Rathdrum planning commission recommends approval of Meyer Meadows 71‑lot preliminary plat amid water and easement concerns

The City of Rathdrum Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend that the City Council approve the Meyer Meadows preliminary long plat, a proposed 71‑lot subdivision on about 21 acres, with the recommended conditions in the staff report.

The proposal would subdivide the residential portion of the previously approved Meyer Lancaster annexation into 71 single‑family lots — 33 in the R‑1 zone and 38 in the R‑2S zone — with minimum lot sizes set by the annexation conditions (R‑1 minimum about 10,000 square feet; R‑2S minimum 8,500 square feet). The applicant and staff told the commission the plat meets the code criteria for long subdivisions, that proposed streets will be public and built to city standards, and that the developer will construct the full Radcliffe Street across the project, rather than the half‑street the city would normally require.

The commission heard roughly a dozen public comments before closing the hearing. Neighbors raised three recurring concerns: loss of a 60‑foot utility/access easement shown on older surveys, removal of trees and wildlife habitat, and impacts on the local water supply and pressure as the area develops.

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