COEUR TERRE: City should place caps, tax rules on developer

If the developer is putting forth the statistic that there will be “about 2,000 units” as noted in the Coeur d’Alene opinion piece this week, then the City Council of Coeur d’Alene should establish an absolute limit for the 440 acres of 2,100 dwelling units for the project, no amendments, no asking for exceptions ‘later.’ The developer should not be upset with that unless they really expect many more units than that. Based on the zoning they are asking for, my calculations show 3,500 are quite feasible, after all, using the R-17 and C-17 zoning rules, that allows 17 dwelling units per acre in either zone and there are at least 180 acres in their plan with those zones so 180 x 17 = 3,060 units and that does not include the 180 to 200 acres that will be zoned R-8. Indian Meadows will see such traffic!

They should also condition that project that if annexed into the city the owner cannot claim an agricultural exemption for taxes ever again. The whole 440 acres pays about $8,000 a year in property tax and almost $4,000 of that $8,000 is for one parcel with a building on it.

HOWARD BURNS

Post Falls