By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

HAYDEN — A controversial Hayden subdivision proposal near the Coeur d'Alene Airport is one step closer to takeoff with an approval recommendation headed to the City Council.

Hayden's Planning and Zoning Commission voted 3-2 on Monday night to recommend the City Council approve Viking Construction's 19.8-acre Carrington Meadows subdivision with 52 single-family lots north of Hayden Avenue about a half mile west of Atlas Road just south of the airport.

The decision came at the end of a four-hour meeting attended by a standing-room-only crowd of 45 at Hayden City Hall.

Ten attendees — mostly pilots — spoke in opposition to the proposal, saying it is dangerously close to the airport runways within distances where airplane accidents have occurred across the country and could hurt economic development at the airport.

Commission Chairman Brian Petersen said he recommended approval because he believes the proposal meets the requirements of city code.

"We don't get to pick what the rules are," he said, adding the city engineer believes the developer can meet the infrastructure standards.

Commission members John Gentry and Margaux Spendlove also recommended approving the subdivision. Chris Martin and Michael Cramer voted against Petersen's motion. Member Alan Davis was not present.

Cramer said he would have liked to see more data to ensure Viking's plans to construct a regional sewer lift station at the site will be sufficient.

The City Council will consider the subdivision proposal on a date to be determined as soon as April 11.

Two attendees — Wendell Olson and Scott Krajack, both of Viking Construction — filled out forms in support of the proposal.

"Jeopardizing the airport was never my intent," said Olson, the company's owner. "We had sign off from the airport when we went through this process to make sure everything we did would not affect the airport."

The proposal also included a pocket park and commercial lot. Viking also owns 60 acres to the north and west of the 19.8-acre site it plans to develop.

Viking increased the light industrial buffer on the north edge of the property from 250 to 350 feet and plans an aviation easement on the property. The easement will be text on the plat that will inform home purchasers the airport is nearby.

But pilots, including Scott Keller, are floored that residential would be approved roughly half a mile from a runway and a few blocks from a sewage treatment plant.

Keller, who owns a Viking home, and others believe the subdivision will set a bad precedent of housing too close to the airport.

"If you want to choke off and kill an airport, you start a residential development," he said. "It's a slow death and everyone else piles on. I have great admiration for Viking, but they are dead wrong with this one."

Pilot Greg Cook said he believes the proposal isn't a planning issue, but a zoning issue.

"One of the greatest threats to airports is incompatible land uses," he said.

Engineer Ray Kimball, who represents Viking, said the company has worked with city staff and within city and county plans to meet the standards.