Letters To The Editor

Sat., June 17, 2000

Developers should shoulder cost of growth

I am getting a little perturbed with all of the growth in Post Falls. My wife and I moved here in 1985 (from Coeur d’Alene), and it has exploded since then. I suppose it’s a double-edged sword. Should the City Council limit growth? The people still will come, and housing costs may skyrocket. Should they just let growth run rampant and continue to choke our streets and schools, strain our police and fire, while we can’t even find a soccer field to play on?

Perhaps it’s time to start making someone responsible for all this. Huge impact fees, set land aside for schools and fields, make traffic improvements (stoplights, wider streets, controlled access freeway on-ramps, etc.), or other infrastructure to ease the burden of the citizens of Post Falls. The developers will squawk at any mention of this, but I don’t care. At some point in time there has to be some balance. These costs will simply be passed on to the person buying a new home.

The taxpayers shouldn’t have to shoulder the responsibilities of the developers who are reaping the profits of all this growth. Dave Ransom Post Falls

Care for infrastructure before growth

I have no problem with growth, per se, but you can’t do it without some thought to whether we can provide the services. Post Falls has a traffic problem now! North of the freeway, we have a problem with two main roads - Seltice and Poleline going east and west. Going north and south it’s Idaho and Spokane (and Spokane is not a viable through traffic pattern with the 25 mph speed limit that starts two blocks before the park). Idaho is a bottleneck at Mullan, and a stop sign at Poleline will make it imposible to cross once the new high school opens.

Every other road has a stop sign every other block, which I assume is the city’s attempt to stop speeders. The planning is horrendous. The city fathers attack problems like a small town where we all know each other by name, but then allow large home-building increases as if we were a large city. You must take care of the infrastructure first - not growth first.

The City Council needs to be more visionary in what it is doing before making binding decisions. One council member, elected last year, said he would fix the traffic problem (at least he recognized it) on Idaho by Super 1 food store. What’s been done? Nothing, which should give you an idea of how the council gets things done. Jim Blaine Post Falls

City, county need to be ahead of growth

I work in Coeur d’Alene and live in Post Falls. Most services are seamless to me because I am asleep most of the time I am there. My daughter is in the developmental preschool at Fredrick Post (she is autistic) and they have been very helpful in agreeing to develop a program around her needs. So, if there are any holes, I do not see them because I use only a corner of the infrastructure in my everyday life.

I don’t think they can stop the farmers from selling their land to developers so the farmer can retire in peace. The developer, though, does have a responsibility which should last beyond the completion of the home.

The county and city need to be two steps ahead so they do not feel backed into a corner without full information. They should be in a position to say no without it being political or anti-business.

I would hope that the city and county have long range plans to use the additional tax dollars to build infrastructure and they know the carrying capacity of the land so they know when to stop. I only assume this. I hope it is true. Katy Kleinhans Post Falls

Move here but leave politics behind

It is a free country, they say. There is nothing we can do to stop the influx of people coming to this area, the second fastest growing area in the United States. I only wished they would leave their cultural and political ideas back where they came from. I personally don’t like radical change as I have been here more than 71 years and am fourth generation. My great grandmother was married in Rathdrum in 1881 and would turn over in her grave if she could see this place today. That goes for my dad, mother and grandparents on both sides of my family. I can’t blame these people for wanting to live here, because I have been from coast to coast, and there is no better area in the U.S., unless it is Alaska and I intend to look at that one day. Gene Hyde Post Falls

Growth positive if planned ahead of time

As far as Post Falls growth is concerned, I think it’s a good thing as long as the public services can keep up with the new housing and residents. I wouldn’t live anywhere else, and I welcome anyone from anywhere who is willing to become part of this great community and endeavors to sustain its great qualities. Growth can be a good thing if it is well thought out before implemented. Bill Gough Post Falls

Area growth needs to be based on quality

I am not opposed to growth in any area, as long as it is carefully planned and executed. It appears that growth in this area is based more on quantity than on quality. Little provision is made for open space within the various developments; houses tend to be stacked very close together; there is a lack of planning for efficient traffic or pedestrian movement; little if any plans exist for future upscale communities; and no apparent planning or zoning with respect to downtown development. Charles J. Clock, Jr. Post Falls

Growth of Post Falls a good thing

I am very satisfied with the growth of Post Falls. This whole area needs some real reconstruction and awaking. Some teenage dance clubs and good, useful malls would be a very nice addition to the area. We are far behind the rest of the world and it’s about time we caught up. Anna Reiss Post Falls

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