SNOW: A beef about removal

Developers pretty much own the Coeur d’Alene City Council and administration and have for quite some time. At or near the top of this list of developers is Greenstone Homes and their colleagues in community disservice, Rockwood Property Management and the Coeur d’Alene Place HOA.

In approving this development, the city allowed public access sidewalks in the “common areas” to be built on private property. Thus the city (per the city attorney) is limited in its ability to enforce ordinances regarding snow removal. Further kowtowing to the developer and their minions, the city chooses to not attempt to enforce the ordinance even where the sidewalks are on the public right-of-way, such as at corners. So while those of us who take our civic duty seriously spent much of this weekend clearing snow, extensive areas in Coeur d’Alene Place were ignored and will continue to be.

When I brought the matter of snow removal to their attention last year, the HOA’s response was that they didn’t want to spend the extra money. Later, when I brought it to their attention that children were walking in the street (specifically, Dalton Avenue — already narrow due to the snow berms) due to the impassibility of the sidewalks, they said the board would consider the situation … and then did nothing. Clearly public safety and being a responsible corporate citizen are less important than making money.

Now Greenstone Homes wants to make even more money and the City Council is greasing the skids for them at the expense of Coeur d’Alene residents. More traffic on infrastructure that is inadequate and already deteriorating and no plan for its upkeep. Wait — there is a plan — more of our tax dollars.

MIKE HENGGELER

Coeur d’Alene