City Council Meeting of Courtelane - Dec 2, 2025
City Council Meeting of Courtelane - December 2, 2025
The City Council of Courtelane convened for its regular meeting on December 2, 2025, to address a diverse agenda including public comments on traffic congestion, updates on city programs, and two quasi-judicial hearings regarding land annexation and zoning amendments. The meeting featured significant community engagement regarding the proposed "Corterra" and "Corteir" developments, concerns about infrastructure strain on Atlas Road and Nez Pierce, and the city's role in supporting first responders and inclusive communities. The council concluded by approving two major quasi-judicial requests and amending the city's invocation policy to extend eligibility to county-wide faith-based organizations.
Consent Calendar
- Motion to approve the Consent Calendar, including Resolution 25068, was moved, seconded, and passed unanimously by roll call.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Road Traffic & Corterra/Corteir Development: Multiple residents expressed strong opposition to using residential connector streets (specifically Nez Pierce and Atlas Road) to serve the Corterra/Corteir development.
- Rodick (Aurel Rodick): Expressed full opposition to the traffic impacts, noting that Nez Pierce currently has backups reaching three blocks and is a "postage stamp" area. Stated the proposal is "reactive" rather than "proactive" and suggested the city must address infrastructure before approval.
- Laura (Indian Meadows): Representing the Indian Meadows neighborhood, stated that "it's pretty much all of us" opposed to the traffic routing. Argued that the proposed density contradicts the existing neighborhood character of larger lots and rural aesthetics. Expressed support for using Industrial Loop as a connector instead.
- Carol Root: Detailed observations of gridlock on Atlas Road (35 cars backed up for seven lights), citing safety concerns for school bus routes serving 112 children. Stated the proposals contradict Comprehensive Plan Goals C12 (quality of life) and ER3 (urban forest preservation), predicting the removal of 129 mature trees. Highlighted that 2,881 registered voters in the affected precincts oppose the route.
- Pam Holcomb: A 33-year Nez Pierce resident, opposed the reclassification of her rural road to a "minor arterial" due to projected 11,000 daily vehicles. Cited a 2022 traffic study showing 85% speeding, warning this would increase safety risks for the 16 existing driveways. Stated the short-term profit does not justify destroying the neighborhood.
- Marriott Project: Duncan Kohler expressed grave concern regarding a subsidence issue at the Marriott construction site across from his home, citing the presence of a large crane. Stated he is not assured the problem is fully resolved despite contractor claims of concrete pumping and urged the council to stay on top of testing and information.
- Marriott Project (Traffic): Duncan Kohler requested adjustments to the 7th and Lakeside traffic light, noting priority is given to sparse Lakeside traffic versus heavy 7th Street flow, hindering access to the post office.
- SNR & IDPD: Suzanne Kunsen expressed full support and appreciation for Specialized Needs Recreation (SNR) and their work for people with disabilities. Stated the organization is championing a community where everyone is welcomed and supported.
- First Responders: John Pilchner expressed support for creating a "CDA Chaplain Corps" nonprofit to support first responders through donations and faith leaders. Proposed the initiative as a non-monetary solution following the Canfield Mountain tragedy.
- Agenda Clarifications: Carol Root thanked the mayor for looking into the Atlas road issue. Mr. English expressed support for the faith leader initiative but encouraged policy alignment with police/fire chiefs. He also noted his knowledge of the "leaning tower" at the Marriott project.
- CDBG Support: Several speakers expressed gratitude for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding:
- Rebecca Pratt: Expressed support for the child care scholarship program, explaining the rigorous vetting process and the need for support for "asset limited, income constrained and employed" families.
- Marcy Hartzell: Expressed full support for TESH, stating the funds are "vital" for their survival and allowing them to serve 300+ people annually with upgrades.
- Rachel Peterson: Expressed support for United Way, noting the grant helped 32 families maintain employment and stability.
- Patty Wheeler: Expressed gratitude for the Domestic Violence shelter upgrades (kitchen and roof) funded by CDBG.
- Nancy Phillips: Expressed appreciation for the $10,000 grant for Meals on Wheels, noting it covers one month of food for 350 seniors.
Discussion Items
- Invocation Policy Amendment: Council debated amending guidelines to allow faith-based nonprofits located anywhere in Kootenai County (not just within City limits) to give invocations.
- Support: Mr. English and Councilmember Guggen expressed support for expanding the pool to include county-wide organizations to increase participation, noting the current limit to City-only entities was restrictive. Guggen noted the irony of being called "liberal" while being the only entity in the county with an invocation.
- Opposition/Concern: Mayor Gukin and Councilmembers English and Wood expressed concern that staff time was being overly spent on a program with low sign-up numbers (requiring two lotteries this year). Suggested a moment of silence as a more efficient alternative. Councilmember English initially opposed expanding but later moved to support the amendment to ensure slots are filled.
- Outcome: A motion was passed to allow faith-based organizations throughout Kootenai County to perform invocations, with a stipulation to revisit the policy in one year if participation remains low.
- CDBG Programmatic Agreement: Sherry (CBDG Specialist) discussed streamlining environmental reviews for historic preservation under the CDBG program. Stated the agreement reduces consultation time from 30 days for minimal impact projects.
- CDBG 2024 CAPER: Sherry presented the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report. Stated the city met four of five goals (housing, facilities, services, homelessness) but missed the economic development goal as no projects were funded in that category. Noted 8 home rehab projects and other community improvements were completed.
Key Outcomes
- Invocations: Approved Resolution to amend guidelines allowing faith-based organizations within Kootenai County to perform invocations. Motion passed with Councilmember Gukin abstaining (voting to revisit in a year).
- Election Results: Accepted the canvas election results from the November 4, 2025, election as presented by Kootenai County. Voting was unanimous.
- CDBG Agreements: Approved Resolution 25069 to sign the programmatic agreement with HUD and SHPO for historic preservation reviews.
- CDBG Report: Approved the Community Development Block Grant 2024 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report. Voting was unanimous.
- Stanley Hill Annexation (A125): Approved the annexation of a 3.19-acre parcel (2248 East Stanley Road) and zoning to R3 (3 units per gross acre) with a Hillside overlay.
- Findings: Council found the proposal conformed to the Comprehensive Plan, utilities are adequate, physical characteristics are suitable (geotech report addressed water/spring issues), and it would not adversely affect the neighborhood.
- Conditions: Developer must extend water/sewer mains and pay cap fees. Lily Drive will be completed as a public road connecting dead ends, improving fire and traffic flow.
- Vote: Unanimous support (5-0). Council Bill 25-1020 passed.
- Corterra Development Agreement Amendment: Approved Amendment No. 3 to change the designation of a 10.91-acre parcel (Exhibit E) from "Urban Town Homes" to "Religious Assembly" (LDS Temple).
- Findings: Council found the change is necessary, reasonable, and in the public interest. Traffic impacts are lower than townhomes. Departments (Fire, Police, Streets, Water, Sewer) had no objections.
- Vote: Unanimous support (5-0). Resolution 25070 passed.
- Adjournment: Motion to adjourn passed unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
Like to call this meeting to order. Welcome everyone. It is December second, and this is a regular meeting for the city of Courtelane. Roll call, please. Uh English? Here. Wood here. Guggen. Miller. Here. Gabriel? Here. Evans. Okay, could you rise for the pledge, please? Kenny, would you lead us, please? Would you pledge allegiance to the United States of America? And to the Republic for which it stands under God. Also, there's two quasi judicial meetings. One is on the Stanley Hill annexation. Again, we'd like to have you guys sign up for that. You want to speak to it. And then the core Terra modification of zoning is also back there. And I do have a list of people that are planning on speaking. I would like to invite each and every one of you to come to Atlas Road and Kathleen at 3 o'clock to 5 o'clock on a on a on a business day and observe the gridlock that is there currently before we even think about this cord Corte thing. I have been told by my uncle that this traffic can back up for to clear it from this stoplight at Kathleen two Nez Pierce. That's three blocks. And to add more traffic to that is beyond beyond me. I I hope you understand that this is going to be take more infrastructure. In order to utilize or to uh handle this traffic that's supposedly there's 400 and some units of coming into that place. And they're basically on a postage stamp lot, and until we all get Jetson automobiles or whatever, this is it's unreasonable. And I hope something needs to be some things need to be changed. I hope the city can figure out that are we going to be proactive or are we going to be reactive? And this thing about more traffic coming on there, it's looking like it's going to be reactive more than proactive. And I think it needs to be it needs to be addressed before this thing can be can ever be approved. Thank you. Thank you, Rod. Folks, this isn't a rally. We're here to kind of exchange ideas here, so we're listening, please. L'Oreal Rodick, Cordelaine. Aurel, welcome. I don't have a whole lot to say other than we're Indian Meadows, we're not going away. Um as far as just a few people not wanting the traffic to go through, that's not true. It's pretty much all of us and the surrounding neighborhoods. And as a quick rebuttal to the um tirade, I guess, whatever, about punching through all seven that we should have known that that was what was going to happen. Yeah, we thought maybe it would happen, but we also thought it would be a continuation of the neighborhoods we already have. So if you look at it, it starts at you know, smaller lots. Then as you go in, it gets bigger, like half acres. Now we're at acres, so we thought perhaps, you know, if you're gonna punch it through, it'd be acre lots, two-acre lots, perhaps five acres, not at an entire city. One of my neighbors grew up in a in a town in Montana that's about the size or population density of what you want to put there. And uh that's not what we want coming through.
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