Open houses on building limits planned

Coeur d’Alene residents have another chance to ask questions about proposed limits on the size of downtown buildings at two open houses Jan. 30.

Consultant Mark Hinshaw of LMN Architects in Seattle will be in town to meet with people and explain how the proposed regulations would work and what downtown would look like.

“It’s an open house where anyone can come in and sit down with Mark and us and go over anything they want,” city Planning Director Dave Yadon said.

Both open houses are at Coeur d’Alene City Hall. The first session is from noon to 2 p.m., and the other is from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Hinshaw also is meeting individually with some downtown property owners, including businessman Duane Hagadone. Yadon said if people can’t make the two sessions, it’s possible to schedule a separate time with Hinshaw.

This is the second public forum the city has scheduled since the Coeur d’Alene City Council put the brakes on the controversial proposal in November after some developers and downtown property owners complained the city was moving too fast with too little public input. Some people fear that limiting the height and girth of buildings in the city’s core ultimately could hurt the economy by scaring away developers who don’t want more regulation.

The city wants to transform downtown into an urban core that mixes businesses with high-density living, such as condominiums and apartments. Coeur d’Alene wants to encourage high-rise buildings while protecting views of the nearby mountains, Tubbs Hill and Lake Coeur d’Alene.

Yadon said the building height subcommittee will meet the following day and decide whether to recommend changes to the proposal or to forward it to the city Planning Commission.

“It will all depend on what we hear,” Yadon said.

The current city rules have no height restriction but limit how many residential units are allowed downtown.

Under the proposal, downtown developers could construct buildings up to 75 feet tall – and in some cases up to 160 feet, or about 14 stories – if they agree to incorporate features that would benefit the public. To get approval for a tower closer in height to the landmark downtown Coeur d’Alene Resort, which is 216 feet, developers would have to donate cash for city parkland, the library, museum or theater.