Green Owl meeting stirs up emotions

PRIEST RIVER — The consensus for the Green Owl solid waste collection site on Peninsula Road? Get rid of it.

Problems at the current site and possible solutions have been debated for years. Four options, including a controversial two-acre site owned by the county on Peninsula Road, were presented at a packed public workshop earlier this week.

What happens next is in residents’ hands, officials said at a Tuesday workshop, which was hosted by Bonner County Solid Waste Department and Bonner County commissioners.

“We will support what the majority wants so make sure you pick one of the four options or give us something else,” Bonner County Commissioner Joe Young said. “What I heard strongly in the past is that you didn’t want the site to go away. We want to hear what you have to say and we won’t make any decisions until we have all the information.”

 Young told the crowd the county was seeking input on the four options, which include closing the existing site, opening a two-acre site near the Blue Lake Grange, use of the new  site, and purchase and conversion of a five -acre sand pit at Peninsula and Eastside roads.

The Blue Lake site needs work and the county would be required to obtain a 25-year lease for $65,000 from the state. The county-owned Peninsula Road site was purchased by the county for $70,000 last fall but is strongly opposed by many, and is the target of a 500-signature petition calling on the county to reject the location.

The sand pit is owned by Larry Stewart, who has indicated he is willing to sell it for an amount in the county’s price range.

The county has 13 collection sites, including five full-service, five unattended and three local sites, said Leslie Marshall, Solid Waste director. Acomparison between January 2008 and February 2009 that shows the Green Owl site has the largest amount of abuse with 16,1984 yards of waste compared to 13,390 at Dickensheet, 5,177 for 11-mile on Highway 57 and 12,026 at Laclede.

Marshall said Green Owl is, and has been, the most abused site in the county and officials have been looking hard for a new site. She added the county would like a manned site that has a fence, asphalt and a vegetative buffer. The site would be open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on six holidays.

The county has a $300,000 budget to get a new site up and running in the area. Those funds are dedicated and must be used by the Solid Waste department.

Many at the meeting said the dump site should not be located near anyone’s home, suggesting the county try to obtain a remote location on state or federal land.

“It seems like we should contact the Idaho Department of Lands and look for a spot that isn’t near anyone’s home,” resident Roger Booth said. “I think we need to keep the Blue Lake property in mind for a fire station because there’s a strong need for that.”

Such locations are harder to get and the state and Forest Service aren’t interested, Young told the crowd. The only interest shown is from the state is to lease the county the Blue Lake property.

“This is a huge issue and everyone has their own way of thinking,” said resident Jeff Connolly. “I live in Priest River but have friends that live by the current site. Take a look at what they’ve been looking at for years. I don’t think you’ll ever find a perfect spot that doesn’t offend someone. It just won’t happen. It will always be in somebody’s back yard. Let’s be considerate of others.”

Others, like the owner of the current site, Anita Gohl, said they believe the sand pit is the best option because it also is on Peninsula Road.

Critics of the proposed Peninsula Road site questioned why the county didn’t spend more time talking to nearby residents and learning their concerns. While the county needed to act quickly to buy the land, Young said the county is not committed to using it as a solid waste site.

If residents favor closing the site, Marshall said that could be done in the near future. Signs would direct residents to alternative locations and those dumping illegally would face penalties for littering. However, Solid Waste crews would be responsible for cleaning up left by those ignoring the postings.

Once input is gathered from residents, recommendations on what to do next will be forwarded to Bonner County Planning and Zoning. A public hearing on the matter could take place this summer.