Post Falls planning commission approves 18‑lot McKinley Meadows cottage‑home project after debate over parking, traffic and flooding

The Post Falls Planning & Zoning Commission on May 12 approved the McKinley Meadows special use permit, planned‑unit development and subdivision, clearing the way for an 18‑lot cottage‑home community on roughly 2.68 acres at the end of Montgomery Place.

Justin, an associate planner, told the commission the project (case files SUP‑26‑3, PUD‑26‑1 and SUBD‑26‑3) proposes 17 new cottage home lots plus one existing home and would be served by an extension of the city water main from Chase Road and by the city sanitary sewer. He said the layout provides roughly 15% open space (about 18,000 square feet) to qualify for a modest density increase; staff estimated the development would raise local vehicle trips from roughly 200 to about 300–350 per day but remain well under the city threshold of 1,200 trips per day.

The applicant, Scott MacArthur of MacArthur Engineering, described the proposal as an attainable housing product for “our workforce, for our parents, for our children, veterans, and seniors,” and said the Post Falls School District has granted a preliminary access agreement to extend water through the school property. Builder Noah Stam described similar cottage‑home projects the team has delivered and said the product helps first‑time buyers: “they can finally buy a house,” he said.

Many neighbors opposed the plan during public comment, presenting three recurring concerns. Residents described frequent school bus activity and said a roughly doubled household count on the cul‑de‑sac would increase traffic and reduce safety for children; Anna Spooner, a nearby parent, said that “adding 18 cars that are going to be coming and going all the day is going to make the street less safe for my kiddos.” Several speakers said parts of the neighborhood have a documented history of localized flooding and questioned whether the development’s grading and drainage would exacerbate ponding in low areas. Multiple commenters also said the lot’s historic covenants (CC&Rs) were handled poorly during the landowner’s sale negotiations; neighbors alleged they were encouraged to sign instruments under the belief that doing so would prevent formation of a broader HOA. The applicant responded that the CC&Rs are a civil matter and told the commission the CC&Rs referenced in public comment had been vacated; the applicant also said that a recorded easement for the water main and agreements for emergency ingress/egress will be completed before platting.

Commissioners debated competing policy goals — neighborhood character and safety versus the city’s need for more diverse, attainable housing. Several commissioners voiced concern that the proposed layout places a relatively dense cluster of small lots at the end of a cul‑de‑sac with limited on‑street parking. The commission required a condition to reduce spillover parking risk: each lot must provide a minimum 16‑foot‑wide driveway so two vehicles can be parked without overhanging the street. City engineer Robert Paul answered a commissioner question about pressure changes from the water extension, saying any pressure shift would be minor — “a PSI or two.”

The commission approved the special use permit on a 4–2 roll call (Stephenson, Block, Kimble and Schlethauer in favor; Shriber and Carrie opposed). The PUD passed 5–1 after the commission adopted PUD conditions and the driveway requirement. The subdivision was approved in the final vote. Staff was directed to prepare written findings and the plat is conditioned on standard engineering and recording requirements, the water‑main easement agreement with the school district and final stormwater and grading plans.

What happens next: the approvals are conditional on completion of required engineering, recording of the water easement and final platting conditions. The applicant must satisfy the city’s stormwater, grading and construction requirements, and the HOA documents and maintenance responsibilities required by the PUD must be recorded before final plat approval.

— Reporting: Justin (associate planner) presented project technical findings; applicant Scott MacArthur and builder Noah Stam represented the proposal; Robert Paul (city engineer) provided engineering input. The commission adopted several staff conditions and added a 16‑foot driveway requirement to reduce on‑street parking spillover.