COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — Earlier this month, Coeur d'Alene City Council members gave developers of Coeur Terre two weeks to address some of the concerns brought up during public testimony.
Developers agreed to make several changes, which include limiting access to the east and building only three homes per acre on the eastern edge where dozens of people already live, among other things.
Coeur d'Alene City Council members still have to approve the plans, as well as the annexation of the field. Many thought a decision would happen at Tuesday night's meeting, but councilman Dan Gookin claimed such vote would be against the law.
"They've completely changed the plan," Gookin said. "They've changed the zoning, the zoning that was presented in planning. The zoning that was presented at our hearing two weeks ago."
"Idaho code states that if there is a material change, that there must be another hearing," Gookin continued.
Gookin argued with city attorney Randy Adams who had a different interpretation of the Idaho Code.
"There has been no change in evidence," Adams said. "There is a change in the development agreement, but that does not require a new public hearing," Adams said.
"You really want the city to get the s**t sued out of it?" Gookin asked.
In the end, council members agreed to postpone the vote and hold yet another public hearing on Coeur Terre and the revised plan put forward by developers.
"This development will be the largest thing that comes our way in decades, and so I think it's incredibly important that there's integrity in the process," Councilmember Christie Wood said.
Many neighbors were happy, even calling the latest delay a small victory. They still worry that Coeur Terre will bring too many cars and people to the quiet prairie land.
"That developer could give us everything that we ask for and still make a bunch of money on this development," said Mark Jacobi, who lives near the proposed site. "So, give us something that we can get behind."
The next Coeur Terre hearing is expected to take place during the end of March or beginning of April. That's when council members could vote to approve or deny the project and annexation of the land or perhaps defer the matter once again.
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