Public Meetings - Post Falls, Idaho

The meeting convened on October 15, 2025, but the scheduled public hearing for the McGuire Annexation (file NX25-4) was postponed due to lack of a quorum and potential conflicts. The commission also reviewed an impact fee report for fiscal years 2023 and 2024, introduced a new staff member, and approved the consent calendar. Consent Calendar - Approved as presented: meeting minutes from September 9, 2025; Harvest Meadows PUD and subdivision reason decision; and Echoa States zoning recommendation reason decision. Motion carried unanimously (4-0). Public Comments & Testimony - No members of the public spoke during the citizens' issues portion. Discussion Items - Staff Introduction: Paige Hunt, new planner one with the City of Post Falls, introduced herself. She has been with the city for four months and is pursuing a degree at Eastern. - Impact Fee Report (FY2023 & FY2024): Paige Hunt presented the required development impact fee report. Key statistics: 3.5 million was spent on roads, parks, and public safety projects; total expenditures were 5.2 million, leaving an ending balance of 16 million. For FY2024, major road projects included the Poe Line and Spokane roundabouts (2.3 million); parks included land acquisition ($1.9 million) and Black Bay Park ($1.7 million); public safety expenditures primarily went to police funding. Commissioner questions clarified that FY2023 land acquisitions included a 15-acre parcel on Hardgrave Road (5 acres for parks, 10 for public works) and a purchase adjacent to the police facility for parking lot expansion. No action was required on the report; it was informational for the commission's role as the impact fee committee before going to city council. Key Outcomes - Postponement of McGuire Annexation Public Hearing: The public hearing for file NX25-4 (McGuire Annexation) was postponed to a date certain of November 12, 2025, by unanimous vote (4-0). The commission cited the need for a full quorum and no conflicts. A motion was made, seconded, and passed with all members in favor: Schlotthauer, Schreibert, Wilhelm, and Kimball. - Consent Calendar Approval: Unanimous approval of the consent calendar items. - No other decisions or referrals were made.

The City Council of Post Falls met on October 8, 2025, to address routine approvals, public hearings, new business, and staff reports. Key actions included approval of a utility easement vacation, an update on the Warren Field Community Development Block Grant project, approval of a change order for the Prairie Trail extension, a contract amendment for the Transportation Master Plan, acceptance of a county deed for trail property, a presentation on the city's park asset management system, and a report on the recovery of withheld taxpayer funds from Kootenai County. Consent Calendar - Minutes from the September 16, 2025 City Council meeting were approved. - Payables for September 4–30, 2025 were approved. - Surplus of City Hall items (desktops, office chairs, etc.) were approved for auction, with proceeds to go into the general fund. - Fiscal Year 2025 Audit Engagement Letter was approved. - Linger Annexation (ANNX-24-11) and Painted Rock Annexation (ANNX-25-3) were approved. - The consent calendar passed with a unanimous 5-0 vote (Council members Davis, Weslin, Ziggler, Malloy, and Stigleader all voted aye). Public Hearings - O'Brien Vacation (VAC-25-1): Justin Souter presented the request to vacate a 10-foot utility easement at 1501 East Tammy Drive. City Engineer Robert Paul explained the easement was never used and no utilities would be affected. Council approved the vacation unanimously (5-0). - Warren Field CDBG Update: Robbie Quinn, Parks Planner, provided an update on the $325,000 Community Development Block Grant project. The project included road frontage improvements on 2nd Avenue and Idaho Street (curb, gutter, sidewalks, lighting, ADA access). Actual costs were slightly over budget by about 2.8%, with the overage covered by the parks construction budget. No action was taken; the hearing was informational. Council members discussed back-in parking, tree preservation, and parking issues in the area. Public Comments & Testimony - Joe Kovacs, Kootenai County Assessor, spoke during the citizens' issues portion. He raised concerns about a city-owned parking lot (4.11 acres) that had been deeded to the city in 2012 by a big-box retailer. He stated that under Idaho law, the property should not be exempt from taxation because it is vacant and not used for a public purpose. He also noted the county had settled lawsuits with the retailer over assessed values, resulting in about $260,000 in uncollected property taxes. Council members questioned the timing and forum of the presentation, stating it should have been handled through proper channels. The matter was not resolved. Discussion Items - Prairie Trail Extension – Work Change Directive 1: City Engineer Robert Paulis requested approval of a $27,901.50 change order for excess fill material (3,000 cubic yards) on the trail project between Zoros Road and State Highway 41. The extra cost would come from multimodal impact fees, leaving about $15,000 in contingency. Council approved unanimously after discussion about the estimate and the decision to bury material on-site. - Transportation Master Plan – Contract Amendment 3: Robert Paulis presented a request for $27,782 to correct errors in regional job projections along Highway 41, which affected future traffic modeling. The work was already completed and funds would come from street impact fees. Council approved unanimously, though members expressed concern about the work being done before approval. - Acceptance of County Deed to Centennial Trail Property: City Attorney Field Harrington presented a deed from Kootenai County for a half-mile section of the Prairie Trail from the existing trail to McGuire Road. No strings attached and no pre-existing problems noted. Council accepted the deed unanimously. - Parks & Urban Forestry Asset Management: Parks Manager Brian Myers presented an update on the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) implemented over the past two years. Over 5,300 work orders were completed, with 82% being preventive maintenance. The system will help predict lifecycle costs and replacement needs. Council commended staff for the implementation. - Recovery of Withheld Taxpayer Funds: City Attorney Field Harrington reported that after a successful lawsuit and appeal to the Idaho Supreme Court, the city recovered $147,000 in principal and interest from Kootenai County, plus legal fees. The county had been withholding penalties and interest from delinquent property tax collections. Monthly distributions have resumed. - Parks & Recreation Director Recruitment Update: City staff reported that interviews will occur at the end of the week, with three external and one internal candidate. A recommendation may be brought to council in November or December. Key Outcomes - Approved O'Brien vacation (unanimous). - Approved Prairie Trail extension change order 1 for $27,901.50 from multimodal impact fees (unanimous). - Approved Transportation Master Plan contract amendment 3 for $27,782 from street impact fees (unanimous). - Accepted county deed for Centennial Trail property (unanimous). - Received update on parks asset management and recovery of taxpayer funds. - Entered executive session under Idaho Code 74-206B and 74-206D to discuss personnel and exempt records; no action taken during session. Subsequently approved a confidential agreement discussed in executive session. - No action taken on assessor's parking lot tax issue; city attorney will review.

The Post Falls City Council met on September 17, 2025, for a regular meeting that included a proclamation, several routine approvals, discussion on a sole source procurement for water reclamation equipment, and a contract award for a cycle track project. All votes were unanimous. The meeting began with a proclamation for National Service Dog Month, followed by consent calendar items and discussion on key infrastructure projects. Consent Calendar - Minutes: Approved the minutes from the September 2, 2025 City Council meeting. - Fiscal Year 2026 Fee Resolution: Approved the FY2026 fee schedule. - Rules of Procedure: Approved updates to the Rules of Procedure for Meetings and Public Hearings. Public Comments & Testimony - No public comments were made. Discussion Items - Water Reclamation Facility Solids Handling Improvements – Sole Source Procurement: Andrew Arbini, Projects Division Manager, presented a request to declare BDP Industries as the sole source vendor for a second dewatering unit at the water reclamation facility. Justification included compatibility with existing equipment, existing parts inventory, crew familiarity, shorter lead time compared to other vendors, and pre-existing concrete footings designed for a second BDP unit. The estimated equipment cost is $1.2 million. Council discussed the sole source process, noting it avoids a competitive bid because only one vendor meets the specific compatibility and schedule needs. The motion to declare BDP as sole source vendor passed unanimously. - Ross Point Road Cycle Track – Award of Contract: City Engineer Robert Paulis requested approval to award the construction contract for a separated bicycle track from Third Avenue to Second Avenue on Ross Point Road to Cameron Riley LLC. The quote is $122,329, with a 10% contingency of $12,236, for a total not-to-exceed $134,595. Funding comes from multimodal impact fees. The cycle track will connect with a section being built as part of the I-90/Highway 41 interchange project and improve visibility at the Third Avenue/Ross Point Road intersection. Council approved the contract and notice of award unanimously. Key Outcomes - All motions passed unanimously (roll call votes recorded for each item). - Sole source procurement: Staff will publish a public notice for 14 days and begin contract negotiations with BDP Industries. A future contract for the dewatering unit will be brought to council. - Cycle track contract: Staff will coordinate the start date with ITD to align construction with the I-90/Hwy 41 interchange project. - Enforcement request: Councilmember Collins requested that Captain Brandle follow up on speed limit violations near West Ridge Elementary, previously discussed. Additional Items - Proclamation: The Mayor proclaimed September as National Service Dog Month, recognizing K9 Companions and the importance of service dogs for individuals with disabilities. - Executive Session: An executive session was held before the public meeting; no further actions were taken on that matter.

Note: The meeting transcript references September 9, 2025, but the provided timestamp indicates September 10, 2025. This summary uses the given date. The Post Falls Planning and Zoning Commission met on September 10, 2025, to consider a consent calendar, hear a citizen request regarding backyard ducks, and conduct public hearings on two land‑use applications: Harvest Meadows PUD/Subdivision and Echo Estates Annexation Zoning. All motions carried as detailed below. Consent Calendar - Approved meeting minutes from July 29 and August 12, 2025. - Approved reasoned decisions for Poll and Zorro Special Use Permit (SUP 253), River City Corner Subdivision (SUBD 251) and Special Use Permit (SUP 251), G2 Development Annexation (ANNX 252) and Subdivision (SUBD 252), and Painted Rock Subdivision (SUBD 253). - Vote: 6–0–1 (Kimball abstained). Public Comments & Testimony - Sarah Erickson requested code changes to allow backyard ducks on lots less than one acre, similar to chickens. She cited benefits including quieter nature, pest control, and nutrient‑rich eggs. Discussion Items Harvest Meadows PUD (PUD252) and Subdivision (SUBD254) - Staff Report: Planning Manager John Manley reviewed the revised 85‑lot proposal on 11.2 acres (after previous 92‑lot denial). The plan includes 7.36 dwelling units per acre, front‑ and rear‑loaded lots with two‑car garages, 340 off‑street parking spaces, and about 10.6% open space. - Applicant: Merle Van Houten (Blackwell Homes) described reducing lot count from 92 to 85, widening front‑loaded lots to 40 feet, and providing four off‑street parking stalls per lot (exceeding code). He noted the project targets affordability below area median. - Public Testimony: Several residents spoke in favor, citing the need for entry‑level homeownership. Opponents, including Deborah Thomas and Chad Gabbert, raised concerns about small lot sizes, density, traffic, and compatibility with adjacent R1 neighborhoods. - Commission Deliberation: Commissioners discussed open‑space requirements, phasing, HOA maintenance funding, and the addition of a play structure. They amended conditions to require completion of phases 1 and 2 before phase 3, cap lots at 85 (excluding tracts), and mandate HOA maintenance of all common areas including private streets and alleys with a capital reserve fund. - Key Outcomes: - PUD approval: Motion passed 6–0. - Subdivision approval: Motion passed 6–0, subject to amended conditions. Echo Estates Annexation – Zoning Recommendation (ANX245) - Staff Report: Justin Souter presented the request for R2 zoning on two parcels (approximately 5 acres). The property is in the West Prairie Focus Area designated Medium Density Residential; R2 is an implementing zone. - Applicant: Jeremy Terzulli (on behalf of Ryan Stoker) stated the owner is open to various development types (R1, R2, or a mix) but requested R2 to align with the comprehensive plan. A concurrent subdivision application was withdrawn to gather feedback. - Public Testimony: Multiple residents opposed the annexation and R2 zoning, citing narrow Echo Drive, traffic, loss of rural character, and incompatibility with existing homes. They urged recommendation for R1 instead. - Commission Deliberation: Commissioners acknowledged the comprehensive plan’s guidance for R2 but noted traffic constraints. After debate, a motion to recommend R2 zoning to City Council passed. - Key Outcome: Motion to recommend R2 zoning approved 4–1 (Wilhelm dissenting). The recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for final annexation decision. Commissioner Comments - Commissioner Kimball requested staff review HOA funding mechanisms for capital repairs and replacement, possibly as part of the subdivision code update. - Commissioner Schlotthauer raised the duck code issue, suggesting parity with chicken regulations. - Commissioner Shriver expressed concern about the proliferation of private streets and their long‑term liability. - Commissioner Schreiber commented that density alone does not equate to affordability; impact fees play a larger role.