Planning commission recommends C‑17L rezoning to allow daycare expansion near Kootenai Health

The Coeur d'Alene Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5‑0 on April 8 to recommend that the City Council adopt a zone change (ZC 3‑25) converting three contiguous parcels at 417, 421 and 503 W. Emma Ave. from R‑12 to C‑17L so Melrose Properties LLC can expand an existing daycare facility.

The recommendation follows a staff report that found the requested C‑17L district is compatible with the city’s comprehensive plan urban‑neighborhood place type and that city utilities and services are adequate to serve the proposed use. Planning staff noted that city policy requires sidewalk installation when development abuts existing streets: “because it is adjacent, they will be putting in the sidewalk. That’s city policy,” Planning staff member Sean said during the meeting.

The commission’s action matters because the daycare at the site, operated from a converted church, serves Kootenai Health employees and the hospital has submitted a letter supporting the expansion. Applicant representative Chris Meyer, a partner with Parkwood Business Properties, told commissioners the facility doubled available childcare slots when it opened and that Kootenai Health is “our single largest employer in the community,” adding the hospital has a waiting list of “over a 50 employees” seeking childcare slots.

Staff presented four required zone‑change findings and concluded the proposal conforms to the comprehensive plan, that public facilities are adequate, that the site’s physical characteristics are suitable, and that the change would not adversely affect the surrounding neighborhood with respect to traffic or character. The staff report noted the parcels total about 0.957 acres; staff also summarized agency comments from police, streets and engineering, fire, water and wastewater departments as indicating adequate service availability.

On traffic, the city engineer’s memo cited the Institute of Transportation Engineers trip‑generation guidance to show the existing three single‑family homes produce roughly 9.52 trips per dwelling unit (about 28–29 trips per day total), while a daycare caregiver or employee produces a much higher trips-per‑day figure; staff said the street has capacity to absorb additional trips but that curb cuts and driveway alignment would be managed by engineering to limit impacts.

Chris Meyer said the applicant has not yet finalized a site plan, parking layout or driveway locations and that a zone change does not require submission of those details; any future frontage improvements and additional development would trigger required site‑level review. Meyer also noted that the Idaho Transportation Department has announced preliminary plans to rebuild the U.S.‑95/I‑90 interchange and that potential right‑of‑way needs from that project could affect parking at the site, which partly motivated filing the zone‑change application now.

One written public comment opposing the change was read into the record; the email author, Mac McKenna of Cooney (as read by staff), wrote in part, “I disagree with proposal for a zone change ... More commercial buildings tearing down old homes, taking up more street parking and increasing both noise and traffic in a settled neighborhood is not in the best interest of the people.” Commissioners noted the objection but concluded community need for daycare and the site’s location near the hospital supported a recommendation to council.

After public testimony and commissioner discussion — during which commissioners praised the applicant’s neighborhood outreach and emphasized conditions such as sidewalk installation, tree retention and driveway alignment — Commissioner Lynn moved to recommend adoption of C‑17L; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Ingalls. The roll call vote recorded Commissioner Coppas, Commissioner Fleming, Commissioner Ingalls, Commissioner Ward and Commissioner Messina voting aye; the motion passed.

The commission’s recommendation is advisory; final zoning approval requires action by the Coeur d'Alene City Council.

Votes at a glance

ZC 3‑25 (Melrose Properties LLC): Recommendation to adopt C‑17L zoning for parcels at 417, 421 and 503 W. Emma Ave.; motion carried 5‑0 (Coppas, Fleming, Ingalls, Ward, Messina — aye). Mover: Commissioner Lynn. Second: Commissioner Ingalls. Outcome: recommendation to council to adopt C‑17L.