Coeur d'Alene Historic Preservation Commission chair: 'An unfortunate incident'

The city’s Historic Preservation Commission was scheduled to meet Wednesday to review an application to demolish a 1949 Coeur d’Alene home.  

Only, the Pennsylvania Avenue home was already damaged when it was used for training by the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department.

“That’s an unfortunate setback,” said Walter Burns, commission chair.   

Another concern is that the Garden District is being considered for the National Register of Historic Places, and the home was considered a “contributing resource” toward that designation. 

“It does have relevance,” Burns said. 

The City Council in November adopted a new section in the Historic Preservation Code creating a demolition review process for historic residential and commercial structures built before 1960.   

A city official said the review is more of a 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 photos before it’s gone.  

According to a city report, the new code would not infringe on a property owner's rights but might create short delays with their plans.

Wednesday was the first hearing under the new rules.

The city’s fire department also receives demolition permit applications. When one came in for the home at 918 Pennsylvania Ave., it contacted the owner about using it for training purposes, which is standard. The owner said OK.  

“Unfortunately, the property owner granted permission to the Fire Department to conduct their training activities prior to the review and even though the demolition permit had not been issued,” a fire department press release said. “The Fire Department was not aware of the demolition review meeting scheduled for the subject property.”  

The department's training exercises included cutting into the roof and breaching walls, which left the home with holes in the roof and a torn-up interior.  

“After this unfortunate event, the demolition permit review process will be adjusted to account for training opportunities, while granting the Historic Preservation Commission sufficient time to review demolition permits prior to training,” the release said.  

Cory Stach of Stach Construction is planning for two homes on the double lot. 

Some commissioners said the homes, based on drawings provided, were too modern. They questioned the size, style, siding, roofing, garage placement facing Pennsylvania, and said they didn’t fit the neighborhood's historic nature. 

“A home that doesn't fit, it changes the whole atmosphere," said Commissioner Sandy Emerson.

Burns said Stach is free to pursue his plans with the property. 

“We’re asking you to consider our comments. That’s all we can do,” Burns said.

Stach said the city’s setback requirements and the steepness of the alley made it impossible to place the garages in the back with an alley entrance. 

He also said there was already a mix of older and newer homes in the Garden District, which includes more than 500 buildings from Lakeside and Montana avenues and Fourth and 11th streets.   

But he said he would consider the commission's comments.

“I’m going to take your advice and try and fit the neighborhood a little better,” he said. "I live right there. I want it to look nice. I want it to fit in.”

Chad Oakland with Northwest Realty Group said there is a concern about government overreach regarding what people can do with their property.

“I as a property owner worry about how far this reach goes,” he said. 

Kiki Miller said it’s not a matter of government trying to control what people do with their property. She said residents have asked the city to do something about stopping the loss of the area’s historic structures.

She said it's a balancing act.

"When you talk about historic preservation it takes a very light touch,” Miller added. 

Outcry to protect historic properties arose last 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 was being sold.

Miller agreed the training was valuable to the fire department, but said the point was that the city established a review process for demolition permits for 1960 and older structures, and it wasn’t followed. 

She said they “identified some flaws through internal communications.”  

"This is a learning curve,” Miller said.

Debra Castellan, president of the Garden District advisory board, said they have worked tirelessly for years trying to get the Garden District on the National Register of Historic Places. 

She said it is an attractive area for connected families and people want to live there. 

“The hometown feel that we have, we in the Garden District want to preserve that,” she said.