ARTICLE: Distracts from the facts

Hit piece. Shame on the Coeur d’Alene Press for such a blatant hit piece on Ms. White, councilperson in Hayden. The headline detracts from the real subject of the hearing, in fact it seems to be designed to obfuscate the fact that on 12 acres of land 144 units, 12 per acre, are being proposed. 12 units per acre is dense by almost any measure except for high-rise city development. In Hayden, under R-1 zoning, it is likely that 3.5 units per acre would be the most possible.

What is ‘gross’ is that a planning commissioner for Post Falls is representing the developer and using the same verbiage and tactics that are used to try to densify Post Falls, but in Post Falls 18 units to the acre are now touted as ‘helping affordable housing.’ By what mechanism is the developing going to make the housing affordable?

There is no law that requires any ‘affordability’ measure. There is no law that stops investors from purchasing one, or every, unit and making it a rental. There is no requirement for the requested annexation that any or all of the 144 units be ‘for sale’ housing. There is no law that requires the city to see what percentage profit the developer is making.

Not only that, the request for annexation did not even specify what exactly was going to be constructed. NO annexation should be approved for any property without either the lowest density zoning OR a specific plan complete on what is being proposed including lot lines, lot sizes, streets, building elevations, green spaces, etc. No annexations without complete disclosure.

HOWARD BURNS

Post Falls