Post Falls examines mixed-use zoning proposal

POST FALLS — A recent proposal by Councilor Randy Westlund could bring more flexibility to mixed-use zoning and residential areas near major roads in Post Falls.

At the July 2 City Council meeting, Westlund proposed directing resources toward a new ordinance that would allow limited, neighborhood-compatible commercial uses in residential zones near major roads. He cited the city's comprehensive plan, which includes provisions for transitioning to commercial uses along roads with traffic exceeding 4,000 single trips per day.

Westlund said his goal is to provide more options for properties with frontage lawns near busy roads like Idaho Road and Spokane Street, where increased traffic has affected residential use.

"You can't have kids out in the yard," Westlund said. "We have that in policy and the plan already recognizing that need to transition in some of these places from residential to commercial as the streets grow."

The city has two options to implement this change: Conduct a formal rezoning or add commercial use as a special use permit in R1 zones. The latter would allow property owners to avoid the lengthy rezoning process.

"They can take the building that's there, renovate it into a business area," Westlund said.

Currently, the city has a home occupation code allowing for commercial use ancillary to primary residential use. Westlund's proposal would flip this concept, prioritizing commercial use while maintaining the area's character.

"It would be primarily commercial use, but we'd encourage repurposing the building and not changing the character of the area too much, but still allowing small business entrepreneurs to get in there," he said.

Mayor Ron Jacobson cautioned that if this proposal moves forward, it should focus on appropriate neighborhoods to avoid unnecessary conflicts. This concern stems from a recent incident where neighborhood tensions arose over a home-based business, requiring city intervention to enforce zoning policy.

The proposal will need to be examined by city staff before entering the ordinance drafting process.