At the Oct. 18 Planning Commission meeting in Airway Heights, there was a lot of discussion on different rezones around the city, but no action taken.
The most discussion came in the first rezone requested by the city. This rezone is about 20 acres of land located in the northwest quadrant of Airway Heights. The properties are proposed to go from R-1, single-family residential, to R-3, to accommodate the alternative housing site for the residents located south of Highway 2 and within Fairchild’s accident potential zone (APZ).
The purpose of the rezone is to allow for small lot single-family units, which are also known as a “cottage style” development.
“We have to get the density down in the APZ,” Derrick Braaton, the development services director said. “We have been working towards this for years. It is the duty of the city to provide a better quality of life for these residents. If anything ever happens there, it would be catastrophic.”
The next rezone is an approximately 7.8 acres located west of Aspen Grove Park, at 815 South Craig Road. The property currently is the West Plains Community SDA Church. It is bound by C-1, restricted commercial to the north and R-3, multi-family residential to the south. The church wants to rezone to C-2, which is general commercial and sell the land that they do not use to potential buyers, which could possibly be a grocery store.
“I think churches are beneficial to the community and this can help them out,” Sonny Weathers, commissioner said.
Two more properties, comprising about 28.23 acres, requested a rezone from C-2 to R-3. The Kalispel Tribe of Indians own the land and if it is approved by the City Council down the road, they will develop the property with residential land use. The lot is located to the east of the Kalispel 252 tribal trust property and west of Garfield Street.
The one other rezone requested by the city was for the recreation center’s 70 acres from I-1, light industrial to open space. The development of the building is not contingent upon the rezone though, as recreational facilities are permitted in the I-1.
Other items on the agenda included discussion about a new design review process that the board will most likely hold a public hearing in December.
“I am not trying to rush this, we have to get it done correctly the first time,” Braaton said. “It is similar to what other cities have done.”
The board also went over the proposed US-2 Corridor Overlay after receiving results from the community.
“We all got positive feedback,” Weathers said. “Most of the questions were when will it happen and how will you pay for it.”
Most of the information was given to the public during Airway Heights Days and Skyfest at Fairchild.
“I don’t see anything of concern other than it seems too good to be true,”Braaton added.
Grace Pohl can be reached at grace@cheneyfreepress.com.
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