COEUR d'ALENE - The Coeur d'Alene City Council is expected to make the final decision Tuesday on zoning for land the city plans to purchase from BNSF Railway Co.

The 9.6-acre strip that runs along the Spokane River from the Mill River subdivision to the Bellerive neighborhood near Riverstone is now in the county and industrially zoned.

The city's Planning Commission unanimously approved the C-17 zoning request following a March 10 public hearing. Planning Commission members confirmed the zoning conforms with the city's comprehensive plan and aligns the land's zoning with existing nearby property uses.

"A key issue is, it is going to be used for open space or public use or traded for something equal or better," said commission member Jon Ingalls, during the hearing.

C-17 zoning allows as many as 17 units per acre.

"It seemed to be the most appropriate fit because we are zoning it with what is consistent with our comprehensive plan and with the surrounding property," said City Attorney Warren Wilson. "At the end of the day it will most likely be city property, but that's contingent on potential trades with developers."

Wilson added that, because the particular area is a linear corridor, there are no plans for developing it into anything other than a path for cyclists and pedestrians. However, if the city swaps land with a neighboring property owner - which Wilson said it could do to acquire land closer to the Spokane River - they could potentially incorporate the area into a larger project.

"It could be commercial, or multi-family," Wilson said. "That's really up to the folks around us, and at this point I don't know what their plans would be."

Any plans to swap land with a neighboring developer would have to first go through a public hearing process during a council meeting, Wilson said.

The city is planning to purchase a total of 20 acres from BNSF Railway. Acquisition of the property is critical to the city's plan to develop the Spokane River corridor. The sale is expected to be completed later this spring.

Under the purchasing agreement with BNSF, the city will pay $1,016,273 for the land not in the two Lake City Development Corp. districts. LCDC will pay $1,483,727 for the railroad property that lies in its two districts, and the purchase is expected to be completed no later than May 28.

A public hearing on the zoning request will be held during the Coeur d'Alene City Council's 6 p.m. meeting Tuesday in the Community Room of the Coeur d'Alene Public Library.