Zoning change sought for former Quad Park site
<p>A pair of opposing dugouts remain in disrepair at the old Quad Park softball complex in Post Falls. Fasanos Post Falls, LLC has requested a zone change of the property from limited commercial to multi-family.</p>
POST FALLS - After a decade of inactivity and decay, there's a flicker of life with the former Quad Park softball complex site north of Walmart east of Cecil Road.
Lou Fasanos, of Portland, Ore., and Fasanos Post Falls LLC, is seeking to change the zoning for 8.2 acres at the southeast corner of Cecil and East 12th Avenue from limited commercial to multi-family residential that allows as many as 18 units per acre.
The Post Falls Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on the request on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at City Hall.
"There's no formal plans for developing the property, but my client desires a zone change that's conducive to the city's comprehensive plan," said Steve Syrcle, of Tri-State Consulting Engineers, which represents Fasanos.
Syrcle said multi-family housing fits in with surrounding uses, which is a mix of residential and commercial.
"The owner's desire is to make the site more marketable with an appropriate zoning," Syrcle said. "We believe this is a step in the right direction because the site has been an eyesore since the ballpark went away."
Syrcle described the site as "infill at its best" since it is undeveloped property surrounded by multiple uses.
In its heyday, the property was the site of a popular four-field softball complex where tournaments and leagues were held.
A portion of the site was offered to the city four years ago, but the city declined on the proposal as it was less than 5 acres for more than $1 million. City officials said the site had been divided to the point where it was no longer feasible to develop it into another sports complex that the city desired. The site had also been offered to the city before it was sold 10 years ago.
The property has changed hands multiple times since the ballpark closed during the building boom before the recession.
Developer John DeVries purchased the park from Quad Park's six owners in 2005. Northwest Senior Development LLC of Bellevue, Wash., then purchased the site from DeVries two years later and planned a senior living facility.