Coeur Terre decision could come tonight

COEUR d'ALENE — The Coeur d'Alene City Council could make a decision tonight on a proposed major development.

A public hearing on the latest information on Coeur Terre is the final item on the City Council's meeting that begins at 5 in the Library Community Room.

The request before the council is an annexation of about 440 acres from county agricultural suburban to city residential and commercial, as well as approval of an annexation and development agreement.

As part of the agreement, the owners of the land, Kootenai County Land Company, agree to provide, as an annexation fee, a total cash payment of $2 million.

One million will be paid to the city at the time of recordation of the annexation ordinance and the agreement, and $1 million will be paid to the city no later than two years after the date of recordation of the annexation agreement, according to a city report.

"All other applicable fees would be assessed at the time of development consistent with the City Code," the report said. "The consideration and payment provisions were not affected by new information and was not changed in the revised Agreement."

Coeur Terre is also estimated to provide 900 new jobs, generate $4.5 million in property and sales tax revenues and will be a total $2.5 billion investment over buildout.

At its Feb. 21 meeting, Councilman Dan Gookin said too much new information about the project had been introduced since the public hearing was closed Feb. 7.

Another public hearing was set for March 21.

The Kootenai County Land Company is planning Coeur Terre, which calls for more than 2,000 housing units, businesses, shops and restaurants, 18 acres of parks, a greenbelt, 4 miles of trails and land for two public schools.

The vacant land is north of Interstate 90, south of the future West Hanley Avenue extension and east of Huetter Road.

Buildout is expected to be over 20 to 30 years.

The entire project could be more than 1,000 acres and could eventually house about 4,500 residences. The remaining acreage sits within Post Falls city limits.

The proposed development has been strongly opposed by next-door Indian Meadows residents. Roads in their neighborhood are marked to be used as eastside connectors between Coeur Terre and Atlas Road.

The latest proposal identified Appaloosa and Nez Perce road to serve that purpose. Residents have said it will adversely affect their tight-knit quiet community of families, retirees and working-class folks.

"I have been living in Indian Meadows for 47 years. I would like the area to stay just like it is, and not be ruined by the dense development being planned in Coeur Terre," wrote Ron Orcutt, who lives on Broken Arrow Road. "There will be lots of issues, such as traffic through Indian Meadows and many others.

Brett Haney of Post Falls wrote: "As a fifth generation Idahoan, I know people come here for the beauty, space, safety and lack of serious traffic problems. This project will jeopardize all of these good things about our community."

Developers have said the project is 10 years in the planning.

The Coeur Terre Master Plan incorporated feedback from public meetings, 13 agencies, 26 departments and more than 40 agency staff members.