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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

North Idaho development opposition growing

Staff writer

Neighborhood groups across Kootenai County, from Harrison to Athol, are organizing to battle a new trend to put gigantic housing developments in the county’s most rural areas.

Many residents think the timing is perfect because the county is starting to revamp its comprehensive plan, which is the foundation of all land-use decisions and dictates what areas will remain rural. Two county commission seats also are up for grabs, and some people think this type of countywide organization could influence the election outcome.

“This is the time for people to wake up and pay attention and have their voices heard,” said Susan Melka, who lives on the east side of Lake Coeur d’Alene where at least three plans would transform farm fields, meadows and timberland into exclusive golf course communities.

The first showdown is expected Thursday at a public hearing when three development companies will ask to amend the comprehensive plan to accommodate separate projects that would drastically change the look of Kootenai County. The requests are contentious because the grass-roots groups of opponents – and county planning staff – question why the county should amend the growth plan as it embarks on a rewrite.

Two of the requests are from developers who want to put multimillion-dollar private golf course communities on the east side of Lake Coeur d’Alene along state Highway 97. The other is from a company that wants to transform the old Rickel Ranch near Silverwood Theme Park into a town, which would largely consist of homes priced at $150,000.

Planning Director Rand Wichman, who recently announced his resignation, said the proposed amendments would irrevocably change the character of these rural areas and more public input is needed than just a couple of public hearings. He believes the county commission should wait to consider these changes as part of the growth plan rewrite, which will include public involvement over the next 18 months.

“If we have extensive public participation and determine the county ought to go in a different direction (than allowing dense building in rural areas), then that’s pretty problematic,” Wichman said.

The county staff reports for all three projects reflect these sentiments, which angers Rickel Ranch developer Dennis Swartout. “Are they declaring a moratorium on development in the county?” he asked.

He has been working on the Rickel Ranch project for years, making assumptions based on the comprehensive plan that was crafted in 1994. Swartout said it’s inappropriate for the county to force him to start over and delay the project by years.

Seattle-based Heartland LLC includes a half-dozen people who own the majority of Powderhorn Bay peninsula near Harrison. The company is asking to change the growth plan so residential building is allowed on the bluff overlooking the lake, where the owners intend to build perhaps three luxury golf courses with a total of 1,350 homes in all. Managing Director Steve Walker said the communities would be similar to the neighboring Gozzer Ranch golf course development and The Club at Black Rock, an exclusive resort across the lake at Rockford Bay.

If the county opts to deny the company’s request for a comprehensive plan change, Walker said, individual owners likely would develop their lots on their own and the chance for cohesive planning will be lost.

“It will be chopped up and turned into little pieces of suburbia,” he said. “Doing a nice high-end project next to that is much more difficult.”

Las Vegas-based Kirk-Hughes Development is asking for a growth plan change on about 600 acres near Moscow Bay, where it wants to build the French-themed Chateau de Loire golf community. Spokesman Brian Bills didn’t return repeated phone calls seeking comment this week.

Besides concerns about prematurely amending the growth plan, county staff reports state that both projects planned for Highway 97 are “premature” before traffic concerns on the already congested and windy road are hammered out.Bat Masterson of the Cedar Mountain Association, the group opposing Rickel Ranch, is working with residents who oppose the golf communities and other groups against a wide range of planned developments. He expects a large turnout for Thursday’s public hearing.

“We’ve been busy,” Masterson said, adding that their work could have an impact on what he calls the pro-growth county commission.

Commission Chairman Gus Johnson is facing Post Falls Councilman Todd Tondee in the May 23 primary. Independent candidate Tom Macy also is in the race. Commissioner Katie Brodie is vying against retired county employee Rich Piazza.

Neither Johnson nor Brodie returned phone calls Friday, but Commissioner Rick Currie, who isn’t up for re-election, did. Currie said he doesn’t know if the comprehensive plan will be a big issue in the race.

Carol Sebastian of the Kootenai Environmental Alliance has helped connect the various neighborhood groups that have contacted her organization. She said she’s glad to see people taking interest.

“I keep saying you guys need to organize and need to get your own voice out there, loud and clear,” Sebastian said.