Post Falls to consider zone-change request

By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

POST FALLS — The Post Falls City Council will hold three public hearings tonight, including on two zone change requests and the city’s Transportation Master Plan.

Kirk Kappen is seeking to change the zone of 1.45 vacant acres along Primrose Lane between Covington Avenue and the Interstate 90 interchange at Highway 41 from industrial to commercial community services.

Surrounding zoning is commercial and industrial.

The Planning and Zoning Commission in January unanimously recommended that the request be approved.

"Several public comments were received but mostly appear to be in opposition of … a special-use permit on the same site for multi-family," city administrator Shelly Enderud wrote in a memo to council members. "That permit was denied by P&Z."

City staff members said the zone change request is consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan and future land-use map.

The other zone-change hearing is a request by Copper Basin Construction to change 9.3 acres at the southeast corner of Prairie Avenue and Charleville Road in Tullamore North from community to single-family residential. The planning commission last month recommended approval of the request as presented.

A subdivision request for 40 single-family lots is being submitted concurrently with the zone-change request as an extension of Tullamore. Construction is expected to start in the spring and be completed in two phases.

The council will also consider the subdivision request tonight.

The third hearing is on the transportation plan, which hasn’t been updated since 2004.

Once the capital plans are approved, the city will review its impact fees that help fund new growth. Stakeholder outreach and public input open houses were a part of the two-year update process.

Enderud will also seek direction from the council on the future of the parcel the city acquired at 310 N. Spokane St. through a trade with Kootenai County. No responses were received on a request for proposals on the lot. The city would like to see the parcel be developed as a business or office to help create a vibrant city center.

The meeting at 6 at City Hall, 408 N. Spokane St.

The council will also hold a joint workshop with the planning commission at 5 to discuss creating a technology mixed zoning district.