Downtown Core Working Group

Development Regulations & Design Guidelines 

Purpose

The Downtown Core Working Group is helping to shape the future of Downtown Coeur d’Alene. Their mission is to evaluate and recommend potential amendments to the Downtown Development Regulations and Design Guidelines in a way that honors the city’s historic character and charm, address current growth pressures, and reflect the community's values. The goal is to ensure that as Downtown evolves, it remains vibrant, walkable, and uniquely Coeur d’Alene—a place where thoughtful design enhances the public experience, historic buildings are honored, public view corridors are considered, and high-quality, compatible development is encouraged. We value community input. A stakeholders group comprised of community members, property owners, business owners, developers, architects, engineers, representatives from downtown neighborhoods, city leaders, and others will be formed to provide input and varied perspectives. The result will be the development of clear and consistent performance standards. These standards will aim to strike a balance between preserving historic character and our small-city charm while supporting the area’s strong economic development potential.

Background

The Working Group was formed in response to community concerns. There were two design review approvals in Downtown Coeur d’Alene for a townhouse/condominium project on Garden Avenue and the Marriott A/C Hotel on Sherman Avenue—both of which led to appeal hearings before the City Council in 2023 and 2024, respectively. The start of construction on the Thomas George condominium tower on Front Avenue and 3rd Street, followed by the Marriott A/C Hotel and the Sherman Tower (Coeur d'Alene Resort) meant Downtown would have unprecedented development activity with three active cranes. Additional concerns included the risk of losing iconic historic properties prompting the City Council to enact a temporary moratorium on demolition permits for historic buildings that expired in December 2024. Although no formal vote was taken, City Council members expressed a clear desire to revisit the Downtown Development Regulations and Design Guidelines with meaningful community input. In May 2024, the Planning Department established the Downtown Core Working Group to undertake this important task.

There is concern that the current regulations may not protect the historic core, pedestrian-scale, and public view corridors into the future, and the design guidelines may lack specificity that could result in buildings that look like Anytown, USA. Reevaluating the standards and guidelines for Downtown will help ensure that they reflect community values and protect what makes us uniquely Coeur d’Alene. By gathering input from stakeholders and community members, the Working Group is committed to crafting updated standards and guidelines that are robustly discussed from various viewpoints. The goal is to have clear and consistent standards that protect Coeur d’Alene’s identity while guiding growth in a thoughtful, responsible way. Our goal is not just to manage development, but to ensure that downtown remains a place where people feel connected—to each other, our history, the landscape, and to the legacy of Coeur d’Alene.

"A History of Height in Downtown" is provided below showing the progression of towers that have been constructed since 1975. Additionally, there is a link to a graphic showing more details on the evolution of Downtown related to zoning codes, comprehensive plans, community initiatives, and other milestones that marked changes in what exists today.

Preserving the Distinctive Charm of Downtown Coeur d’Alene

Coeur d’Alene’s uniqueness lies in its natural beauty, tight-knit community, and iconic Downtown nestled on the shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene. Our Downtown is marked by early 1900s architecture, walkable streets, vibrant eateries and retail establishments, lodging, mixed-use buildings, mid- and high-rise residential, recreational opportunities, easy access to Tubbs Hill, scenic lake and mountain views, signature flower baskets, and programmed events. The neighborhoods surrounding Downtown are charming with a mix of historic and modern architecture, lush yards and tree-lined streets. These qualities make Downtown truly special and continue to attract tourists, businesses, and new residents. The Downtown Core is where the tallest buildings were located historically, other than notable spires on churches such as St. Thomas in the Garden District. The old City Hall building at Sherman Avenue and 5th Street is four stories. The other historic buildings in Downtown range in height from one to three stories. The Federal Building and the Wiggett Building at the intersection of 4th Street and Lakeside Avenue are both three stores, as are the Masonic Temple at Sherman Avenue and 6th Street, and two of the four buildings at the Sherman Avenue and 4th Street intersection. Current regulations in the Downtown Core allow buildings over 75 feet tall to be spaced 50 feet apart (the typical street right-of-way width in Downtown ranges from 55-60 feet) and may permit structures up to 220 feet tall including projections if they can meet the necessary public amenity bonuses allowing for increased Floor Area Ratio.

There is growing concern that these allowances in the development regulations, combined with the high desirability of the area and lack of teeth in the current design guidelines, could potentially jeopardize the historic core, connections to the lake and Tubbs Hill, and sense of place. As Coeur d’Alene continues to grow, the Working Group is dedicated to preserving the character and uniqueness that define our Downtown. We will listen closely to the community and provide recommended amendments to the guidelines and regulations that support a thoughtful balance between preservation and progress. Through careful analysis, community engagement, and strategic planning, we are committed to keeping Downtown Coeur d’Alene welcoming, walkable, and rooted in its heritage—while shaping a future that reflects our collective vision.

Working Group Members

PLANNING & ZONING MEMBERS: Jon Ingalls & Lynn Fleming

DESIGN REVIEW COMMISSION MEMBERS: Jon Ingalls, Jef Lemmon & Kevin Jester

HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEMBERS: Walter Burns, Anneliese Miller & Shannon Sardell                                 

DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION: Emily Boyd

DESIGN PROFESSIONALS: Jon Mueller

CITY COUNCIL MEMBER: Dan Gookin

CITY STAFF:

Community Planning Director - Hilary Patterson

Senior Planner - Sean Holm 

Associate Planner and Design Review Commission Liaison - Tami Stroud

Associate Planner - Barbara Barker

Planning Intern - James Barbour

Building Official -Ted Lantzy

Streets & Engineering Director - Todd Feusier

City Engineer - Chris Bosley

Fire & Police (as needed)

Water & Wastewater (as needed)

Working Group Meetings

Meeting 1: May 22, 2024

Meeting 2: June 11, 2024

Meeting 3: June 26, 2024

Meeting 4: July 10, 2024

Meeting 5: July 24, 2024

Meeting 6: August 14, 2024

Meeting 7: August 28,2024

Meeting 8: September 11, 2024

Meeting 9: October 23, 2024

Meeting 10: November 6, 2024

Meeting 11: November 20, 2024

Meeting 12: December 11, 2024

Meeting 13: February 12, 2024

Meeting 14: March 12, 2025

Meeting 15: April 9, 2025

Meeting 16: May 14, 2025

Meeting 17: June 11, 2025

Presentations to City Council

1. July 2024: Progress Report: Downtown Core & Infill Codes and Design Guidelines

2. April 15, 2025: Working Group Update & City Council Check-in

Efforts To Date 

• Reviewed existing development standards, design guidelines & historic documents 
• Determined Scenarios for Potential Tower Modeling 
• Traffic Scoping Meeting with Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization (KMPO) 
• Reviewed Downtown Development Standards for possible changes, including Floor Area Ratio (FAR) bonuses
• Evaluated the outcomes of existing FAR bonuses, and outlined recommended changes to remove some bonuses and add new bonuses 
  
• Reviewed Downtown Design Guidelines for possible changes
• Discussed making Downtown overlay districts into separate zoning districts 
• Reviewed outdoor lighting standards and best practices for possible inclusion 
• Reviewed other codes & guidelines from communities across the U.S. 
• Conducted in-house modeling using GIS software to evaluate the buildout potential of Downtown and various scenarios for tower heights and locations
• Conducted comparative analysis of small lakeside communities and communities with historic downtowns
• Reviewed webpage information and timeframe for stakeholder meetings to begin

Initial Recommendations Presented to City Council on April 15, 2025 (subject to change)

• Prospective Tower Heights: limit to 45 feet on Front, Sherman and Lakeside Avenues west of 8th Street; limit to 110 feet on Coeur d'Alene Avenue west of 6th Street; no additional 220-foot towers in Downtown
• Increase tower spacing from 50 feet to 80 feet.
• Remove vehicular oriented streets to focus on pedestrian-friendly design
• Address vehicular access, circulation and loading zones
• Preserve and incorporate Historic Design concepts
• Ground floor design to support retail uses
• Address outdoor lighting
• Add more teeth for Design Review Guidelines
• Modify Floor Area Ratio (FAR) bonuses
• Invite residential advocates to Stakeholder Discussions
• Consider options for towers outside of Downtown Core

Next Steps & Priorities

• Launch a project webpage with information and an opportunity to sign up to receive updates and get involved
• Work with community partners to share information and next steps
• Begin updating the design guidelines based on input from the Working Group
• Evaluate parking regulations
• Outline key discussion topics for the stakeholder meetings
• Create a list of stakeholders
• Stakeholder Involvement-charette style meetings to address key items related to possible code amendments and design guidelines and get their feedback. 
• Public forums and additional opportunities to provide input on recommended changes to regulations and design guidelines.
• Evaluate parking regulations
• Additional analysis and modeling based on stakeholder input

History of Height in Downtown

Current code allows buildings to reach a height of 220 feet with projections

• 1975 - First high rise development, the Lake Tower Apartments, are built at 100 E Coeur d' Alene Avenue. It is 10 stories and approximately 100 feet tall. No code-related building height limits at this time. 
• 1984 - Coeur d'Alene North is built at 301 N 1st Street along Northwest Boulevard. It is 9 stories and approximately 90 feet tall.
• 1986 - Coeur d' Alene Resort is built. It is 18 stories tall and 218 feet tall. This increases discussions and concerns about building height in downtown. 
• 2002 - McEuen Terrace is built at 701 E Front Avenue. It is 15 stories, 171 feet tall.
• 2004 - City Council adopted the Infill Design Guidelines for the DO-E (Downtown Overlay-Eastside) and DO-N (Downtown Overlay-Northside) with reduced building heights to help transition from the Downtown into the surrounding residential areas.
• 2005 - Due to increasing concern over unchecked downtown building height, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended a building moratorium. City Council denied the moratorium but authorized the Planning Department to hire a consultant team to conduct a height study, an economic analysis, and draft the Downtown Core development regulations for a possible zoning code amendment.
• 2006 - City Council adopts the zoning code amendment with the Downtown Core regulations with new height limits. This scaled back the previous Central Business District with the C-34 zoning to a smaller Downtown Core boundary.  The new rules set a base height limit of 75 feet with the possibility of reaching up to 220 feet with bonuses and architectural features if developers include public amenities such as street-level retail or affordable housing. 
              - Lofts at 609 Sherman is built at 609 E Sherman Avenue. It is 7 stories, 86 feet tall.
• 2008 - Parkside Tower is built at 601 E Front Avenue. It is 20 stories, 213 feet tall. The City Council also adopted the Downtown Design Guidelines.
• 2021 - One Lakeside is built at 201 N First Street. The tower stands at 15 stories, 173 feet tall.
• 2023 - The Thomas George began construction at Front Avenue and 3rd Street. It will be 18 stories, 199 feet tall. The anticipated completion date is 2025-2026.
• 2024 - The Marriott A/C Hotel began construction at Sherman Avenue and 6th Street, it will be 6 stories, 75 feet tall. The anticipated completion date is 2027.
• 2025 - The Sherman Tower (CDA Resort) began construction at Sherman Avenue and 1st Street. It will be 15 stories, 190 feet tall. The anticipated completion date is 2027.                                                                                  

Link to The Evolution of Building Height in Downtown Coeur d'Alene graphic

FAQs

When was the 220-foot height limit imposed?

2006 when the City Council adopted the Downtown Core Development Regulations

Was there a height limit previously?

No, the pre-2006 Zoning Code had C-34 zoning (commercial at 34 units per acre) for the Central Business District and there was no height limit for residential, commercial or mixed-use projects.

Why was the height limit imposed in 2006?

The new height limit was imposed to balance downtown growth with preserving its historic character. Prompted by concerns over high-rises altering the city’s main street feel, the rules limited buildings to 75 feet, with taller structures that could be as tall as 220 feet with architectural projections and upper-level step backs, reduced floor area on upper floors, and tower spacing of 50 feet to minimize visual impact. These measures aimed to protect the city’s charm and ensure development aligned with community values. The 220 feet was selected because it was similar to the height of the Coeur d'Alene Resort. Additionally, the rationale was that the new standards would reduce the bulk of taller buildings by allowing them to go up to 220 feet if they were required to step back the buildings on the upper floors, thus helping preserve public view corridors along streets for pedestrians.

What are the current regulations on tower spacing and height in Downtown?

The tower spacing requirement is 50 feet for buildings that are 75 feet or taller. 

If a tower can meet the spacing requirements and all Floor Area Ratio bonuses, it could be 220 feet tall with architectural projections (provided the site is large enough to get the necessary square footage for the base plus bonus)

How tall is the Coeur d’Alene Resort?

218 feet with architectural projections

How many towers are there in Downtown Coeur d’Alene?

There will be ten towers once the three towers that are under construction are completed.

• Lake Tower Apartments at 100 E Coeur d'Alene Ave (1975): 10 stories, ~100 feet tall 
• Coeur d’Alene North at 301 N 1st St (1984): 9 stories, ~90 feet tall
• Coeur d’Alene Resort at 115 S 2nd St (1986): 18 stories, 218 feet tall
• McEuen Terrace at 710 E Front Ave (2002): 15 stories, 171 feet tall
• Lofts at 609 Sherman at 609 E Sherman Ave (2006): 7 stories, 86 feet tall
• Parkside Tower at 601 E Front Ave (2008): 20 stories, 213 feet tall
• One Lakeside at 201 N 1st St (2021): 15 stories, 163 feet tall
• Thomas George at 116 S 3rd St (under construction): 18 stories, 199 feet tall
• Marriott A/C Hotel at 602 E Sherman Ave (under construction): 6 stories, 80 feet tall (Note: the architectural projections extend above 75 feet, but the building floors are below 75 feet, thus not triggering the upper story step back requirements)
• Sherman Tower (Coeur d'Alene Resort) at 101 E Sherman Ave (under construction): 15 stories, 190 feet tall

Did City Council approve the towers in Downtown?

No, the existing towers in Downtown and the ones under construction were allowed “by right,” which means they did not need approval to construct a tower. The design of new construction in the Downtown has required approval by the Design Review Commission since the Downtown Design Guidelines were adopted in 2008. One Lakeside was the first tower that required Design Review Commission approval. That approval in 2012 was appealed to the City Council. The Council upheld the design review decision. The towers built since that time also required Design Review Commission approval.

How many additional Towers could be built in Downtown?

The Working Group has not done a detailed analysis, but the most likely locations for new towers would be on parcels where there are privately owned parking lots and adjacent buildings with the same ownership.  There could be two additional towers on Front Avenue, a tower at Lakeside Avenue and 6th Street, a tower at Lakeside Avenue and 3rd Street, and possibly smaller towers at the northeast corner of Sherman and 7th Street, Coeur d’Alene Avenue and 2nd Street, and Indiana Avenue and 3rd Street under the current regulations. This is not an exhaustive list. Other towers could be constructed if a property owner could assemble enough property and meet code requirements. 

What does the current Comprehensive Plan say about Downtown and building height?

The 2022-2042 Comprehensive Plan acknowledges the Downtown as a highly walkable dense mixed-use area with older buildings and a main street style of development, with historic and older buildings ranging from one to four stories and a few tall towers with more than 10 stories. It includes action items related to conducting a views and vistas analysis to evaluate the impacts of future development on community assets (e.g., pedestrian-level views along streets) and natural areas (CI 2.1.C05), fostering the creation of local neighborhood districts, including the Downtown (GD 1.5.C01) and reevaluating the downtown design standards to enhance infrastructure and usability, while preserving the character and historic nature of the corridor (GD 1.6.C01).

What does the Historic Preservation Plan say about Downtown?

The Historic Preservation Plan recognizes Downtown Coeur d’Alene as a historically significant and culturally rich area that reflects the city’s evolution—from its early days as a military post to a thriving center for timber, tourism, and commerce. The plan highlights downtown as a priority for preservation due to its concentration of historic buildings and its role as the heart of the community. It also acknowledges current threats, including demolition, incompatible new development, and a lack of strong protections for historic structures. To address these issues, the plan recommends strengthening design guidelines, expanding historic district boundaries, and offering incentives for preservation and adaptive reuse. Ultimately, it envisions a downtown that balances growth with respect for its historic character, ensuring that future development supports the area’s unique identity and sense of place.