Rv Park Opponents Speak Out Some Fear Developer Will Disturb Old Cda Landfill

About 30 opponents of a proposed recreational vehicle park on Blackwell Island crowded City Hall Tuesday night to criticize the project.

Several said they fear city taxpayers will be liable if developers disturb an old city landfill on the island.

“I think it’s reckless to allow disturbance of that earth without knowing what’s down there,” said Jeffrey Coulter. “If the (RV) project fails, who’s going to clean this mess up?”

Spokane developer Mark Hall wants 220 RV pads on 30 acres and a convention center and store on another 10 acres. He requested annexation so he can hook the park up to Coeur d’Alene’s sewer system.

“Will you contribute to making Coeur d’Alene a concrete city?” Ryan Rickerts asked the council. “We don’t want another RV park. We are sick of pavement and houses.”

The crowd was so large that people were sitting on the floor and standing outside the chambers, straining to hear what was going on inside.

Hayden Lake resident Peter Cooper suggested that the land be condemned, purchased, and used for public recreation.

The City Council was still hearing testimony against annexation of the 40-acre site late Tuesday. The council planned to vote on zoning for the site and on whether to direct city staff to develop an annexation agreement with the landowners.

A vote on the annexation agreement will take place at a future meeting.

The park did have several supporters at Tuesday’s meeting.

“It’s a dump,” said Mark Anderson. “What are you going to do with a dump? An RV park would make it so you could use it for something.”

Don Morris, owner of a 38-foot RV, said the Coeur d’Alene area can’t host RV gatherings because there isn’t enough high-quality space.

“Tourism is the number one industry in this area,” he said. “We need a first-class motorhome RV park in this area.”

, DataTimes