COEUR d'ALENE - Many Coeur d'Alene residents are objecting to a proposal to build an assisted living facility across from a middle school they say is already garnering dangerous amounts of traffic.

"We are happy and content with what they want to put in there," said Andrew Brake, a homeowner near Woodland Middle School. "But the issue stands that this is not going to be conducive to what's going on already."

Coeur d'Alene School District 271, selling the property to the project applicants, insists the facility would be a good fit, however.

And the applicants say their goal would be to promote coordination between students and the facility's elderly residents.

"In looking for a piece of property for a new development, that's exactly what we were looking for, by a school in a subdivision, because this is a residential facility," said Post Falls resident Valeri Glauser, who is pursuing the project with her husband, Ron, and their partners, Fred and Mindy Weber of Coeur d'Alene.

The Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene couples have requested through the city of Coeur d'Alene a zone change from R-1 to R-8 (one residential unit per acre to 8 units per acre), and a minimal care facility special use permit to build the facility on a 5.7-acre parcel at 2101 St. Michelle Drive.

The property is across the street from Woodland Middle School.

The project narrative states that the facility would include five homes, an administration building and a storage building. It could accommodate 80 residents and supply 40 full-time jobs.

"We think it's a fabulous addition to the subdivision there, as well as the school," said Valeri, who confirmed the applicants are purchasing the property from the Coeur d'Alene School District, the purchase pending a short plat approval.

The applicants wanted to provide housing for the area's aging population, she said, with close access to health care, a housing subdivision and a school so residents feel connected to the community and can interact with students, by attending school plays or having kids volunteer.

"Having students be a part of these residents' lives really is an advantageous situation," Valeri said, adding that the applicants had such success with The Four Seasons assisted living facility they designed across from Coeur d'Alene High School.

But more than 100 individuals have submitted notices to the city reading that they object to the proposal.

Brake, who has knocked on hundreds of doors to enlighten folks about the project, said the chief concern is that the facility could compound the traffic congestion that clogs up St. Michelle Drive in front of Woodland twice a day.

"It literally becomes gridlock. You've got kids running into the middle of traffic," he said, adding that an emergency vehicle would have difficulty accessing the facility through that.

Mike Bacon, who lives around the corner from Woodland, worries the facility's proposed ingress and egress on St. Michelle will deposit vehicles of facility visitors, doctors, staff and food providers onto the thoroughfare.

"It's already a safety issue now," Bacon said of the traffic. "My concern is, what is the safety of one child? What is the price of that?"

It's also possible the rezone will allow less attractive entities to spring up if this project falls through, he said.

Anne Sedgwick, who lives in the Fairway Forest subdivision by the school, said some are also concerned about the facility impacting the subdivision's aesthetics and property values.

"I think if it were half the size of it that they were proposing, it wouldn't be as objectionable," she said. "It's just out of character for the neighborhood."

Valeri said she has not observed the traffic to be that egregious on St. Michelle. The applicants will be discussing traffic issues with school officials, however.

"If there's anything we can do, we'll work with the community to help the situation," she said.

Woodland Principal Chris Hammons said any traffic increase near a school is a concern, but he doubts the facility will bring much more.

"We would probably have to work closely looking at possibly using crosswalks," he said. "We also see this as an opportunity to provide some community service opportunities, in student connections with the elderly."

Hazel Bauman, superintendent of the Coeur d'Alene School District, wrote to the city that Four Seasons has been a good neighbor to the district, and expects the same of this project.

The city's Planning and Zoning Commission held a hearing on the proposal last week. The group approved the permit and recommended approval for the zone change in a 3-1 vote.

"Generally what I was hearing from (the commission) was that use is probably compatible with the surrounding area," said commission Chair Brad Jordan.

The proposed rezone will go before the City Council on Feb. 21. If the council rejects the zone change, the approved permit will be canceled.