RATHDRUM - Concerned Rathdrum residents will have to wait longer to know what recommendation the city council will receive on a 33-acre annexation request.

About 65 people packed into City Hall Wednesday night to hear the single-family housing request before the Planning and Zoning Commission or voice concerns about the proposal directly south of Lakeland High, east of Vera Street and west of Meyer Road.

The doors to the council chambers had to be opened so those sitting in the adjacent hallway could hear testimony.

However, a recommendation from the commission to the city council on the proposal was delayed due to a public notice glitch.

Jerry Mason, city attorney, said cities are required to provide a 15-day notice on public hearings but only 14 days was allowed. The glitch was discovered just prior to the meeting.

While Mason and the commission agreed to still accept public comments at Wednesday's meeting since so many people were already there, applicant Inland Northwest Consultants is allowed to have time for a rebuttal after all the public comments are received.

The city will accept written comments at City Hall until 5 p.m. today, marking the end of the 15-day notice.

"The applicant won't know what all to rebut until (the end of today)," Mason said.

The commission will hold a special meeting Wednesday at 6 p.m. at City Hall to finish the hearing, but only INC's rebuttal to the public comments will be heard at that time. The commission could make its recommendation after the rebuttal.

Some residents said they were concerned that INC will be given five days to form a rebuttal rather than immediately after public comments as would normally be the case.

But Mason said that shouldn't be a factor in the commission making its recommendation. On the flip side, he said, it could be argued that having too much time may lead to overanalyzing things and backfire.

Mason said the decisions that were made after the glitch was discovered was intended to be out of consideration for both sides.

The city council will also hold a public hearing - likely in April - on the annex and zoning request. The council will ultimately decide the fate of the request.

The requested zoning for the vacant property, which is owned by the McGovern family, is for medium-density, single-family homes on lots of a minimum of 7,500 square feet. While it's unclear how many homes would be in the project - applicants aren't required to submit detailed plans until after annexation and zoning are approved - residents say they have heard about 125 homes under the zoning.

Five residents spoke in opposition to the request.

Steven Myers and others said traffic in that area is already bad and the project would make it worse. He said, if the project is allowed, he would prefer larger lots to ease the strain on nearby neighborhoods.

Harold Hopkins said his complaint isn't over the development itself, but the number of vehicles that park in front of his house on Liane Lane while picking up students from the North Idaho STEM Charter Academy off Meyer Road.

Dale Updike submitted a petition signed by 117 residents in opposition to the request. The petition requests that, should the proposal be approved, the developer fund a traffic study and signalized traffic lights at the intersection of Meyer and Highway 53.

"I'm not seeing a market for housing," Updike said. "This land does need developed - it's a recreational area for things not good such as fires - but I think we can do better with something we all can use such as a community center. There's not a lot for adults to do, unless you go to the bar, shoot pool or throw darts."

Larry Sanders is neutral on the request.

"I'm not opposed to growth," he said. "My concern is timing. We love our small-town feel and want to make sure that any progress is good progress."

Some residents expressed frustration that details such as greenspace, pathways and number of lots haven't been revealed, but Mason said that information is brought forth after the annexation and zoning phase.

"This is simply a step in the process," Mason said. "Nobody is going to develop unless it comes into the city, is zoned and utilities are available. It's not about a lack of transparency."

City officials said that, to their knowledge, only the McGovern family and INC are involved in the project at this point and that a developer hasn't been identified.

Steve Soltys of INC spoke briefly about the proposal, saying that it would be a logical addition to the city since it's already surrounded mostly by single-family homes and it fits with the city's comprehensive plan. He earlier said developers typically don't fund traffic studies for infill projects.

Kevin Jump, Rathdrum's public works director, concurred that the site is prime for development.

"It doesn't get any more infill than this," he said. "It is a true doughnut hole."

Lakeland School District officials said the district is not interested in the property for future expansion of Lakeland High.