COEUR d'ALENE - The Coeur d'Alene City Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously on an amendment to Hagadone Hospitality's 1983 planned unit development for The Coeur d'Alene Resort grounds.

The proposal came after the city approached Hagadone Hospitality in August, asking if the company wanted to partner on a project to close Front Avenue between Second and Third streets.

The Resort currently uses that portion of the road for deliveries, but the city voted to close it for public safety purposes in January.

"In January the city council approved the closure of Front Street from Second to Third," said John Barlow, who is managing the project for Hagadone Hospitality. "During the summer and over the last few months, we have been approached by the city and the city's design staff to see if we would want to get involved with the improvements that need to be done."

The city voted to close that section of road to eliminate traffic and pedestrian conflicts, and improve pedestrian and bicycle connectivity between McEuen Park and City Park.

Barlow said his company agreed to work with the city and also committed about $1 million to the project to help the transitional area blend with the new makeover of McEuen Park.

"Part of our commitment was, if we are going to be involved, it needs to be done right," Barlow said.

Complicating the issue, half of the city project would be done on city property and half would be done on Resort property.

The hearing Tuesday night was to amend The Resort's planned unit development (PUD) agreement with the city to accommodate the jointly planned project. The city's portion of the project was not a part of the planning commission decision.

Earlier this month, City Engineer Gordon Dobler said during a city council meeting that the project would be done with or without the help from Hagadone Hospitality.

The difference he said was largely aesthetic because the city had just enough money to accommodate a simple closure with expanded sidewalks.

The agreement with Hagadone Hospitality, Dobler told the council, would greatly improve safety and beautify the area at no additional cost to the city.

Part of the project would realign the trails cutting through The Resort property, and remove the round parking lot at the clock tower.

"The original PUD allowed for a restaurant on that corner of our property," Barlow said referring to the parking lot. "A round parking lot was put into the plan to accommodate that restaurant."

Barlow said there are no longer plans for a restaurant on the property, so Hagadone Hospitality proposed removing the parking lot at its own expense to increase green space.

The amendment also proposed the removal of several trees along Sherman Avenue, Second Street and Front Avenue; a proposal that the city's Urban Forestry Committee approves of, Barlow said.

Barlow explained the original PUD was all about "protecting the views and the vistas" of the waterfront. He showed slides of how the sculpted maple trees around The Resort are now blocking those views and vistas.

"Every time you saw the trees, notice you saw nothing behind the trees," he said. "What has happened with them is that they are bigger, and their shape is not what was intended when we originally had the objective of views and vistas."

Simply put, Barlow said the plan creates more public space, it enhances the views and vistas and the proposal helps pedestrians move through the area in a safe manner.

"That's our proposal. It is a city project, and we are here to help," Barlow said. "It happens that a lot of the work is within our PUD, and that would have to be amended for that to be accomplished."

Several people commented on the project saying they felt there should have been more time for the public to comment on the proposal. Barlow responded later saying he has worked with several city committees in public meetings to work out the details, and the project has been working through the public process since August.

John Bruning of the North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation said his organization supported the proposal, but would prefer that the trail across The Resort grounds be expanded from 14 feet to 16 feet.

Dobler said that he has met with the foundation and understands the desire for the wider trail, but the goal for the project was safety, and felt that keeping the trail at 14 feet would calm pedestrian and bicycle traffic in the heavily congested area.

The issue became key in the commission's discussion when it came time to vote. Complicating the issue was that part of the proposed trail was located on Resort property, but the majority of the trail was located on city right-of-way.

Commissioner Peter Luttropp wondered if the commission could make the widening of the trail a condition of approval.

Deputy City Attorney Warren Wilson said the commission could make that condition, but the commission decided against that after further discussion.

Luttropp was also concerned the commission's actions would bind the city council on what it decided to do with its portion of the project.

Wilson explained that if the commission decided to approve the amendment, the city council would still be able to do what it wants on its property regardless.

Luttropp said he would have preferred the city to approve plans on its part of the project before The Resort's proposal came before the commission for approval.

Commissioner and Councilwoman-elect Amy Evans said she liked the project. She struggled a bit on the width of the trail, but said she understood safety concerns.

"I am trying to get to a comfort level there," Evans said. "I am comfortable with increasing the green space by removing the parking lots."

Commissioner Rob Haneline said he was comfortable with trail width.

"I think the city engineer has done his homework and citing information and his involvement with other groups," he said. "From my perspective I am comfortable with it."

Evans made a motion to approve the amendment with two conditions. One was to soften a curve on the Centennial Trail, and to remove the possibility of the restaurant that prompted the original construction of the round parking lot.

The amendment was approved, and is final unless it is appealed to the city council. Dobler said the city will be discussing its portion of the project in upcoming council meetings.