Mountain of opportunity
<p>Rick Van Zandt, a Rathdrum business owner, right, discusses features of a map with Brett Boyer, city administrator, during a visit to the city’s property on Rathdrum Mountain. The city has plans to develop parts of mountain as a light recreation area for public use.</p>
<p>John Cafferty, attorney for the City of Rathdrum, discusses ideas for the city’s property on Rathdrum Mountain.</p>
RATHDRUM - Touring the city of Rathdrum's undeveloped property on Rathdrum Mountain, Tim Skubitz soaked in the scenery.
"When you're in town, you don't appreciate the beauty we have," the Lakeland Joint School District board member and owner of the Rathdrum McDonald's said. "What a jewel this is. It's quite a treat to see it."
On Friday, city officials introduced the city's 557 mountain acres to community leaders, including representatives of the chamber of commerce, Rotary, business owners, planning commission and school district.
The property, which is about half a mile north of the city limits, includes streams, giant cedar trees and dirt Forest Service roads. Some areas offer partial views of Rathdrum and the Rathdrum Prairie. Spring Creek on the mountain feeds into City Park year-round.
The city last spring gained access to its site after a nearly 20-year fight with adjacent landowners. The Post Falls Highway District validated Barrett Drive, formerly named Foster Road, as a county road, allowing the city to have access to its mountain site. Barrett leads to the city's property.
With access granted, the city will start the public planning process on how best to develop the site. The idea is to create low-impact recreational opportunities, which could include hiking, camping, picnic areas, cross-country skiing, disc golf, geocaching, dog-walking trails and other activities and amenities.
"Nothing will be decided until after the public input process," said Mayor Vic Holmes, adding that the public comment period will likely start this fall. "There's unlimited possibilities."
Lakeland School Superintendent Brad Murray, who went on the tour, said he likes the idea of utilizing some of the property for educational opportunities for science and forestry classes.
Holmes said he believes Rathdrum has what few cities have - that amount of pristine mountain property.
"I have yet to bring anyone up here who doesn't believe we shouldn't do something with it," Holmes said.
The site will be selectively harvested starting this fall and bring in a minimum of $486,000 for the city to build a road on the property and start development. The harvest bids will be opened on Friday. Not all of the timber funds will be used to develop the site.
"This will be a selective harvest, not a clear-cut," said Holmes, adding that new trees will be planted as part of the harvest process.
The city has used timber funds from the site to help pay for projects over the years, including the City Hall building.
The property is not the area of the mountain near the top that was heavily logged and seen as bare from the Rathdrum Prairie.
The site is not open to the public yet, but "That's what we're working so hard to do," Holmes said.