Rathdrum residents support the idea of a city campus, but they don't want to pay for it through taxes or bonds.

This consensus emerged from surveys, open houses and community feedback presented by Architects West, J.U.B. Engineering and the Langdon Group, a public involvement company, to the city council on Wednesday, concerning the Rathdrum Campus project. 

“There’s a genuine need in your city for community space,” said Brad Marshall of J.U.B. Engineering and Langdon group. “Many of your larger community events are going outside of your community to have those events.”

Architects West and J.U.B. form the project team designing concepts for the new city campus. They've collaborated with city staff and the Langdon Group for months to engage with the community and create a city campus aligned with Rathdrum residents' desires.

“We got a lot of positive feedback that the idea of providing funding for this stuff was through savings rather than through bonding,” City Administrator Leon Duce said. “The number one concern was not to be asked to fund this through taxpayer dollars. So that’s what we have attempted to do. We’re trying to make sure that no matter what we do, we’re not going to raise taxes to build this facility.”

The council approved a conceptual plan that allows the city to apply for a land and water grant in January. If granted, this would partially fund the park space, with the rest of the project financed through city savings and grants.

The proposed city campus on Lancaster Avenue, situated on 30 acres of city-owned land, could include walking trails, soccer fields, parking, and, potentially, a school. It will house a new police department, community center and city hall.

“The police department will likely be a single story with basement space,” said Marcus Valentine, chief architect at Architects West. 

City functions will face south and east to maximize daylight and the police station will be on the north and west facing segment.

The silhouette of the proposed city hall and police department could mirror the silhouette of Rathdrum Mountain behind the campus. 

The style will likely be either agriculture-related or evoke the city’s history with the railway, but with modern elements like a glass entryway, Valentine said. 

The city hall and community lobby will accommodate council chambers, allowing overflow capacity for up to 70-80 people. The design will also enable the lobby to extend into the chamber seating during significant community events.

The project team collected 136 survey responses, 25 comment cards from an open house, and feedback from Rathdrum Days using interactive design boards. Community feedback influenced the design away from overly modern styles.

A steering committee of city staff, the mayor, and community representatives guided the design. The campus's size and use were designed with 30-year population projections in mind, ensuring room for future city growth without requiring new space.

The exact cost is still uncertain, Duce said, with potential options to sell property to commercial developers along Lancaster Avenue to generate revenue without burdening taxpayers.

The goal is to fund the campus using savings and grants while preserving as much land as possible for city use.

An Early concept draft of the proposed Rathdrum Campus project by Architects West. 

 

The proposed site plan for the Rathdrum Campus project by Architects West and J.U.B Engineering. The draft of the site plan was approved to pursue grants, though the plan can still be changed.