By TOM GREENE Hagadone News Network

COEUR d'ALENE — With a 35,000 population, Coeur d'Alene is unusual in having high-rises already. Unusual, but not unheard of, says an urban designer who has worked with the city on several downtown projects and studies.

"It's because you have a one-of-a-kind amenity that has value," said Mark Hinshaw with Seattle-based LMN Architects.

Market areas, land values, desirability, modern technology and other reasons also factor in, he said.

"There are smaller towns seeing bigger buildings. That's a trend across the country," Hinshaw said.

Sandpoint City Council has been wrestling with a controversial amendment to its city code that would push building heights past 45 feet in designated downtown areas.

Critics say it has the potential to alter what many call the small-town, historic charm that drew them to Sandpoint in the first place.

But if they don't pass the amendment, they could lose the second-largest employer in Bonner County — Panhandle State Bank — which wants to construct a five-story community financial center.

Just how Coeur d'Alene should deal with the high-rise trend has also come to a head.

Tuesday, the City Council will discuss whether building in the downtown central business district should stop altogether until the rules are better defined — specifically, height limits.

A letter written by the planning commission to the City Council said "With the current interest in building in the downtown area and consequent risk of having views and vistas we cherish hidden behind a wall of tall buildings, and in keeping with the architectural character of downtown, we are asking you to adopt a moratorium on construction in the central business district until such time as an ordinance restricting building heights can be enacted by the City Council."

The general services committee fast-tracked the request.

City planner Dave Yadon already has a short list of urban designers the city could hire for a study on the issue that could cost as much as $40,000.

"We're talking to Mark (Hinshaw) about scope and we're also talking to other consultants," Yadon said.

Hinshaw said a study on high-rises could take from four to six months.

"It's a much more complex issue than just building heights. Height doesn't create a wall — it's the width of a building," Hinshaw said. "I think what gets people upset about heights is that gut, visceral reaction people have to it that says 'city' and some people just don't like that."

Hinshaw pointed to San Diego as an example of where buildings sprouted up that blocked the view of its bay.

"They built a convention center on the southern waterfront. Most people will tell you they don't want that to happen again," said Alexandria Elias, Centre City Development Corporation senior planner.

CCDC is the public, nonprofit corporation created by San Diego to staff and implement downtown redevelopment projects and programs. Elias said the convention center — which is bulky and blocks views — caused that city to increase detailed guidelines for building on the books.

Buildings are limited to 200 to 400 feet for the first few blocks nearest the water and there is a 500-foot height limit for high-rises.

"But that's because of the airport. Otherwise, there'd be no height limit at all. We're more concerned with width than height," Elias said. "It really depends on each city."

Sandpoint is just getting started in debating the issue.

Mark Williams, executive director of the Bonner County Economic Development Corporation, has said it's not about businesses trying to exploit the city's downtown for profit.

"We want a healthy, vibrant one that makes people want to come to it," he said in a recent interview.

Hinshaw wrote a lake district ordinance adopted by City Council last year that sets regulations for infill in the midtown district. There are height limits in that part of the city.

He said the density needs to be in the center of the city and greater height is needed to offset construction costs.

"You concentrate it in the city and then try to stair-step it," Hinshaw said.

The city's comprehensive plan already gives the height limitation that no building should exceed The Coeur d'Alene Resort at 215 feet. Downtown business owner and Lake City Development Corporation member Jim Elder thinks that's enough.

"Height restrictions are not the answer. What you'll end up doing is running off investors," Elder said. "When you're paying $20 to $30 a square foot, you've got to make that up somewhere."

Elder pointed to the 18-story Parkside building that's going to be built on Front Avenue as an example of making height work.

Miller Stauffer Architects is going to use only 31 percent of the entire footprint for the tower and it will have clipped corners. The slimmed-down version is designed to preserve view corridors, but the developers say the numbers don't crunch unless they can go higher than what current zoning allows.

"Now, you don't want a circle of buildings around McEuen Field either," Elder said. "I think that's when planning and zoning needs to be tough and encourage developers to be conscientious."

Hinshaw said Coeur d'Alene has been lucky so far with the type of development that's sprouted up. He said many times there's a disconnect between ability and developers who come from out of town and only care about the bottom line.

"You're fortunate you've got some homegrown talent," Hinshaw said. "In this case you've got both together in the same room, so to speak. Their reputation is on the line. They're going to stay in the community."

Both Sandpoint and Coeur d'Alene must try to strike a balance between height and width that accomplishes broad objectives and keeps the views open.

"You need bulk control. You don't want a bunch of squat buildings either," Hinshaw said. "That's why it's important you have standards. With these other buildings that are emerging, they need to be held to the same standard."

—Staff writer R.J. Cohn contributed to this story