RATHDRUM - For years, the city heard little vocal opposition as it pursued access to its 556 acres on Rathdrum Mountain to create recreational opportunities.

But now, with access in hand, concerns have mounted during the public input campaign.

Ed Young, who served on the city council in the early 1980s, said this region already has ample recreation offerings and developing the site would destroy wildlife habitat and be a magnet for public-induced problems.

"We already have more than 50 lakes and streams all over the place," Young said. "You'd get people coming in and setting up (makeshift) homes. That's what gets invited when you do something like this in a town area."

Last year, during a tour of the mountain site with local officials, Mayor Vic Holmes said he hadn't heard any concerns about possibly lightly developing the property, other than from adjacent landowners.

An open house in which people can ask questions about the site or planning process - and provide input on how the land should be managed and utilized - will be held on June 16 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Lakeland High School, 7006 W. Highway 53.

No formal presentations are scheduled. Representatives from the city will be available to answer questions, provide information and receive comments. The open house will be an informal setting and people are welcome to attend any time during the three hours.

"With ownership of this beautiful piece of property, the city has an obligation to manage the property in a way that best serves the community," said Brett Boyer, city administrator. "We understand there are a number of ideas and concerns associated with opening up the land to public use. We want to use this opportunity to answer any questions members of the public may have and provide feedback for the mayor and city council to make decisions."

Boyer said part of the process is exploring if people's concerns can be addressed. He said law enforcement doesn't believe the site will attract homeless people because Rathdrum doesn't offer the services for such a population that larger cities along freeways do. Boyer said community groups have also offered to help maintain the site.

"This is a quality of life issue," he said. "We're asking the citizens it they want to use the property for low-impact, low-cost uses for land that's already paid for. It is a city asset that's not being used other than a selective harvest every 12 years."

With residents' monthly water bills, the city last week sent information on an online citizen survey about the mountain site and city parks. The survey can be accessed through June 26. Rathdrum residents who don't have online access can stop by City Hall for a hard copy of the survey.

Boyer said the city wants to ensure it is targeting only city residents with the survey at this point since they are the ones who own the property, but it's possible the survey could be open to the general public after June 26.

Boyer said if there's interest from the public in taking a tour of the mountain site, they should call him at 687-0261. The site is not open to the public, although a selective timber harvest is underway. The harvest, which provides income to the city and could be used to fund improvements to the site if it's developed, is part of a routine forest management plan and is not the result of the city gaining access to the site, city officials said.

The city spent $36,059 on attorney fees to gain access to the property. City officials said while they've eyed the site for years for possible low-impact recreation opportunities that would help create a vibrant community, they want city residents to make the final determination on the future of the property. Hence, the public input process was launched and the city signed a $19,400 contract with The Langdon Group, a subsidiary of JUB Engineers Inc., to shepherd that effort and provide a report that summarizes the findings. Stakeholder interviews were held in May.

Young said he has concerns with both the process and developing the site. He said several people he knows didn't know about the mountain process and he wonders if the future of the site has been pre-determined.

"I didn't even know about the survey until somebody told me about it," he said. "Nobody reads the gobbledygook that comes with your utility bills. I think they should lower rates instead of bring up things about how great they are and what they're doing."

Last year the city gained access to its site after a nearly 20-year fight with adjacent landowners. The Post Falls Highway District validated Barrett Drive, formerly named Foster Road, as a county road, allowing the city to have access to its mountain site. Barrett leads to the city's property.

The site includes streams, giant cedar trees and dirt Forest Service roads. Some areas offer partial views of Rathdrum and the Rathdrum Prairie. Spring Creek on the mountain feeds into City Park year-round.

Information about the Rathdrum Mountain project, including frequently asked questions and a map, are available at www.rathdrum.org.