Open-air market considered tonight

HAUSER - The Hauser Planning and Zoning Commission tonight will consider a proposal to create an open-air market on 22 acres on the north side of Highway 53 at Pleasant View Road.

The deliberation will be held at 6:30 at Hauser City Hall.

A public hearing on the proposal was held before the commission last week.

Hauser planner Cheri Howell said the commission could re-open public comment, but a hearing is not scheduled.

"I believe the commission has taken all the public testimony it's going to take," Howell said.

The plan, proposed by The Coeur d'Alene Group LLC, calls for a covered structure without sides, allowing for an open-air market with vendors inside. The proposal calls for portable toilets or vault toilets at the seasonal venture.

Some residents had noise and traffic concerns. However, Lynn Humphreys of the Post Falls Highway District, said traffic issues have been addressed along with concerns over possible overlapping with a future improvement project at the intersection.

Mike Curry, a Hauser planning commissioner, is a proponent of the project. He and another project proponent could not be reached for comment.

Howell said he can't vote on the proposal.

Proponents have said they've been working on the proposal for almost 10 years.

The City Council will only hear the proposal if there's an appeal to the planning commission's decision.

The market was originally proposed last summer, then tabled due to lingering concerns with the future highway improvement project that will eliminate the at-grade railroad crossing at the intersection.

Proposals are being sought on the final design for the intersection project.