Foxtail developers give county a try

After rejections by Post Falls, the developers of the Foxtail housing project are looking to Kootenai County.

Hayden LLC is asking Kootenai County to change the zoning to allow housing on 280 acres of current agricultural land east of state Highway 41 between Prairie and Poleline avenues.

Tim Mueller, the managing member of Hayden LLC and a real estate agent for Tomlinson Black, wasn’t available for comment Thursday. The project’s engineer referred all questions to Mueller.

In the application narrative received by the county this week, the developers state they have “no firm plans for the property” and that the zone change request will facilitate the planning of the project.

The Post Falls City Council refused to annex the mixed-use project in February, saying the timing wasn’t right for such a massive development east of Highway 41. It was the fourth time the city had denied the project, this time citing sewer capacity and traffic concerns.

Last week, the developers filed a tort claim seeking at least $5 million for the city’s “unlawful conduct” in denying the annexation. They want damages for engineering fees, lost profits and development study costs.

The Foxtail project has been more than two years in the making. It initially called for 649 homes, 245 multifamily units, acreage for commercial development, a school site and open space. The developers touted Foxtail as a project that would offer affordable housing to local workers.

The property is in the exclusive tier of the Post Falls area of city impact, which is where the town is expected to grow. That means the city will have a say in the development of the area, even though it’s in the county.

The developers’ narrative states that the density, or number of homes, should be compatible with what Post Falls would allow.

Kootenai County Interim Planning Director Cheri Howell said she is unsure how many homes the developers could put on the 280 acres but that they will have to follow additional regulations because the land is in the city’s exclusive tier.

Post Falls Senior Planner Collin Coles said the city hasn’t yet reviewed the new county application.