Post Falls to address city center parking
LOREN BENOIT/Press The City of Post Falls hopes to construct more on-street parking such as this on Fourth Avenue across from City Hall on other city center streets and rights of way.
By BRIAN WALKER
Staff Writer
POST FALLS — As more businesses explore locating to Post Falls' city center, the lack of adequate parking has become an issue the city hopes to address.
The City Council recently unanimously authorized staff to pursue an Idaho Community Development block grant to add additional parking in the city center and to update the City Center Master Plan of 2005.
"The city does not have any public parking lots in the area of First and Second avenues and there is limited on-street parking," City Administrator Shelly Enderud said. "This is creating an issue of inadequate parking spaces and people not parking correctly."
That has, in turn, translated into vehicles damaging private property ranging from sprinkler heads to mailboxes, she said.
The police department and other city departments have been working with residents to address problems that arise. A public works employee, for example, recently repaired a damaged mailbox, Enderud said.
The city center zoning code envisions public parking availability — either with on-street parking or public parking lots — so businesses may locate on smaller lots with less parking requirements than in other parts of the city.
Mayor Ron Jacobson said he believes the grant and planning efforts to entice businesses to the city center is time well-spent.
Enderud said the city center continues to generate business interest, piggybacking on recent moves made by companies such as Post Falls Brewing and Roger's Ice Cream and Burgers.
A Mexican sports bar and restaurant is among businesses exploring the city center, she said. The trend — and the hope that it will continue — has prompted the chamber of commerce to form a downtown association.
The city will update the master plan to determine what improvements would best complement the city center.
"Sidewalks, curbing, on-street parking and public parking lots would help," Enderud said. "But we want it to feel that you can drive down the street safely (rather than it being too tight for traffic)."
She said the city will look to secure land in the city center for a future parking lot.
"I am not sure of the timing until we update the plan," Enderud said.
She said patrons of some businesses will likely use the lots at City Hall and Kootenai County's complex on Railroad Avenue to park after hours. The city also hopes to have a new parking lot on the east side of the chamber of commerce building completed this year.
While the city center includes property to the area near Idaho Veneer east of City Hall, Enderud said the future improvements will be done in phases because the cost will be larger than the city can afford at once.
Most downtown revitalization grants are between $250,000 to $500,000.
"We'll also look for other funding sources," Enderud said.
The city received a grant to construct some improvements on Spokane Street several years ago. While the Spokane Street corridor was improved as an urban renewal project two years ago, it allowed for limited on-street parking.