Rathdrum approves two large subdivisions
RATHDRUM — With growth comes the need for future school sites.
The approval of two large subdivisions on the south side of Rathdrum has raised the eyebrows of Lakeland Joint School District Superintendent Brad Murray, who hopes land can soon be secured on Rathdrum's south side for a school to handle the future growth.
The city council has approved the preliminary plat for the 191-lot, 43-acre Corbin Crossing South subdivision east of Meyer Road and north of Lancaster near Majestic Park.
That approval came on the heels of last month's preliminary plat approval for 98 single-family lots on 25 acres for phases 2-5 of the Prairie Sky subdivision at the northwest corner of Lancaster and Meyer.
The planned future growth has Murray urging the city and developers to keep possible school sites in mind.
"For us to continue providing at a high level to our stakeholders, we need the city of Rathdrum and the developers to work closely with us to ensure that we can adequately plan for and handle the future growth within our schools," Murray said.
"Maintaining high quality educational programs positively impacts economic vitality within the community, brings in business to the region, enhances personal property values … all good things. But we must work in concert to manage the growth to ensure that we can provide what is in the best interest for the kids in our school district."
Murray said the city is well aware of the school district's future need.
"We have established a very good working relationship with the city and will impress upon them that the next time the city does an annexation, we would need to acquire land for a future school site," Murray said. "Last school year we moved our elementary boundaries in the southern portion of our district to get a more balanced enrollment at four of our elementary schools. We are positioned to handle immediate growth for the next couple of years, but we will need land as the developments in the vicinity of KTEC (Kootenai Technical Education Campus) grow out."
There was no opposition to the subdivisions during public hearings on the plats.
With the Prairie Sky subdivision, a project of Prairie Sky Investments, LLC, Meyer will be widened and there will also be a pedestrian corridor along the stretch that will connect with existing pathways. Center turn lanes are also planned, including at the intersection of Meyer and Lancaster.
Corbin Crossing South is a project of Copper Basin Construction.
Construction in both subdivisions is expected to start this spring.
• In other business, Jim Parker has been appointed and David Kellner re-appointed to the Rathdrum Planning and Zoning Commission. Tammy Rickard has been appointed to the Parks and Recreation Commission.