Hauser Area Subdivision A Hot Topic Developer Says He’Ll Preserve 34 Acres Of Wetlands

Both supporters and opponents of a proposed development here agree the survival of blue herons, ospreys, eagles and Canada geese is a top priority.

But they disagree about whether the wildlife will be hurt by a proposed 40-lot subdivision on 97 acres a quarter-mile north of Hauser.

“I think it will discourage the wildlife,” said Katharina Peterson, a resident who lives off West Hauser Lake Road and just north of the proposed subdivision. “It kind of takes away from the rustic, more rural environment Hauser Lake has been known for.”

The area is a scenic viewpoint both residents and visitors appreciate - a view that would be destroyed if development occurs, said Peterson.

But developer Brent Lockhart said his subdivision will actually preserve more wildlife and native plants than already exist in the area. He intends to give 34 acres of wetlands to either a conservancy, the city of Hauser or a land trust.

It’s a conservation attempt that’s better than allowing livestock to run around in the fenced wetland area, as they do now, Lockhart said.

“What I’m doing is actually preserving it,” said Lockhart, who plans to move into one of the 40 houses if the development is approved.

A joint Hauser and Kootenai County planning commission will hold a hearing on the proposed development at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Kootenai County commissioners will have the final say.

Neighbors are expected to speak in opposition to the project because of the development’s encroachment on wildlife in the area and the nearby wetlands where some of the animals live.

The development threatens the area’s turtles, moose and ducks that travel to the wetlands, neighbors say.

Lockhart said he’s met with many of the neighbors and addressed their concerns. In addition to the conservation efforts, he’s planning angled driveways and a 35-foot height restriction in the first block of homes to protect residents’ views.

Septic tanks and drainfields are another issue the area’s dealt with before, said Chad Stevens, a resident also living on West Hauser Lake Road.

“I’ve seen water come to the street,” he said.

If approved, the houses will be built next to a buffer zone ranging 274 to 480 feet away from the 100-year flood area - the average high point the wetlands have reached in 100 years. Buyers will own the buffer area, but it will have strict landscaping rules to keep the land in its native state for the wildlife.

Hauser’s planning code is the most stringent Lockhart said he’s ever dealt with.

Houses will range from $150,000 to $300,000, and lot sizes will vary from one to two acres. Lockhart, who moved from California six years ago, bought the land four months ago from Jim and Ruby Oxford.

Bright orange signs opposing the development grab drivers’ attention as they travel around Hauser Lake. Their messages are unfounded, Lockhart said.

“They’re very misleading,” he said. “They imply I’m building on the wetlands, which is not the case at all.”