Anything is better than abandoned, empty lot

An open letter to the Sandpoint City Council:

Dear Council,

We would like to add our voices to those who have expressed distress over some of the proposed commercial zone changes under council consideration.

Is the design of the new Jack in the Box drive through reason enough to banish to the industrial zone, or turn into non-conforming grandfathers, all businesses (banks, post offices, express stands, as well as restaurants) that provide their customers with the convenience of drive-through service?  It appears to be using a sledge hammer to kill a gnat.

Subjective wording, such as esthetically pleasing, inserted into the city code is very concerning. What is very esthetically pleasing to one property owner or city planner; may be an abomination to others. Does the council really think the city should become the final arbitrator of taste? Those four-hour council meetings that are now regular occurrences will seem short if the council starts hauling out color swatches to decide what color they would demand Home Depot use instead of their signature orange stripe, which has been deemed unacceptable.

Surely there are more pressing items for the council to consider with all the empty, vacant stores currently in the downtown. Maybe looking for ways to encourage businesses to locate in Sandpoint rather than trying to discourage them from coming would be productive.

Regarding the proposals for protecting the LP site from big box stores:  We would like to see a Macys, a Lowes, a Super 1, a Whole Foods, a Huckleberries, a Fred Meyer, or any other good business model that offers services, which Sandpoint residents now have to purchase in Ponderay, built on that site; rather than continuing to look at the abandoned desolate site it has been for so many years.  In our opinion even a big box store would be a lot more “esthetically pleasing.”

RON and ROSE CHANEY

Sandpoint