COEUR d'ALENE - North Idaho College is requesting a zone change for a roughly seven-acre parcel of land inside the education corridor.

The request includes a planned unit development that places several academic buildings, a parking structure and a sports field inside the corridor along the roads being built.

"I suspect it will lay the framework for a while here," said Dave Yadon, planning director on the zone request in the area undergoing a massive facelift.

It's one of several requests the city has received in the last few years in an attempt to unify the zoning to Commercial 17 as the city, college and partnering agencies aim to develop the campus core to include commercial and mixed-use facilities, which C-17 zoning would allow.

The seven-acre parcel is just north of River Avenue, which is being rebuilt as part of around one mile's worth of infrastructure improvements, and south of the city's wastewater treatment plant.

The zone change application includes sketches of several academic buildings in the area - the tallest peaking at 84 feet - a parking garage, and the soccer and softball field.

The proposal was supposed to go before the planning commission earlier this month, but was pushed back to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8 in the Community Room of the Coeur d'Alene Public Library as the applicant worked out details, Yadon said.

Architect John Mueller, project designer, could not be reached for comment Monday.

The property is adjacent to C-17 zoning. It is currently zoned light industrial as a mill formerly operated on the property.

In June 2009, the city approved annexing two 5-acre parcels of land off the 17-acre DeArmond Mill property with C-17 zoning attached.