SANDPOINT — What had been a 48-page document is now 55 pages after a public planning workshop in mid-August.
Residents met Aug. 16 with county staff and the Planning Commission for the second public workshop on the goals, objectives, and policies of the Bonner County Comprehensive Plan.
Following complaints at the previous workshop two weeks ago that the format resembled a lecture more than a workshop, the commission chose to talk with community members and to make edits in real time under guidance from the public to the draft document as the meeting went on.
About 20 county residents attended, but as the meeting went on for nearly five hours the numbers dropped. Transportation, housing, and about half of the categories were covered with only four members of the public in attendance – Kris Kingsland and Matt Linscott who both sit on the Zoning Commission, mining interest Mark Linscott, and a reporter.
Commissioner Don Davis suggested stopping the meeting at 8 p.m. Acting chair commissioner Allan Songstad preferred to keep going and the meeting continued until about a quarter past 9.
The new updates are shown in blue (and the updates proposed in July are in red) on the county website at BonnerCountyID.gov and are findable by searching “AM0012-22.”
The first category addressed was property rights. The current goal for this category states that property rights are a “two-way street.” For now, the goal explicitly acknowledges the rights of not only the owner, but of adjoining property owners and of future generations.
This has been struck, as well as the July update which stated “Bonner County shall protect property rights by complying with state law relevant to all county land use actions.”
The goal for property rights would state, if passed, that the county will not only protect property rights but will also try to “enhance property values” through intentional land-use planning and by following county and state law.
Under policies, the proposed update would acknowledge the rights of not only adjoining property owners, but also nearby property owners. The draft also explicitly mentions long-term consequences of development and land-use decisions.
At the Aug. 16 meeting, the commission also added that the county should avoid “down-zoning” which means reducing the capacity for a zone in the county below its current levels.
The next category, population, saw one update. Under goals, the commission recognized the need to plan for ongoing demographic shifts and called for the inclusion of “generational issues of economic diversity” in the planning process.
The school facilities and transportation category only saw a slight change in wording. The updates proposed in July were kept and many underscore the need for longer-sighted planning for school facilities and for more diverse modes of transportation for students.
Under economic development, the goals saw a slight shift. While the current goals, objectives, and policies state “Bonner County shall encourage economic diversity for the financial health of the community and maintenance of its rural atmosphere,” the commission seeks to strike this and write instead that the only goal for this category is to “[s]upport and encourage economic development.”
The proposed July updates that are still included in the objectives and policies for economic development describe moving towards “clustered zoning” of commercial and industrial activities.
The updates continue: “[c]ommercial and industrial uses shall be located and operated in a manner to ensure the protection of our natural resources including clean air and water, dark skies, and overall environmental quality and rural character of Bonner County.”
The July updates also include language promoting workforce housing, protecting public access to land and water, encourage outdoor regulation, try to “mitigate the impacts of such factors [of economic development] as noise, light glare, odors, fumes and vibrations on the surrounding community,” and encourage small businesses and home-based occupations.
The only change to the land use category was the addition of “mining” where the goal acknowledged Bonner County’s agricultural and timber lands.
In the objectives section of the natural resources chapter, the commission decided to add “aquifer recharge areas” to the list of natural features to be protected and maintained. For now, “productive agricultural lands and forests, its fisheries, wildlife, and wetlands” are the only acknowledged features. A key update proposed in July to the policies section seeks to “[p]rotect water quality by creating standards for development in close proximity to shoreline.”
Under hazardous areas, where the policies state that development in a floodway “should be prohibited,” the August update would say “should be discouraged.”
The goals for public services, facilities, and utilities were modified. Where it now says future development “shall provide adequate services,” the commission seeks to write “approvals shall require adequate service.” In the same sentence, instead of protecting “present day users” another August update would strike that and put “utility providers” in its place.
The transportation chapter went unchanged Tuesday. By the time the category came up, few members of the public were in attendance. The July updates would, if passed, strike the requirement to include bike and pedestrian trails from the document and require only consideration instead.
Recreation as well went unchanged since July. The key July update to its policies states that “[u]nder no circumstances, will Bonner County require access easements on private property as a condition of development.” The commission instead suggests encouraging rather than requiring public access. “This policy does not preclude providing voluntary incentives to developers in return for access easements,” they state.
No updates were made Aug. 16 to the special areas or sites since July. The July updated goal would recognize special areas and sites, natural or man-made, and “will strive to protect, preserve, and maintain” them. Under policies, the July update would have Bonner County implement roadside development standards to protect the view sheds of “recognized scenic byways.”
Two updates were made last meeting to the housing chapter, both in the policies section. The commission wants the county to “[e]ncourage development of a variety of housing options including mobile home parks, tiny home communities and recreational vehicle parks.” The commission also calls on the county to “[e]nable workforce housing in direct proximity to agricultural, commercial and industrial uses.”
The community design chapter did not see any updates at the mid-August meeting. An edit proposed in July would include a policy to require reduced lighting to help preserve the rural atmosphere. The existing goal was modified for clarity, “maintain” was replaced with “enable” and would read, if passed, “enable a variety of lifestyles.” The commission chose to use “maintain” only when describing Bonner County’s rural character.
The proposed chapter for agriculture, which was written in July, did not see any additions at the last meeting. Its goals and objectives are not separated, but seek to protect the rural character and agricultural heritage of Bonner County by retaining large and small scale commercial agriculture and hobby farms as viable uses, to support the local economy by encouraging locally based food production, distribution, and retail sales, and to develop policies to discourage fragmentation of very large productive agricultural lands.
A previously proposed policy to protect larger parcel sizes in agricultural zones in order to ensure economic viability of agricultural enterprises was struck. The other policies, if passed, would recognize that residential uses are permitted in agricultural zoning districts; protect agricultural activity from land use conflicts or interference from residential, commercial, or industrial development; and “support home occupations, cottage industries and farm-based family businesses.”
Information: The Planning Commission will decide whether or not to recommend the proposed changes to the Bonner County commissioners for a vote at their Aug. 30 public meeting at 4:30 p.m. in the Bonner County Administrative Building 1500 US-2 Sandpoint, Idaho.
To read the current goals, objectives, and policies of the county’s comprehensive plan, the most recent updates, or agency and public comments then go to BonnerCountyID.gov and search “AM0012-22”.