Don’T Fence In Post Falls - Yet

Sat., Aug. 20, 1994

By D.F. Oliveria daveo@spokesman.com (509) 319-0354

Post Falls no-growthers shouldn’t pass out the party hats and bubbly, yet.

They won a battle when the City Council delayed action this week on a 360-acre annexation proposal by the Schneidmiller family. But not the war.

The town will continue to grow, as long as the market allows, and the Schneidmiller property probably will be part of the residential growth.

Most Post Falls residents, however, can find comfort in the council’s surprise move. It indicates council members have felt the pressure building against unprecedented growth and are scrutinizing planning requests.

Mayor Jim Hammond and his council have done a superb job balancing the wants of competing special interests with the needs of their fast-growing community.

As part of an annexation agreement, for example, the Schneidmillers donated valuable acreage for a possible school site, expansion of the city sewer plant and to help lure furniture manufacturer Harper’s and 500 jobs to town. In the past, Post Falls councils routinely annexed properties without asking anything in return.

Hammond, a Spokane Valley elementary principal, also launched a drive to upgrade Post Falls schools. Using the threat of a building moratorium, he was able to bring builders and community leaders together to discuss school problems.

Developers and contractors have responded to the challenge quietly by contributing about $150,000 in time and materials to paint the high school and middle school and to upgrade the Ponderosa Elementary School parking lot.

Builders now are keenly aware that Post Falls officials consider schools an integral part of the town’s infrastructure.

On the other hand, Those Who Would Put A Fence Around Post Falls should realize that residential growth is interwoven with commercial and industrial development.

A decade ago, Post Falls had an unhealthy mix of 90 percent residential property to 10 percent commercial and industrial. The property tax burden then fell largely on low-end homeowners. Now, the blend stands at 70 percent to 30 percent. Hammond longs for the day it will be 50-50.

Post Falls has come a long way since its days as a sleepy bedroom community. But it’s not self sufficient, yet. It needs more growth to remain vibrant - carefully controlled growth.

Local journalism is essential.

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