Prairie annexations on PF Council agenda

POST FALLS — Tonight’s City Council meeting agenda includes two annexation and rezone requests and updates on other notable projects.

The 6 p.m. meeting will be at City Hall, 408 Spokane St. in Post Falls.

Public comment will be allowed on the Morris and Wellspring annexation requests. Last presented in April, Planning and Zoning commissioners recommended that council approve both requests.

The Morris Annexation is accompanied by a request to rezone with a community commercial services designation. Applicant Dobler Engineering wants to annex 12 acres at Prairie Avenue and Highway 41 and incorporate it into their plan for a technical park at the site, City Administrator Shelly Enderud said.

During previous consideration of the project, planning and zoning commissioners said the project falls in line with the city’s comprehensive plan. The Morris annexation fulfills city policies to “encourage compact, pedestrian oriented, mixed-use developments,” according to the 297-page full agenda published at postfallsidaho.org.

Planning and Zoning commissioners unanimously recommended City Council accept the request.

The property is currently vacant. Surrounding land includes vacant space zoned technology mixed use and community commercial services, respectively. To the south is a commercial nursery.

The Wellspring Annexation request concerns 9 acres at North Greensferry Road and West Prairie Avenue. The primary objective of the request is to Zone 3 acres as limited commercial, with the intent to build a church and training facility for Wellsprings of Life Christian Fellowship.

A zoning designation of R-2, or medium density, multi-family residential is requested for the remaining acreage. Twenty-three residential lots including 19 single-family homes and four duplex lots are planned.

The project would include the widening of Greensferry Road in order to connect the entire frontage with the adjacent Green Meadows Subdivision.

The land is vacant and zoning of adjacent properties includes residential, community commercial services and agricultural zoning.

When Wellspring was initially presented to Planning and Zoning, commissioners were not in agreement. Commissioner Nancy Hampe said low density residential is not a good fit for the classification of streets involved in the project.

The recommendation to approve was passed with a 3-2 vote. No citizens spoke in favor of the project. One citizen spoke against it.

Tonight, Enderud will also present an update on the Coeur Terre project. The Coeur Terre land is partially inside Coeur d’Alene city limits and partially within the limits of Post Falls. While work on the Post Falls side is on hold because of the Huetter Bypass project, Enderud will speak about “movement on the Coeur d’Alene side,” she said

Enderud will also present a follow-up about citizen concerns with TDS internet service. TDS is in the process of addressing citizen issues, Enderud said.

Discussion of an ordinance closing the Expo Urban Renewal area, created in 2001, is also on the agenda.

Prior to the city council meeting, a 5 p.m. public workshop will address the 2023 budget.

Other upcoming city of Post Falls meetings include:

Urban Renewal Agency, May 19, 9 a.m.

Parks & Recreation Commission, May 24, 5:30 p.m.

City council workshop on residential mixed zoning, June 7, 5 p.m.

Regular Council meeting, June 7, 6 p.m.