COEUR d'ALENE - Some proposals warrant a first-hand look.

After absorbing five hours of testimony at a public hearing Thursday evening, Kootenai County commissioners voted unanimously around 11 p.m. to table testimony so they could conduct a site visit on a proposed Hayden Lake subdivision.

"I want to see the site," said Commissioner Jai Nelson during the hearing in the county Administration Building.

It was a long night leading up to the vote on Hemlock Hills subdivision, as passionate neighbors, planning experts and engineers gave their opinions.

The subdivision, proposed by Coeur d'Alene businessman Chris Cheeley, would include 34 lots and seven open spaces on 45 acres, fronted by Upper and East Hayden Lake roads.

Testimony veered in different directions, including easement disputes and worries that building on the property would result in landslides and increase heavy traffic on Hayden Lake Road.

Through it all, Cheeley and several consulting firms affirmed that solid planning would see this project through safely and smoothly.

"I've spared no expense over the past six years," said Cheeley, owner of A Thousand Hills, LLC and Phones Plus. "I want this little (development) to be something which both I and the community can be proud."

Opponents of the project spoke of their concerns that construction on the steep-sloped property would lead to erosion and landslides, as has occurred with past projects in the area.

"That's why we're concerned. Because we don't want this to happen again," said Joanne Zupan, who included photos of recent landslides, including one on Upper Hayden Lake Road a few months ago.

Others worried about the extra traffic the development would add to Hayden Lake Road, which some said is already too congested.

"It is a major traffic hazard," said Joy Cassidy, who lives within 300 feet of Hayden Lake Road. "In the summer it's bam, bam, bam by my house every second (with cars passing by)."

Consultants representing Cheeley said these problems could be managed.

Spokespeople from Allwest Testing and Engineering assured that two geotechnical studies and 20 test pits confirmed that specific building techniques would provide stable home sites on the slopes.

"There are enough tests on the site that I'm confident the lots can be built," said Chris Beck, principle engineer with Allwest.

Stormwater experts assured that swales and trenches would be installed to catch runoff.

Spokespeople from Welch Comer Engineers said a traffic study showed the subdivision wouldn't heavily impact Hayden Lake Road's capacity.

Cheeley said he has agreed with Lakes Highway District to fund improvements on Hayden Lake Road, too, including signage upgrades and guard rail installation.

"There are problems with Hayden Lake Road, and I will be part of the solution," Cheeley said.

The hearing saw much back-and-forth over Cheeley's use of Red Hawk Trail, a private road he plans to use to access a 120,000-gallon reservoir to be constructed for the development.

Cheeley said he has three easements that allow him access along Red Hawk Trail.

But Red Hawk resident Bob Boyd denied that the easement across his property can apply to large development purposes. His neighbor, Stacey Bonilla, also denied that an easement existed across her property at all.

Cheeley said that one of his easements dating back to 1992 grants him unrestricted access.

But he and his attorney, Janet Robnett, conceded the document is poorly written and incomplete. Cheeley was willing to improve the road to gain access from residents living near the road.

"Without that (reservoir), nothing's getting built," Cheeley said.

The hearing ended past Press deadline on Thursday night.

The commissioners scheduled a site visit on the property at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 20. The commissioners will open public testimony, only about the site visit, at 9 a.m. on June 23.