COEUR d’ALENE — The Coeur d’Alene Planning Commission on Tuesday denied a request for special use permits in a light manufacturing zoning district.

By a 4-3 vote, the commission turned down Azzardo LLC’s request for six activity uses — three service activities and three commercial activities — on a 1.2-acre vacant piece of land at 3912 Schreiber Way.

Several commissioners said the proposal was too open-ended and lacked specifics.

“I kind of feel what we’re doing here is almost creating a separate zoning district for this particular parcel because they can do anything that fits into those categories,” said Commissioner Peter Ward.

Commissioner Sarah McCracken agreed, calling the proposal, “very broad.”

She said approving special-use permits without knowing the actual intended uses involved, “does seem a little backward.”

According to a staff report, the service activities could include profit-oriented sports, personal service and professional and administrative offices.

Commercial activities listed included business supply retail sales, food and beverage stores and speciality retail sales.

The applicant is proposing construction of a two-story building, according to architect David Shrontz.

The property “is designated in the Comprehensive Plan as an area containing a mix of commercial, manufacturing and residential uses,” according to the special-use permit request. “The new occupant will maintain the mixed-use character of the neighborhood to an area containing Industrial, Warehouse, retail and office buildings.”

It went on to state, "The two-story building will be similar in size and height to multiple adjacent buildings and its architectural style will blend well with the existing buildings on Schreiber Way. The site and landscape design will allow for ample parking, limiting overflow on to Schreiber Way.“

According to a staff report, “This area is an eclectic area containing an array of uses including: civic, manufacturing, commercial and service.” It said a number of special-use permits have been approved in the area.

But resident Steve Jennings, during public comment, said from everything described as potential uses in the request, it could be talking about a strip mall.

"I would like to narrow it down to exactly what’s going in there,” he said.

Commissioners noted that while much of the area is designated light-manufacturing, many businesses operating there are essentially commercial operations.

Ward said if the commission gave an open-handed approval, “I’d feel more like a marketing consultant rather than a zoning consultant."

McCracken said they could be circumventing the public comment process by giving their OK without more information.

Commissioner Jon Ingalls said when he initially read the proposal, he questioned why the applicant was not being specific.

“A lot of times there's a reason in the business process you don’t divulge everything,” he said.

He noted the area already has uses such as eye care, beer, wine, swimming and police.

Ingalls said he was not "hung up" on the open nature of the proposal.

“Any combination there fits the eclectic uses already there,” he said.

Commissioners Mark Coppess, McCracken, Peter Luttropp and Ward voted yes to deny to the request, while commissioner Lyn Fleming, Ingalls and Chair Tom Messina voted no.

Because the request was denied without prejudice, it can be brought back to the commission at any time.