The Post Falls City Council on Dec. 2 approved the annexation of roughly 18.11 acres at Maguire Road and Poline Avenue (file ANX-25-4) and rezoned the site R2 with a restriction to detached single-family homes, following extensive public testimony both for and against the proposal.

Planning staff presented the proposal as a medium-density annexation consistent with the West Prairie focus area. Justin Souder, planning staff, said the city can serve sewer and that the project aligns with the transportation master plan and anticipated roadway widenings, noting that sanitary sewer capacity is available and that future subdivision will require full urban improvements. “We have the capacity to provide service and the willingness to provide service at the requested density,” Souder said during the presentation.

Supporters—local residents and developers—said the project will provide entry-level, owner-occupied homes and bring needed right-of-way dedications and pedestrian connections. Applicant representative Ray Kimball told the council the developer will fund frontage and utility work and stressed local development experience; he also said most locally built lots become owner-occupied rather than corporate rentals. “The vast majority… of the properties that I’ve helped develop go to owner-occupied, single-family home buyers,” Kimball said.

Opponents raised multiple concerns, citing traffic and safety at the nearby rail crossing, potential strain on emergency services, the loss of rural character, risks to the Rathdrum Prairie aquifer from increased impervious area and skepticism that the homes would be affordable to local workers. Resident Michael Gardner, citing an analysis presented at the hearing, said R2 density would substantially increase stormwater runoff and nitrate load compared with the existing septic systems, a point staff and applicant disputed as requiring detailed design and mitigation at subdivision.

Council members weighed competing priorities: retaining rural character versus the strategic value of securing rights-of-way, extending utilities and creating pedestrian connections. City Engineer Robert Paul summarized traffic capacity findings presented to the council, noting current traffic counts on Maguire of roughly 3,000–4,500 daily trips and a theoretical segment capacity over 12,000 trips per day, and that Maguire is expected to be widened in the long-term plan.

A motion to approve the annexation passed; council then adopted R2 zoning while adding a restriction that only detached single-family residences be allowed on the annexed land. Staff were directed to prepare the final annexation ordinance and zoning documents for publication. The council record shows motions, seconding and roll-call approval; exact vote tallies were recorded in the meeting minutes as “motion passes.”

Next steps: staff will prepare the final ordinance and the applicant will proceed to subdivision review, where infrastructure details, stormwater mitigation and any required right-of-way dedications will be addressed.