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Kootenai County offers cities option of joint workshops to review Areas of Impact
Summary
Community Development told commissioners six cities want workshops to discuss Areas of Impact boundaries; Stateline requested a formal AOI and is scheduled for a May public hearing. Commissioners asked staff to schedule joint sessions in May or June and to tie discussion to the comp plan.
Ben Tarbutton, a planner with Community Development, told the Kootenai County Board of Commissioners that several municipalities have asked to continue dialogue about Areas of Impact (AOI) boundaries rather than accept the board’s December decision.
"At this point, I've heard from six cities—Harrison, Dalton Gardens, Hayden Lake, Rathdrum, Athol and Hauser—that would like to go the workshop option," Tarbutton said. He added that Stateline has asked to establish an AOI consistent with the board’s earlier decision and is scheduled for a public hearing on May 14.
The board discussed whether to offer individual city meetings or hold a joint workshop. Commissioner Logan said he supported combining the sessions and suggested using the time to connect AOI discussions to the county’s comprehensive plan. "I would like that — we can have a little bit of a conversation about the comp plan too during those discussions," he said.
The chair noted the board originally set an 1/8‑mile AOI boundary in part to avoid giving property owners the perception that they would be annexed automatically by nearby cities, and urged cities to be judicious in proposing expanded AOIs.
County staff said they will contact the interested cities to schedule the workshops, aiming for May or June when commissioners expect greater availability. Tarbutton will coordinate calendar options and provide notice to the board and participating cities.
Next steps: staff will confirm dates and whether the county will host a combined workshop or individual sessions; Stateline remains slated for a public hearing in mid‑May.
