CdA council approves building height limits

Building height is no longer limitless in downtown Coeur d’Alene after the City Council unanimously passed new rules Wednesday restricting the tallness and bulk of towers.

Council members acknowledged that the regulations, which will likely take effect by August, are imperfect and may need tweaking during the next couple of years.

“Something is better than nothing, and we have nothing currently,” Councilman Al Hassell said.

Until now, Coeur d’Alene has had no height limits, meaning that a developer could theoretically construct a 35-story hotel.

The new rules set the height limit at 75 feet and in some cases up to 220 feet, or about 19 stories, if developers agree to incorporate public features such as street-level retail shops, day cares, public art or affordable housing for people who work downtown.

The maximum limit is close to the height of businessman Duane Hagadone’s landmark downtown resort, which measures about 216 feet.

The rules also limit the girth, or bulk, of the buildings in an effort to keep a wall of structures from blocking views of Tubbs Hill and Lake Coeur d’Alene.

Current downtown buildings average about four stories. To preserve that atmosphere and to make towers seem less dominating, any building taller than 45 feet would have to have its upper floors set back at least 10 feet. The setbacks would allow people on street level to still see the lake and mountains in the open space between the towers. The council voted to include Lakeside Avenue in the bulk provision, in addition to the north-south streets and Sherman Avenue.

At the heart of the plan is a formula based on the size of the lot and the number of square feet it can support. The council approved an increase in the base number of square feet, which means developers have more floor area to work with before the city will require them to include public features in exchange for more floors.

Some residents remain unhappy with the rules, telling the council they will only encourage towers that will cast shadows on existing homes and ultimately destroy Coeur d’Alene’s small-town spirit.

Tom Anderson, who lives on Coeur d’Alene Avenue, gave the council a petition with nearly 100 signatures in opposition to the height and bulk rules. He questioned why the Planning Commission would modify the proposal to appease developers but not downtown residents.

“These tall buildings are going to dominate the skyline,” Anderson said. “The small-town character you value will be gone.”

Councilman Mike Kennedy said that he understood Anderson’s concerns but that voting against the rules would only make matters worse because there currently are no restrictions. Kennedy said the rules are a good compromise.

The city has been crafting the proposal for a year, which included months of controversy among residents and downtown property owners such as Hagadone. Most of the property owners’ concerns were diminished after the Planning Commission modified the proposal in May.

The rules are aimed at transforming downtown into an urban core that mixes businesses with high-density housing, such as condominiums and apartments. The city wants to encourage high-rise buildings while protecting the city’s views.

“We felt this was a good balance,” said Planning Commission Chairman John Bruning, who initially pushed for height and bulk restrictions. “It preserves views and also guarantees economic viability.”