hall and the Community without casting aspersions on members of Council, the staff, or the public.
  • Accepting the principle of majority rule and working to advance the success of corporate decisions.
• We solicit the City Manager's support in conducting the affairs of the city with due regard for:
  • Promoting mutual respect between the Citizens, City staff and the City Council by creating the organization teamwork necessary for effective, responsive and open government.
  • Providing the City Council and public reasonable advance notice when issues are to be brought forward for discussion.
  • Establishing and maintaining a formal city-wide customer service program with emphasis on timeline response, a user-friendly atmosphere, and an attitude of facilitation and accommodation within the bounds of responsibility, integrity, and financial capability of the city, including organizational and job description documents while pursuing "best practices" in customer service.
  • Seeking creative ways to contain or impede the rising cost of governmental services, including examination of private sector alternatives in lieu of governmentally provided services.
  • Providing a database of future projects and dreams for the new City of Spokane Valley so that good ideas from its citizens and leaders are not lost and the status of projects can be readily determined.

Read more about the City Council and the City Manager.