Council tables church rezone
SANDPOINT — A local developer’s plan to rezone the former St. Joseph’s Catholic Church for commercial use was shot down at last week’s City Council meeting, marking the second time in six months the plan has been denied.
The proposal, put forward by developer Bruce Pedersen, looks to change the 100-year-old church’s current Residential B zone to the more intense Commercial D.
The council remanded the proposal to the Planning Commission in August with guidance to limit the site’s possible uses and create a development agreement.
Without specifying his exact intentions for the Oak Street property, Pedersen signed a development agreement limiting the site’s permitted uses. Under the agreement, Pedersen would be forbidden from using the location for, among other things, selling alcohol, automobiles, plumbing supplies or gasoline, all of which are normally permitted under the Commercial D zone.
During council testimony, Pedersen said his plans for the project include a higher density, mixed-use component.
“It’s a two-phased approach,” he said. “My immediate goal is to be able to use the existing buildings, and then prepare for a future mixed-use project.”
As was the case at previous meetings, the controversial proposal brought out a number of supporters and detractors.
Sandpoint’s Tom Puckett, who is in favor of the rezone, asked the council to view Pedersen’s previous developments for insight into what he might do with the church.
“He’s not in this to disrupt nor to put a black eye, if you will, on Sandpoint,” Puckett said. “Everything he’s done he has done very well and I’m excited to see the outcome of this and hopefully see it grow and blossom.”
Susan Austin, who lives near the church, said she does not oppose development, but needs to know more about Pedersen’s plans before she can support him.
“Everything is very vague right now,” Austin said. “There are lots of things on the table, but we don’t know what they are. As a resident in that area, I don’t want to fight something I might like, but I don’t know what he actually wants to do.”
That sentiment was echoed by Councilwoman Carrie Logan, who said the plan was deficient in a number of areas.
“It’s totally out of compliance with the recently-approved comprehensive plan, and if you’ve taken a look at code that outlines the components of the development agreement, this is sadly lacking,” Logan said.
City Planner Jeremy Grimm said the timing of Pedersen’s proposal makes the case unique.
The proposal was judged under the city’s current zoning laws, although the city’s recently-passed comprehensive plan — once implemented — will rezone the property for higher-intensity uses.
Pedersen argues the site is conducive to commercial development under the new comp plan, but the council disagreed, voting 3-2 to deny the request.
Councilman Michael Boge joined Councilwomen Carrie Logan and Helen Newton in denying the request, with Councilmen John Reuter and Stephen Snedden dissenting. Councilman Doug Hawkins Jr. was absent.