Parking solution could open other project doors

COEUR d'ALENE — When the field of dreams was built and fans began pouring in, where did they park?

Elected officials in Coeur d'Alene are determined not to commit the same Iowa cornfield error. They’re putting parking at the forefront of plans to reshape the Four Corners area into a recreational hotspot.

The Coeur d'Alene City Council unanimously approved an agreement Tuesday with Kootenai County that will create a joint use parking lot in the area just west of the county’s downtown campus. Kootenai County will pay for the $1.3 million project, bringing an additional 146 parking spots to a recently opened parking lot off Fort Grounds Drive.

Commissioner Dan Green told The Press the move not only addresses a struggle the county has had with providing parking on its campus, but preserves what he sees as its biggest asset — real estate — as well.

"We're going to have access to parking now, which will protect the real estate we have in the future should we decide to build more buildings on it," Green said. "The money the county contributed funds the development of more than 100 parking spots in that area and gives us access to the entire lot. When there is high demand for parking spots on the city side of things during evening events, they will have those spots as well."

According to Bill Greenwood, Coeur d'Alene parks and recreation director, the memorandum of understanding approved by the council stipulates the city will manage and maintain the parking lot. Kootenai County, he added, will have exclusive use of the parking spots Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the exception of county holidays.

"When their exclusive use is not in play, anyone can park in the lot and would be required to pay," said Sam Taylor, deputy city administrator. "We would like to install payment stations, and it would be enforced by our contractor, Diamond Parking."

All of the revenue generated from the lot, with a grand total of 266 parking spots, will go to the city.

The project also includes installing signals at Northwest Boulevard and Garden Avenue to allow county employees and other pedestrians to safely cross the street. According to Greenwood, the agreement with the county requires the parking facility to be completed by Nov. 30, 2017.

Greenwood added the city could pursue "companion projects" while construction on the additional parking spaces is underway.

"If we choose to build these companion projects at the same time as the parking lot, we can save on mobilization costs," he said.

In addition to approving the agreement with Kootenai County, the city council also directed staff to ask the community which companion projects should be pursued next. Taylor said numerous projects — including renovations to Memorial Field, a new skate park, new playground and bathroom facilities, and a new Memorial Plaza courtyard awning and seating at the grandstands — could be phased in over time.

"The entire project is all part of one larger master plan designed to revitalize and enhance this area for our community," Taylor said. "It’s likely with the new improvements here that we’ll have even more visitors to the area, and so additional paved parking is a must."

Green said he expects county commissioners to adopt the memorandum in two weeks.