DEVELOPMENT: Get past the gloss

The Coeur Terre meeting of May 4 seemed to be a deliberate attempt to gloss over or hide facts that were either in evidence on the posterboards or carefully not put on the posterboards. The ‘FAQ’ flyer provided was meaningless buzzwords.

The questions to be answered: 1) How many dwelling units were shown? 2) Define the difference between R-1 and R-8, C-17 and R-17 and how those designation compare to the existing homes/lots east and north? 3) Why should this be annexed into Coeur d’Alene at all (there is no obligation for the city to annex)? 4) If not annexed, isn’t the county zoning 1 house per 5 acres? 5) What is the average ‘per acre’ density of the plan using two calculations, a) the total acreage shown and b) Acres in housing after removing the school and commercial acres? 6) How does the density in No. 5 compare to the rest of Coeur d’Alene? 7) Why wasn’t the Huetter Bypass shown?

My research: The plan shown covers approximately 400 acres (there are 1,050 acres in the whole project), assume an average density of 12 units per acre = 4,800 units, with most, if not all, being shared wall buildings (apartments, duplexes, etc.) or ‘tiny lot’ homes.

Neither Post Falls nor Coeur d’Alene should annex any of this land until A) Huetter Bypass has dedicated Right of Way (if the property stayed county zoned at 1 unit/5 acres is the Bypass needed?) B) the density is much lower in keeping with all of Coeur d’Alene.

HOWARD BURNS

Post Falls