Montrose Project Faces Hurdle Over Schools

A proposed 1,613-unit development in Post Falls faces the scrutiny of the city’s planning commission on Thursday evening.

The 6:30 p.m. meeting at City Hall also gives residents their first opportunity to comment on the Montrose Community project.

The development, which would be built between 1997 and 2010, has been alternately praised as “enlightened planning” at the same time it has raised eyebrows among those in the community concerned about school overcrowding.

“I think that this represents a positive step in long-term community planning,” said Jason Wheaton of Greenstone-Kootenai Inc., the developer of the project. Wheaton described proposed parks, a 5.5-mile trail system, and a variety of other amenities included in the Montrose proposal.

“I think we’ve taken a step above the rest of the development community with a project like this,” he said.

Linda Holehan, who led the last school bond levy campaign, said it’s not that she’s against this development. It’s just that she worries the city growth is outdistancing itself.

Three straight school bonds have failed, and administrators have been forced to double-shift classes to relieve overcrowding in the junior high.

“We need to take care of the current population before we put in a development of that size,” Holehan said.

Associate city planner Collin Coles admitted he expects residents to “show a certain amount of concern” over the project. But he reminded folks that tomorrow evening’s meeting is simply a chance for Greenstone to introduce their designs to the planning commission. No decisions will be made.

In fact, Coles expects the process to stretch over several meetings as the developer and officials discuss issues like street improvements and utility proposals.

“The planning commission only makes a recommendation,” Coles said. “We’re simply interested in seeing that we cover all the bases we need to provide to the community.”

, DataTimes