Kootenai County hears Post Falls AOI maps as residents raise concerns about notice, sewer costs and annexation

Kootenai County commissioners on Dec. 18 heard a multi-hour presentation from Post Falls staff and dozens of public commenters on ORA25-0009, the proposed “area of city impact” (AOI) maps that will define where cities and the county coordinate planning and where annexation may be more likely.

Community Development Director David Callahan told the board the principal effect of the proposed maps and the accompanying text amendments will be to reduce the degree of city regulation that currently applies in many places, because county land-use rules will govern in the AOI unless a city’s later text amendments say otherwise. "An area of impact map does not require annexation," Callahan said, adding that staff sent roughly 4,500 postcards notifying owners and entered public responses into the record.

Warren Wilson, Deputy City Administrator for Post Falls, outlined the city’s approach to drawing AOI boundaries under the recent state law changes. He said AOIs now focus on parcels "very likely to be annexed within the next five years," are limited to locations within two miles of city limits, and should reflect where utilities…