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

Idaho House rejects renewal district limits

Betsy Z. Russell Staff writer

BOISE – A move by state Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol, to put new restrictions on urban renewal districts in Idaho was shot down in the House on Friday on a close vote.

“What this bill is doing is just adding a few sideboards, it’s adding some sunshine to the urban renewal agencies,” Hart told the House.

But debate against the bill was heavy, and came from around the state.

House Bill 616 sought to ban “shoestring” annexations into urban renewal districts, in which a piece of property is connected to the rest of the district by a narrow strip of land, such as a road. It also required new Tax Commission reviews of the districts to make sure they don’t grow to more than 10 percent of the municipality’s taxable value, and would limit the lifespan of the districts.

Much of the debate focused on the annexation issue.

State Rep. Leon Smith, R-Twin Falls, said Twin Falls used a two-mile long “shoestring” to bring an old grocery store site into its urban renewal district – thereby attracting Dell Computers to the city with 700 new jobs.

Rep. George Sayler, D-Coeur d’Alene, also spoke out against the bill, saying Coeur d’Alene’s urban renewal district is using a “shoestring” approach to bring Sorensen Elementary School into its district, thus allowing its renovation but avoiding bringing any additional private property into the district.

Tony Berns, executive director of the Lake City Development Corp., said, “We went down a street and we just brought in that block that the school district owns, so no property is off the tax rolls. It’s a very good tool for us.”

Hart argued shoestring annexation is philosophically wrong, and that urban renewal can get out of hand. “Is the goal of urban renewal to create Hong Kong where we’re going to maximize the density everywhere?” he asked. “I don’t want to live in an area where that’s our goal.”

North Idaho representatives split on the bill, though the majority backed it. Those voting in favor of it were Reps. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake; Marge Chadderdon, R-Coeur d’Alene; Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake; Hart; Dick Harwood, R-St. Maries; Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls; and Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene.

North Idaho representative voting against the bill were Reps. Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow; Sayler; Mary Lou Shepherd, D-Prichard; and Tom Trail, R-Moscow.