MY TURN: Rampant, uncontrolled growth in Cd'A

Why is the Coeur d'Alene City Council insistent on sacrificing our neighborhood on the "altar of more dwelling units at all cost?"

Most of us in the R1 and R3 zoned neighborhoods surrounding the planned "Coeur Terror" development are actually in favor of growth. But unchecked growth, with the ONLY apparent goal of maximizing density and dwelling units, is less than counter-productive.

When a Planning Commission and City Council do not even follow their less-than-one-year-old, newly adopted Comprehensive Plan, they cast doubt on their stated intentions. Evidence the Comprehensive Plan objective of "maintaining site lines to the river." Take a drive to the Atlas/Seltice roundabout and rather than seeing the river, we see three-story boxes that are apartment buildings. Farther west, we see five-story boxes. Where did the river go? Are we to assume that the council is proud of its adherence to its own objectives? With past actions as guidelines, are we to expect the council to protect our "Heritage Neighborhood," which is another stated objective in its plan?

In addition, the fact that the Development Agreement (soon to be presented to council) is the very first Development Agreement in the city's history, is clear evidence that growth has been unchecked and appearances are that it is hoped (by the council and staff) that those of us adversely affected by such irresponsibility will not interfere and quietly slink away.

While the city and developer expend thousands of hours of staff and consultant time to explain how we need not worry, we have three minutes each council meeting to plead our case to apparently apathetic elected officials. We read responses to our concerns in statements such as "an annexation does not increase traffic." We are told, "you can protest when the specific PUD that affects your concerns is brought to council in 10 to 15 years." We read in staff reports that the planned 1,000+ acre development and its R17/R8 zoning, concept plan (with street layouts, planned school sites, and commercial areas) is "compatible with the surrounding neighborhoods."

Are they kidding? How stupid must they think we are? Of course, a project of the size of "Coeur Terror," with 17 units per acre, having direct access through our 1-acre lot neighborhood, on local streets, will have a negative impact on us!

We want to see protection for our neighborhood in the Development Agreement (which governs the project from beginning to end) being considered by the council now. Telling us to follow their project for years to come and come back to a meeting at some point in the future to express our concerns (in three minutes or less) is not only years too late, but is obviously, disingenuous.

The city has stated that "a traffic study has been completed." What we have seen is a cursory examination of the COLLECTOR streets, Atlas, Hanley, Huetter, etc. There has been no analysis of current traffic counts in our neighborhood. There have been no official projections made as to the exponential increase we can expect when our streets are opened up directly to school sites, commercial areas and potentially thousands of new homes/apartments. Anecdotally, we have been told to expect "at least a 10-fold increase" in traffic. And this, with no sidewalks, curbs or gutters on our local streets.

Perform a real traffic study and make it public.

All this and the official, "party line" remains that our neighborhoods will not be negatively impacted.

Again, I say, "Are they kidding?"

Our neighborhood group has spoken directly with the developer, the police department, and the fire department. All three of those entities have stated that they do not need access to the planned development through our neighborhood streets. Additionally, outside of our neighborhood, the "Coeur Terror" project has planned at least eight points of ingress/egress to and from the development. Access through our neighborhood has not been requested by the developer, police or fire, and is not necessary.

Protect our Heritage Neighborhood. Put that protection into the Development Agreement. Then we can all move on toward responsible growth for Coeur d'Alene.

We have invested decades in our community. We will not go quietly. Listen to us.

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Don Webber is a Coeur d'Alene resident.