Spokane County hearing examiner Michael Dempsey has approved a preliminary plat for a proposed 555-unit development named Aspen Park, in the Geiger Heights area west of Spokane.

Foursquare Properties Inc., of Carlsbad, Calif., wants to develop 395 single-family homes and 160 units of townhouse-style apartments on 137 acres of land located south of Spokane International Airport and Interstate 90 and west of Spotted Road. In addition to the planned homes, the proposal includes about 25 acres of wetlands and a wetlands replacement area to mitigate impacts on the site, as well as an about 9-acre site for a community park.

At a public hearing, some people expressed concerns about the environmental, social, and traffic impacts of a large development, while proponents of the project cited benefits including an increased tax base and adding affordable housing for the West Plains. A traffic impact study estimated that the project will generate about 490 additional vehicle trips in afternoon peak hours.

The hearing examiner's Feb. 2 decision put a number of conditions on the planned development, including several traffic modifications that will be required at different stages in the development. Ultimately, the developer will be required to modify the intersection of Grove and Thorpe roads and install four-way stop controls there.

Foursquare Properties also will be required to design and construct a 100-foot left-turn lane on the southbound side of Grove Road for traffic headed east onto I-90, and a southbound acceleration lane on Grove for traffic headed west on I-90 from the I-90-Grove interchange ramp.

Foursquare Properties, which also is developing the Pointe at Post Falls retail project, first proposed Aspen Park two years ago. It is expected to be built in six phases, but the developer couldn't be reached for comment on when work on the project might begin.