Rathdrum planning panel recommends zoning change for proposed city hall site

The Rathdrum Planning & Zoning Commission voted to recommend that the city council approve a zoning map amendment for a roughly 30-acre, city-owned parcel at the northeast corner of Lancaster and Radcliffe Street to accommodate a new city hall, police station and public park.

The recommendation, made during a public hearing, would change the southern 365 feet of the site to C-1 general commercial (to provide commercial frontage on Lancaster) and rezone the remainder to P (Public Use) for municipal facilities and parkland. The motion passed on a roll-call vote of the commissioners present: Ken (Aye), Nick (Yes), Nina (Aye), Cindy Bessey (Yes), and Larry Devereux (Aye).

Why it matters: the parcel is city-owned and already identified in the city's adopted future land-use map for public uses, so the change would implement the comprehensive plan and allow the city to proceed toward developing municipal buildings and recreation facilities on the site.

Staff summary and scope James, the city planner, told commissioners the property was annexed into Rathdrum by ordinance 341 in the early 1990s and purchased by the city in September 2015 for the expressed purpose of constructing a new city hall. James said the property is currently zoned R-2 (medium-density residential) and staff recommended rezoning the southern frontage to C-1 and the balance to the public-use district. He said the future land-use map already designates the property as public use, so no separate comprehensive-plan analysis was required for consistency.

The staff materials and assessment were posted on the city website for about two weeks before the hearing. James and other staff described conditions the city would seek for the commercial frontage, including a list of disallowed uses intended to protect adjacent residential and park uses. The list of excluded uses presented by staff included adult-oriented businesses, automobile and heavy-vehicle dealerships, large warehouses, quick-lube/automotive repair uses, and dog/kennel boarding operations, among others.

Public comment and applicant One resident, Bruce Frank of North Zodiac Loop, asked whether parks facilities shown in the concept layout would include a basketball court and whether it would be lighted. Staff and commissioners told the resident that the park program had not been finalized, the schematic shown in materials was conceptual for scale, and that park amenities would be developed later by the parks department with additional public review. Staff also noted city park hours currently include a 10 p.m. curfew.

What happens next The commission's recommendation will go to the Rathdrum City Council for its decision; the staff noted the council will hold the required public hearings (the transcript shows the next scheduled council hearing was on Jan. 8). If council approves the zoning amendment, subsequent design and subdivision steps would follow to implement the city hall, police station and park.

Details and context - Property owner: City of Rathdrum (purchased September 2015). - Approximate site area: ~30 acres. - Proposed zoning: southern 365 feet to C-1 (general commercial); balance to P (Public Use). - Disallowed uses (staff-recommended conditions): adult-oriented businesses, automobile/truck/RV/marine dealerships, department stores/large warehouses, automotive repair/quick-lube, dog boarding/day cares, and several other uses listed in the staff report. - Relevant city code: Rathdrum City Code Title 15, Chapter 4 (zoning districts); the site's future land-use designation is public use in the comprehensive plan.

Commissioners and staff said the decision implements the comprehensive plan and the city's prior acquisition intent; the planning commission forwarded a recommendation of approval to the city council by roll call vote.