Coeur d'Alene looks to protect history

As chairman of Coeur d’Alene’s Historic Preservation Commission, Walter Burns has been worried about the city’s demolition code review process. 

He said it allowed applicants to obtain a demolition permit without the city “considering what is being torn down or what will replace it.” 

That, Burns said, needed to change. 

“This process fails to support the needs of historic preservation,” Burns told the City Council. 

The council agreed. 

Tuesday, it unanimously adopted a new section in the Historic Preservation Code creating a demolition review process for historic residential and commercial structures built before 1960. 

Burns said the commission and city staff worked on the ordinance for the past several months and called it good for historic preservation, for Coeur d’Alene and for its residents. 

He said it protects history without infringing on property rights. It doesn’t mean someone won’t be able to use or develop their property or tear down an old building, but there might be a short delay in their plans. 

“We wanted to have a lighter touch on this,” said Hilary Patterson, community planning director. 

A community cry to protect historic properties arose earlier this year when the 1925 home of the late Dr. E.R.W. "Ted" Fox was demolished and the status of the historic brick Roosevelt Inn, formerly the Roosevelt School built in 1905, was in doubt as it is being sold. The buyer of the property has plans for townhouses but has agreed to not tear down the Roosevelt Inn and find a buyer for it. 

Still, many feared the city is losing its historical character. 

The City Council got involved in June when it passed a temporary moratorium on demolition and moving permits and building permits for significant exterior alterations, for buildings in the downtown area and those on the National Historic Register.

That moratorium expires Dec. 17. 

Patterson said other cities, like Wallace, Boise and Twin Falls have demolition review processes. 

The Spokane City Council recently voted unanimously to approve an ordinance stating, “that structures listed under the Spokane Register of Historic Places and structures that are aged 50 years or older will be required to maximize preservation and reuse of salvageable materials when the property owner seeks to demolish the building,” according to a city press release. 

Patterson said Coeur d’Alene’s is more of a review, recommendation and educational process to determine if there might be a way to save a historic structure, salvage some of it or at least take some photos before it’s gone. Interior changes and dangerous buildings would be exempt. 

For projects that may involve properties with historic significance, a few HPC members would conduct a drive-by survey and request that the proposed demolition come before the commission a city report said. 

The process does not involve a public hearing and should proceed quickly while creating an “opportunity for conversation.” 

“That's the goal,” Patterson said. 

According to a city report, the new code should have “no significant financial impact to the city or owners of buildings that were built prior to 1960."

“This doesn’t really step on anyone’s right,” said Councilman Dan Gookin.

Patterson said any potential delays caused by the demolition review process would be "minimal and reasonable" given the importance of historical structures to citizens of Coeur d’Alene. 

“We feel strongly that any potential delay is outweighed by the benefits of preserving our history and at least getting photographs if we can’t save the buildings,” she said. 

The Historical Preservation Commission was awarded an $11,000 Certified Local Government grant to conduct a survey of the downtown core regarding historical properties that could begin this month. The City Council approved a $5,000 match in the Planning Department’s budget for the survey to be conducted.  

As any building over 50 years is considered historic, Gookin questioned why the cutoff date was 1959. 

According to a staff report, “The age of the building was recommended by the HPC to help limit the review of buildings and structures that would be of historical significance and interest to community members."

"At this time, buildings constructed from 1960 to 1974 are not considered historically significant for the HPC,” the report said.