Post Falls city center gets boost

The Post Falls City Council approved a memorandum of understanding with its urban renewal agency Tuesday. The memorandum states that the agency will fund half of the cost for the update to the city center master plan, not to exceed $30,000.

The approval gives Welch/Comer the go-ahead to update the 2005 Post Falls City Center master plan, including opportunities for public meetings and public comment.

Once the city center master plan has been updated, the Metts Group will do a market analysis and economic feasibility study to determine if the area meets the requirements for an urban renewal district.

“The city and the urban renewal agency work really well together, so things are usually thoroughly discussed before being brought to the council,” Mayor Ron Jacobson said.

The mission of the Post Falls Urban Renewal Agency is to foster sound economic and community improvement that enhances the overall quality of life in the city by providing and improving infrastructure, attracting jobs, and enhancing citizen safety and health.

The agency’s executive director, Diane Fountain, is hopeful that an urban renewal district in the city’s core will spur growth and bring more jobs into the city center. She’s said she hopes the district will spark energy into an area that has been barren for years.