Rathdrum annex request clears hurdle
RATHDRUM - A 60.7-acre annexation request north of Highway 53 and east of Meyer Road is being recommended for approval by the Rathdrum Planning and Zoning Commission.
The commission on Wednesday night voted 4-1 to recommend that the City Council approve the request when it considers the proposal on Oct. 19.
The lone dissenting vote was from Tina Faubion, who believed the request is too premature for the north side of the city.
The applicants are Viking Construction and the Rathdrum Lions Club, which has its hall and ballfields on 9.5 acres at the southwest corner of the site.
The remaining 30 acres along Highway 53 is zoned a combination of commercial (21.1 acres) and high-density or multi-family residential (8.8 acres). The northern 30 acres of the property is zoned suburban residential.
"We hope to catch the economy on the upswing when we're ready to start putting in streets and homes," Scott Krajack, Viking's land development director, said earlier. "It's a great location because it's right on 53."
Some area homeowners oppose the request, citing possible declining property values, safety concerns and infringement on their rural lifestyles.
"Aren't there enough foreclosures ... in the county now?" Sally Williams wrote to the commission. "Do we really need to build more? We love our little secluded neighborhood. We were here first. Don't we have any rights?"
Some of the existing homeowners own horses and have concerns about children feeding or being around them.
Krajack said the subdivision could have roughly 100 single-family homes, but that's subject to demand and other factors. The property is currently vacant.
Fence buffering between both the Lions property and rural homes to the north of the site is part of the conditions along with a traffic study. Viking would pay to pave Meyer north of Highway 53.
Detailed plans for the site such as street layout and greenspace will be submitted later if the annexation is approved. The site is just east of Pinegrove Cemetery.
The planning commission reviewed Viking's proposal in December, but the Lions property was not included in the annexation request at that time.