Councilman Steve Adams made the following comment to Jon Mueller during discussion of a proposed zone change for the Education Corridor: The whole entire Ed Corridor project got scrutiny from its very inception mainly due to the funding process, the complicated, back door method, bypassing Article 8 Section 3 of the Idaho Constitution for long term capital debt.  Also, using outdated potentially improper appraisal that has brought a lot of questions from the community, it has brought a lawsuit. I am just wondering if you anticipate that this will be the continued funding method of the college for any projects that are going to exceed the fiscal year’s budget.” Later, City Attorney Mike Gridley (pictured) commented: “I know the law suit was thrown out by the court.  There has been no violation of the Idaho Constitution, the funding is legal. … the question you asked contains false information.” You can read the entire exchange here.

Reaction?

The notes of the Coeur d'Alene City Council meeting last night may explain why new Councilmen Dan Gookin and Steve Adams voted against the proposed zone change to commercial of part of the Education Corridor: “.  “Councilman Adams expressed his belief that his constitutional right to vote on the funding of this project has been violated and therefore will vote against this zone change.  Councilman Gookin voiced his concern of the shoreline regulations and the impact to the alleyways as a result of the eastern parking garage abutting the residents along North Military Drive. ” The motion carried 4-2. (Facebook photo from Steve Adams page)

Question: Can someone explain why Councilman Adams would think he has a constitutional right to vote on the funding for the Education Corridor?

Zoning on a roughly 7-acre parcel of land inside the education corridor could be changed to commercial tonight to match adjacent property and allow North Idaho College to one day expand its campus. The 6.79 acres sit on an approximately 18-acre plot that formerly held a saw mill, near the city's wastewater treatment plant. It's currently zoned for light manufacturing and Commercial-17 Light. A change to C-17 zoning would allow more uses on the land, such as commercial, residential and civic facilities, which light manufacturing prohibits, according to John Mueller, landscape architect representing NIC. “It allows the college and university uses to happen,” he said. “C-17 really encompasses a lot of different uses, including university and higher education.” If the Coeur d'Alene City Council approves the request, it would conform zoning to adjacent parcels/Tom Hasslinger, Coeur d'Alene Press. More here. (SR file photo: Getting around near North Idaho College goteasier on Tuesday after completion of an education corridor infrastructure project)

Question: Do you support the zone change for the Education Corridor?

Mic Armon: I also would like to commend all of the city council for their dilligent effort, but in particular to Mike, Woody, Deanna & Sandi for taking the right and proper course on this issue. I can attest as a current Trustee in a hottly discussed topic (NIC’s purchase of the Ed. Corridor) that you hear comments from both sides on an issue when it is being decided. I did hear from those that thought it was wrong for NIC to make the purchase, and they often had strong arguments to support their view. But now that the purchase has been completed and the infrastructure is in place(Thank you, LCDC). I have heard nothing but raves and compliments on the NIC Board’s proper decision. I can only hope that sometime in the near future Sandi and the city councilman can have the same success. Vision and change are sometimes difficult, but necessary.

Question: Have you changed your mind re: the Education Corridor after seeing the impressive infrastructure work off Northwest Boulevard?

The Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce Commodores (blue jackets) help celebrate the completion of infrastructure work for the Education Corridor while (left to right in the center) NIC Board Chair Mic Armon, Coeur d’Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem, NIC President Priscilla Bell and Lake City Development Corporation Board Chair Denny Davis cut the ribbon at the new traffic signal at Northwest Boulevard and Hubbard. After decades of dreaming, years of planning and months of construction, officials celebrated the completion of Phase 1A of the Education Corridor with a ribbon cutting ceremony Nov. 15. (NIC photo: Stacy Hudson)

Question: How many Democrats can you find in this photo?

Getting around near North Idaho College goteasier on Tuesday after completion of an education corridor infrastructure project. The changes include a second entrance into the North Idaho College campus and Fort Grounds neighborhood. Alison Boggs' SR story here. (SR photo: Kathy Plonka)

The transformation of a former lumber mill site into landscaped roadways and a new intersection was celebrated Tuesday as the first step toward a long-envisioned education corridor in Coeur d’Alene. “In 10 to 20 years, I don’t think we’ll believe what this place will look like,” Mayor Sandi Bloem said. “It will be a legacy for the future.” Work crews broke ground on the $3.6 million project in June. They created a new intersection with traffic signals at Hubbard and Northwest boulevards, providing an additional entrance to North Idaho College and the Fort Grounds neighborhood. They also built three roundabouts to ease traffic flow and added sidewalks, curbs and landscaping/Alison Boggs, SR. More here.

Question: Can we agree that the Education Corridor is going to be a rousing success?

More than 400 new trees are currently being planted across the Education Corridor site by employees of DewDrop Sprinklers and Landscaping. In addition, construction crews are continuing work on a segment of the Centennial Trail. Tree planting will continue on the site throughout next week as well as cleanup and finish work. Hubbard is accessible to students, employees, and visitors to the Harbor Center, but is still closed to through traffic. Hubbard is expected to be open the week of Nov. 14. There is an issue with the lighting system on the new signal at Northwest Boulevard and Hubbard and it will remain flashing red until the issue is resolved. Drivers should treat the intersection as a four-way stop until the light is operating normally again/Stacy Hudson, NIC Press Room.

Question: What do you think of the entrance to the future Education Corridor?

On his Facebook page, Coeur d'Alene council candidate Dan Gookin posted this video & comment: “I made this video for my last campaign. It was my testimony before the City Council on June 16, 2009. The topic was the annexation and re-zoning of the former mill site, the property now known as the Education Corridor. Pay careful attention to what I say at about the 1:40 second mark. In the context of my speech, it’s prescient: Historically speaking, incumbents and the supporters of the status quo are turned out of office due to battles such as the one City Hall has declared against McEuen Field. Remember: This was in 2009.” More here.

Question: Do you have concerns about the Education Corridor?

Beginning this evening, sewer installation and the use of loud pumps along Hubbard Avenue may create noise disturbance for Fort Grounds homeowners along Military Avenue north of River Avenue. Work is expected to continue into the overnight hours and be complete the morning of Wednesday, July 20.  MDM Construction, Inc. apologizes for any inconvenience to homeowners throughout this process/Stacy Hudson, Education Corridor Update. Ed Corridor website here.

Question: My neighborhood is noisy. A neighbor kid has a new motorcycle. A few neighbors know how to use power tools. One partier. One barking dog. But we get along. How about you? Do you live in a noisy neighborhood?

The treatment of Hubbard Avenue has been re-evaluated through the July 4 holiday.  MDM Construction will postpone the excavation of Hubbard Avenue until after the holiday weekend. This will keep Hubbard in a passable condition for emergency vehicles to utilize at all times. In addition, Hubbard Avenue will be open to the general public throughout the holiday weekend, except on July 4th between 4 p.m. and “breakup,” which begins shortly before the end of the fireworks display and ends when traffic is cleared from town. During breakup, Mullan Avenue will be the only exit from the Fort Grounds neighborhood and North Idaho College campus for traffic. More below. And: Education Corridor website for updates here.

Construction is well underway on Phase 1-A of the Education Corridor project. Currently River Avenue is closed while pavement and sidewalk removal takes place to allow for underground utility work. The entrance to campus via Park Drive off of Northwest Boulevard is still open and guides drivers along the detour path. Drivers needing access to Rosenberry Drive (the dike road), are routed through the main North Idaho College campus along Garden Avenue and College Drive/Stacy Hudson, NIC Press Room. More here. (North Idaho College photo)

Question: Does this mean that the usual suspects will quit fighting the Education Corridor?

North Idaho College and Lake City Development Corp. have scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony for Phase 1-A of the Education Corridor project at 2 p.m. Friday on Hubbard Avenue, across from the wastewater treatment plant. Officials who will participate in the ceremony include representatives from the city of Coeur d'Alene, NIC, University of Idaho, Lewis-Clark State College, Fort Grounds Homeowners Association, and LCDC. The ceremony will take place after a pre-construction meeting among JUB Engineers, MDM Construction, and their subcontractors in the city's old council chambers.

… That bids were opened for the first phase of the Education Corridor (infrastructure for streets, sidewalks, bike lanes, lighting, trees, etc.) today … and the low bid came in at $3.7-$3.8 million — or about $1.2 million lower than the original JUB Engineers projection. In fact, all 4 bids opened today were within $160,000 of one another. Lake City Development Corp. will provide most of the funding with some to come from North Idaho College. The work for Phase 1 covers most of the infrastructure except signalization at Northwest Boulevard and River and maybe signals at one other point. Work should begin soon. The winning bid will be awarded at noon Tuesday at Old City Hall. (Now My 2 Cents: This is exactly what I was talking about in the comments section re: the time is right for capital projects, even in this Not-So-Great Recession, because projects can be done so much more cheaply.)

• Thursday Poll: 80 of 148 respondents (54%) were against constructing a boat launch in the North Idaho College Education Corridor to replace the popular one at the end of 3rd Street. 62 of 148 supported the project. 6 respondents were undecided.
• Today's Poll: Do you support the legalization of medical marijuana in Idaho?

One of my many Berry Pickers nabbed a site schematic of the possible boat launch proposed by the city of Coeur d'Alene at the new Education Corridor, to possibly replace the Third Street boat launch. To get perspective, the buildings on the northern part of this plan comprise the wastewater treatment plant. The launch is proposed to take up 3 acres of the 17 acres in the Education Corridor.

Question: What do you think?

At OpenCDA.com, Dan Gookin has taken aim at the proposal presented to the North Idaho College Board of Trustees last night to move the Third Street boat launch to the Education Corridor. Gookin asks: “is the Education Corridor about education or launching boats and parking trailers?” He goes on to say: “If such evaluations were made, then someone who actually boats would tell you how difficult it is for most people to put a boat on a trailer in the water. Now take that person who is having trouble, and put their boat in the Spokane River by the Education Corridor: The river has a current, which means that anything left bobbing in the water slowly drifts in a downstream direction. So if an Education Corridor boat launch is created, it needs a jetty or some other marine feature that prevents boats from drifting to Post Falls when they should be docking into their trailers.” Also, he wonders whether the Army Corps of Engineers would allow a jetty on the river. More here.

Question: Frankly, I think the Education Corridor property would be a swell place to relocate the 3rd Street boat launch, providing a buffer between education buildings and the sewer plant. How about you?

In the Coeur d'Alene Press this morning, reporter Maureen Dolan tells of a proposal to use three of the 17 acres in the Education Corridor owned by North Idaho College for a new boat launch. Parks Director Doug Eastwood presented the plan to the Board of Trustees Wednesday. He was asking for conceptual approval, so planners go develop a plan to possibly replace the Third Street boat launch. In a proposal unveiled earlier this month to upgrade McEuen Field, Team McEuen planned to close the Third Street launch to expand green space. To do so, city leaders would need to find an alternative site that could handle the strong boat traffic that now uses the popular downtown Coeur d'Alene launch.

Question: What do you think of the idea of moving the boat launch to the Education Corridor site?

Item: NIC to make mill site payoff: Trustees vote to make $4.1 million payment 22 months early/Maureen Dolan, Coeur d’Alene Press

More Info: Increased revenue from the surge in enrollment at North Idaho College has made it possible for trustees to complete the purchase of the former DeArmond mill site property 22 months ahead of schedule. At their regular meeting Wednesday, trustees agreed by vote to revise the college’s budget for this year, and use a combination of “budgeted and un-budgeted” fund balances to pay the $4.1 million balance due on the college’s lease agreement with the North Idaho College Foundation.

Question: Anyone still think the purchase of the mill property by NIC was a bad idea?

The Lake City Development Corporation will discuss a proposed contract with JUB Engineering to begin survey work for the proposed education corridor — roads, roundabouts, etc. Proponents of the contract would like to get the work finished before the snow season. The LCDC board will meet at 3:30 p.m. in the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce building to discuss the matter.

Item: LCDC details $9 million in Education Corridor work/Tom Hasslinger, Coeur d’Alene Press

More Info: Building out the education corridor’s infrastructure around the North Idaho College campus could cost around $9 million, engineers calculate. That price would bring in ample enhancements: One mile of expanded streets — namely a built-out Hubbard Street, Mullan Road and College Drive - bike lanes, traffic-calming roundabouts and two new signals, and a mile and a half of connecting bicycle paths to the Centennial Trial.

Question: Is the cost and planned improvements reasonable?