Companies sue city of Harrison

A Coeur d'Alene land company and a company that just had a large swath of property annexed into Harrison have filed legal action against the city over the borders of its urban renewal district.

Coeur d'Alene Land Company and Powderhorn Ranch, LLC filed a petition for review and complaint for declaratory relief last month against the city of Harrison and the Harrison Renewal Agency.

The two parties filed legal action because the urban renewal plan includes agriculture land owned by the companies without their consent.

Urban renewal districts, by statute, aren't allowed to include agriculture lands, explained attorney John Magnuson.

The parties are appealing the urban renewal district boundaries, he said.

"It's a mistake, so this is a precautionary measure to protect the rights of the property owners," said Magnuson, representing the plaintiffs.

Powderhorn Ranch owns more than 1,000 acres of property in Kootenai County included in the urban renewal district. Coeur d'Alene Land owns roughly 490 acres in the area.

Coeur d'Alene Land Company is a Magnuson family business.

James Foxx, manager of Powderhorn Ranch, LLC, wrote a letter to the city last month protesting the urban renewal district boundary.

"...Powderhorn Ranch, LLC has not consented to the inclusion of its property in the URA," reads the letter, available in the court file. "...Inclusion of its property in the URA is not legally permissible without Powderhorn Ranch, LLC's authorized consent."