Transitional homes must have permits

The Coeur d’Alene City Council unanimously passed new rules Tuesday clarifying that the owners of transitional houses for felons, including registered sex offenders, must obtain special-use permits.

The facilities are allowed only in commercial zones, not residential.

The rules apply to any facility that houses three or more felons who are on probation or parole, or three or more juvenile offenders.

The city proposed tightening its zoning laws after residents complained last spring about felons living in a house in the Hastings Avenue neighborhood near Bryan Elementary School.

Awareness of the issue was heightened a month later when the Groene family kidnappings and slayings threw Coeur d’Alene into the national spotlight.

The council also voted to accept 24 acres of park land on Canfield Mountain. The donation came from Quest Development, which is constructing the Copper Ridge subdivision. It is part of a compromise negotiated by the city, developers and neighbors.

The natural park is the first piece needed to form a public corridor linking with national forest land on the popular landmark hillside. Perhaps 50 more acres would be given to the city, assuming Quest can get a separate housing development approved for the adjoining 139 acres. That development hasn’t yet been proposed.

Some CdA residents will get new addresses

About 10 percent of Coeur d’Alene residents will get new street addresses this month as part of an enhancement to Kootenai County’s 911 emergency system.

The countywide address system is the backbone of the county’s emergency communications. When emergency dispatchers get a 911 call, the new system will provide a digital map of the caller’s location and provide the name, address and phone number.

The affected Coeur d’Alene residents will soon receive letters indicating the address change.

The U.S. Postal Service will deliver mail addressed to either address for up to a year, to allow time for residents to complete address change notification.

For more information, call 769-2214.

Hearing this evening on Black Rock plan

Developer Marshall Chesrown is starting the process to expand his exclusive Club at Black Rock development and Kootenai County is holding a public hearing tonight on changing the zoning of 116 acres.

Black Rock Development is asking the county to change the classification of 116 acres on the east side of Loff’s Bay Road to restricted residential from rural.

The county hearing examiner also will take public comment on a separate proposal to expand the development’s nearby rock mine by about 32 acres.

Chesrown eventually plans a 1,200-acre addition to Black Rock that will include another golf course and an equestrian center.

The current gated golf community is on about 650 acres near Rockford Bay. Membership costs $100,000 and real estate starts at $1.5 million for a stone-and-timber “cottage.”

The 6 p.m. meeting is at the Kootenai County Administration Building, 451 Government Way. For more information, call 446-1070.

Candidates’ forum will be rebroadcast

A forum featuring candidates for Post Falls City Council is being rebroadcast today and Monday.

“Meet Your Candidates” will air at 3 and 6 p.m. today and Monday on the City of Post Falls Cable Channel 13.

Teenagers sought for shooting darts

Spokane police have arrested one teenager and are looking for others connected to a dangerous Halloween prank.

Three people have come forward with reports that they were hit by blow-gun darts on Halloween night in the Indian Trail area of northwest Spokane, said police spokesman Lt. Dick Cottam.

Four young men were cruising in a pickup truck looking for victims Monday night and would use a blow-gun to shoot darts at people on streets, Cottam said. One teenager has been arrested and will face second-degree assault charges.

Even though one victim was wearing a letterman’s jacket with heavy stitching, the dart tore through the fabric and was embedded in her back, close to her spine, Cottam said.

Anyone who thinks they were targeted by the young men is asked to call the TIPS line at 242-TIPS.

Information asked on Deer Park man

Secret Witness is offering a reward for information that leads to the arrest of a Deer Park man who is wanted by law enforcement for a variety of criminal charges.

Lawrence James Serben Jr., 34, last lived at a home in the 41000 block of North Sherman Road in Spokane County.

There are five active warrants seeking Serben’s arrest. They include charges of malicious mischief, possession of a controlled substance, auto theft, violation of a no-contact order and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, Spokane County sheriff’s spokesman Cpl. Dave Reagan said.

Serben stands 6 feet 1, 200 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. He has a history of resisting arrest, Reagan said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Secret Witness at 327-5111. Callers do not need to give their names to collect the reward. They are encouraged to use a code name or number.