Post Falls Annexation Rejected City Council Votes Against Acquiring Land For New Subdivision

City Council members decided Tuesday that it was too soon to annex land for another subdivision in Post Falls Prairie Falls LLC requested annexation of about 320 acres for 1,200 new homes that would be built over the next 20 years. The area is in Kootenai County, north of Poleline Road and between Idaho Street and Greensferry Road.

Council members voted to deny the request until further traffic, sewer and school studies are completed.

“I guess my question would be, what’s it going to do to our schools?” asked Councilman Joe Bodman. “Is the high school going to get immediately overloaded again?”

The applicants are requesting single-family residential zoning, although no specific development plans have been proposed. The owners plan to develop the property as a residential and commercial area.

Prairie Falls LLC owns the Prairie Falls Golf Course, also in Post Falls.

There could be some limitations to the existing sewer system, said Gary Young, the city’s planning director. If the property is annexed, the city will assume responsibility of more sub- standard streets, especially a part of Poleline Road and Greensferry, he said.

Jon Mueller, a planning and design consultant for the project, said the impact of the subdivision will be spread out over many years.

“In the way we’ve looked at the property, we think there’s an orderly progression,” he said.

Mueller said the group will move forward with its plans despite the council’s decision.

“We are willing to listen, but we’re getting to a point where there’s a lot of unanswered questions,” Mayor Gus Johnson said.

“What does 320 acres do to Idaho (Street)?”