Coeur d'Alene Marriott appeal hearing set for Tuesday

COEUR d'ALENE — An appeal hearing for the Marriott hotel project in downtown Coeur d'Alene is scheduled during Tuesday's Coeur d'Alene City Council meeting.

The public will be allowed to comment after the council recently voted unanimously to approve amendments to municipal code that prevented it.

Downtown resident Joan Woodard appealed the Design Review Commission’s January decision approving the proposed six-story Marriott hotel.

At that hearing, many argued the hotel did not fit the character of the area. They said it would create traffic problems, block views and hurt local businesses.

According to a city staff report, Woodard raised five issues: 

1. Lack of public notice and opportunity to be heard; 

2. Inadequate or missing Information in the application with respect to photos of view corridors and evidence of neighborhood context; 

3. Project approval decisions were made based on incomplete information with respect to a traffic study; 

4. Design guidelines — ground level details — have not been met with respect to Sixth Street; and 

5. Design guidelines — unique historic features — have not been met with respect to street trees and a streetlight.

The city, according to the report, has already rejected two points of the appeal.

"As noted, proper notice was given and traffic is not an issue that is within the purview of the DRC. Therefore, Issues 1 and 3 cannot be considered in this appeal," it said.

During the hearing, no new evidence or testimony can be received by council. The appellant, the applicant, their representatives and city staff may address the council.

Members of the public will also be allowed to offer input.

"The appellant bears the burden of proving, by a preponderance of evidence (more likely than not), that the DRC made an error of fact or that the DRC ignored or incorrectly applied design guidelines," the report said. "The appellant must also show that she was prejudiced by the DRC’s error."

The council has the options to affirm or reverse the DRC’s decision, or refer the project back to the DRC for further action or clarification. 

"Council does not have the option, as requested by the appellant, to refer the matter back to staff to address her concerns," the report said.

The hotel would have 131 rooms, 130 parking spaces, three stories of underground parking, a fitness center, a rooftop bar and an outdoor patio. A spokesman said they hope to start construction this summer.

The city council meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. in the Coeur d'Alene Public Library Community Room.