Atlas shrugged

COEUR d'ALENE - A new advisory committee will be formed to vet various ideas and opportunities for building out the city of Coeur d'Alene as old mill sites begin to develop to the west of town along the Spokane River.

"This is actually coming back to an idea you had to form a committee to look at that corridor," City Attorney Mike Gridley told the City Council Tuesday night.

Originally, the council was interested in the old Atlas Mill property, but Gridley said with everything going on in the area, it may be prudent to look at a larger area.

"It really is a bigger picture," he explained, saying the committee should focus on all of the activity from the Huetter Corridor down to Riverstone. "As the property develops and if this railroad property is purchased, how is it going to be used?"

Gridley told the council that there have been discussions about building out a river trail system, a kayak launch and even fishing piers.

Some of the property is owned by Washington Trust Bank, which is being annexed into the city pending a formal agreement, and Gridley expects the old Atlas Mill site will be considered for annexation at some point in the near future.

Burlington Northern Railroad owns the stretch of abandoned rail line that runs along the entire length of the corridor and the Bureau of Land Management owns some of the property as well.

Councilman Woody McEvers asked Gridley how the city could tell the railroad or other land owners how to use their property.

"The best way to do that is to purchase it," Gridley said in reference to the railroad property. "Maybe through this committee we can figure out how to acquire it."

Gridley said there has been a lot of development interest in the Atlas Mill property, but the big sticking point for most developers is the railroad property that runs right through the middle of it.

By acquiring that property, Gridley said the city could gain some leverage to work with developers to make sure some of the amenities they would like to see are included in future developments.

Gridley said there have been some cursory discussions with the Lake City Development Corp. about acquiring some land in the River District to expand the park in the Mill River development.

"Apparently that park is pretty heavily used," he said, adding those are just some of the issues the new committee could look at.

Gridley said organizations like the Centennial Trail Committee and Kootenai Environmental Alliance have expressed an interest in the committee, and asked the council to consider the composition of the committee.

Other groups the council discussed for representation on the committee were the Mill River Homeowners Association, people involved in the Four Corners discussion, the BLM and US Bank, which has a call center in the corridor.

Councilmen Ron Edinger and Dan Gookin also told Gridley to try and contact Roger Smith, a seasonal resident who has been pushing for the committee, and offer him a seat.

"What kind of role would this committee have in an annexation agreement?" Gookin asked Gridley.

"They are advisory, so you could solicit their input on that if you wish," he said.

The council voted unanimously to move forward with the ad-hoc committee.