There was nary an empty seat at the Coeur d’Alene Planning and Zoning Commission meeting Tuesday evening, as citizens gathered in anticipation of the committee’s decision on Coeur Terre. 

Despite heated opposition from a dozen people pleading with commissioners during the four-hour meeting to weigh the impact of increased traffic and safety issues in their neighborhoods before they move forward with the project, the commissioners voted unanimously to approve Phase 1 of the development. 

“As a resident who each successive phase will directly impact, I would like you to understand that by not taking into consideration the overall impact of the master plan connections for development of this density, then we're ignoring some vital factors that this phase will directly contribute to," said resident Madelyn Knutson.

The commission approval included a residential Planned Unit Development for 595 units across a 64.12-acre site, including 170 age-restricted (62+) apartments zoned R-17, 137 single-family lots (Phase 2) zoned R-3 and R-8, and 288 multifamily apartments.

Carol Root took issue with possible traffic issues on Atlas Road. 

“I’ve lived in Indian Meadows for 23 years, and I have written you 14 letters. I’m concerned about how traffic from Coeur Terre will affect our neighborhood and all of our surrounding neighborhoods and Atlas Road,” Root said.

The Coeur d’Alene City Council in 2023 gave the green light to Coeur Terre, a major development on the outskirts of the city’s western edge.

Council members Woody McEvers, Amy Evans, Kiki Miller and Dan English voted to approve the annexation of about 440 acres from county agriculture suburban to city residential and commercial, and to approve the annexation and development agreement for Coeur Terre.

The Kootenai County Land Company is planning Coeur Terre, which calls for 2,800 housing units, businesses, shops and restaurants, parks, a church, a greenbelt, trails and land for two public schools.

The vacant land is north of Interstate 90, south of the future West Hanley Avenue extension and east of Huetter Road.

Buildout is expected to be over 20 to 30 years.

Sean Messner, with CivTech, the project's traffic engineer, addressed traffic concerns.

“We're talking 20, 30 years down the road, and that all feeds back into the city's comprehensive plan and into the regional model for improvements that are either borne by the development or in part due to the development, the impact fees would pay for city improvements," he said.

The meeting ended with a motion from Commissioner Phil Ward to approve the application.

Coeur d’Alene City Attorney Randy Adams said an appeal can be filed within 15 days of the commission's decision.

  A packed house at the Tuesday evening planning commission meeting.