COEUR d'ALENE - More than 500 people showed up Thursday night for the Kootenai County commissioners' public hearing on a zone-change request for 34 acres near Silverwood Theme Park.

A developer, Dennis Swartout of Spokane, through Mort Construction of Coeur d'Alene, wants the zoning to change from rural to restricted residential so a subdivision with more than 80 lots for single-family homes can be built.

No decision on the zone-change request was made before The Press deadline.

There was such significant public interest in the zone-change request hearing that the county had to schedule the hearing at Boswell Hall at North Idaho College in the Schuler Performing Arts Center.

The subdivision, which would be located on the east side of U.S. 95 and approximately 2 miles north of Chilco Road, would have to be approved separately by the commissioners.

Two commissioners, David Stewart and Marc Eberlein, received a significant portion of their 2014 campaign contributions from Swartout and his family. Stewart and Eberlein said the money would not affect their decision on the zone change.

"I think it's important for the public to know that the two gentlemen who sit on the board in the red power ties have taken contributions from the developer for their political war chests," Paige Lewis, of Athol, told The Press. "I think it was also very obvious to the public by the questions those two gentlemen asked of the speakers that their mind is already made up in favor of said developer."

Cliff Mort of Mort Construction said the homes would not be low-income homes, disputing comments made by some opponents.

"Our motto has always been responsible development," Mort told the commissioners.

Rand Wichman, a land-use planner hired by Swartout to evaluate the 430-plus public comments submitted to the county, said only seven people who submitted public comments reviewed the actual project file documents.

"So I think there's a lot of misinformation out there," Wichman said. "I don't think a lot of folks have done their homework. It's easy to sign a sheet and check a box" in opposition to the project.

Kathlene Kolts, an attorney and a former member of the county's planning commission who spoke for a group of people opposing the proposal, said the requested zone change and planned subdivision would squeeze more than 17 dwellings into every 5 acres. That would be far more dense than most of what is currently found in the area.

"In this particular situation, I would venture to tell you that we're looking at a potential legal issue of spot zoning," Kolts told the commissioners.

Sandra Murdock, who also spoke for a group of people opposed to the project and zone change, made the commissioners a promise if they vote for approval.

"We will move forward with requesting and reviewing all public records of election funding of current and past commissioners," Murdock said. "We will review all possible open meeting law violations within the commissioners' office. And I'm sorry, but your actions may cause us to consider involving the Idaho Attorney General's Office."

The 34 acres, owned by Spokane-based Silver Hills Land and Cattle Co., is adjacent to Pine Tree Ranch subdivision and next to the Corbin Hill Estates subdivision.

If the commissioners approve the zone change, they could then deliberate on the subdivision and a conditional use permit request for a related wastewater treatment plant. Public hearings aren't required for those two components of the total project.

The wastewater treatment facility would serve the new subdivision, and North Kootenai Water and Sewer District has agreed to assume ownership, operation and maintenance of it.

The project site for the plant is south of Brunner Road between East Diagonal Road and U.S. 95.