Ordinance would buy landowners more time

SANDPOINT — Bonner County landowners and developers could get some breathing room in light of the gasping economy.

County commissioners are considering an emergency ordinance that would allow landowners to seek an additional two-year time extension for various types of land use applications such as setback variances, conditional use permits, subdivisions and lot line adjustments.

A public hearing on the temporary procedural amendment is set for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the Bonner County Administration Building at the corner of Division and U.S. Highway 2.

The county is proposing the amendment due to the hardships brought on by the country’s recession and the global financial disarray, which has left many landowners unable to secure financing to complete improvements.

“The finances have caused people not to be able to acquire the financial backing to finish roads or sewer or water, and things aren’t selling because of the slowdown,” Planning Director Clare Marley said.

County officials are concerned significant investments in land purchases, planning, engineering and survey work will be lost because landowners have exhausted all their time extensions, which would further slow the area’s economic recovery.

The county also wants to avoid expending the public’s money to recover funds promised through surety agreements for completion of subdivision improvements if landowners can’t extend bonds or other financial guarantees for work.

“We have a couple of sureties that are on the verge of their final four years of extensions, and we want to be able to extend those and then also not run a risk for the county of having to use money to employ engineers and go after the bonds. If we can extend it, it’s better for us, too,” said Marley.

Most of the looming expirations currently involve subdivision applications.

“Of the 21 that are due to expire in this year, 16 of the 21 are subdivisions,” Marley said.

If enacted, the emergency ordinance would be in force for about six months. Applications for time extensions would have to be made before the ordinance expires.