HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026, 05-21 Backyard Ltr
10210 E Sprague Avenue Spokane Valley WA 99206 Phone: (509) 720-5240 Fax: (509) 720-5075 www.spokanevalleywa.gov permitcenter@spokanevalleywa.gov
May 20, 2026 Mr. Michael Cropper 6703 E 3rd Ave Spokane Valley, WA 99212 RE: 6703 E 3rd ; concerns about patio slab/backyard condition Thank you for the opportunity to meet at your property with representatives of various underground utilities to view the patio/carport slab and backyard conditions. Recently, the City received your report of concern about conditions you observed in the subject area, including movement of a roughly 24” x 24” area of concrete in the patio/carport slab, cracking of the concrete, and a mound of heaved earth in your neighbor’s yard (6707 E 3rd). Today, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, an on-site meeting was held to facilitate discussion about potential cause(s) of the subject observations.
A mound of earth covered by decorative rock was observed near the northeast corner of the backyard of 6707 E 3rd and a hole of approximately 12” in diameter was observed in the mound along with a piece of
tree root. The homeowner, Mr. Brown, provided a steel stake and demonstrated how easily it was inserted into the fine soil, especially when angled toward 3rd Ave to the south. It was noted by both Mr. Brown and Mrs. Cropper that the mound was first observed late 2025 and its continued growth was
evident by the reduced clearance from the ground to the bottom of a vinyl fence. It was also noted that the fine soil observed in the hole did not feature any rocks which are so common in native soils suggesting that it was an area of fill material. After observing the mound of earth, the attendees of the site visit moved to the backyard of 6703 E 3rd and a water service equipment vault was opened to reveal a vault which was reasonably dry, indicating that a water leak was unlikely to be the cause of the reported concerns. A ‘cutout’ of roughly 24” x 24” was observed in the patio/carport slab and cracks in the concrete extended at an approximately 45-degree angle from the corners of the cutout area. The cutout appeared to have been intentionally created, possibly by saw-cutting the concrete slab, and is consistent in appearance to an access opening. During the site visit, Mr. and Mrs. Cropper noted that the cutout area regularly rises in elevation separately from
the surrounding concrete slab and that the cracks became visible in the same period of time as the mound of heaved earth in the neighbor’s backyard.
Today’s site visit was also attended by representatives of Avista (gas service), Spokane County Utilities (sewer service), Spokane County Water District #3, and a member of the City of Spokane Valley Engineering Division Inspection staff. Avista representatives had previously performed inspections of
gas service equipment and determined that there were no signs of a gas leak or malfunction in their equipment in the vicinity of the homes or yards. Similarly, water district staff had previously performed inspections of water service equipment (including meter readings) and concluded that there were no signs of water leaks. However, Spokane County Utilities staff noted that documentation related to the connection of the home to public sewer suggested that a ‘cleanout’ was present at the time of connection near the subject patio area. The cleanout was not visible at the time of the inspection and it was suggested that, upon locating and providing access to the cleanout, further inspection of the sewer connection may reveal a potential cause of the subject concerns. Additionally, it was noted that the on-site septic system records suggest that a drywell may have been utilized for gray water (which, per Spokane County Utilities staff, was somewhat common for the time). It is unclear what, if any, components of the abandoned/decommissioned on-site septic system remain in the side/backyards of the subject homes.
To conclude, the attendees of the site visit were able to reasonably rule out a gas service or water service-
related issue. To effectively rule out an issue with the sewer connection or an issue related to components of the abandoned on-site septic system, it is recommended that you consult a professional sewer contractor, plumber, or similarly qualified contractor to assist to locate the sewer cleanouts, remove the ‘cutout’ covering to reveal what, if any, equipment is beneath the slab (and the condition of the soil beneath the slab), and coordinate further testing with Spokane County Utilities.
Jenny Nickerson, Building Official City of Spokane Valley CC: Mr. David Brown 6707 E 3rd Ave. Spokane Valley, WA 99212 tgillard@spokanevalleywa.gov robb.koschalk@avistacorp.com ddompier@spokanecounty.gov scwd3@comcast.net
6703 E 3rd & 6707 E 3rd address files