Permit granted for mud bog, crawl

NAPLES  — The North Idaho Mud and Crawl has gained a permit allowing the event to be held May 30-June 1 in the Highland flats area outside Naples.

DelRey Romero was granted a special event permit to hold the mud bog and rock crawl by Boundary County commissioners April 1.

In his application, Romero asked for a one-time event permit similar to the one used for the inaugural August 2013 event. Although the hearing notice called the permit a recurring event permit, the county’s chief deputy prosecutor, Tevis Hull, clarified that is what was requested on the permit application.

Even at 10 a.m. on a Tuesday, a meeting to review the permit drew a large crowd of both supporters and opponents to the permit.

Adara Dancer of Bonners Ferry voiced support for the permit.

She wasn’t involved in motorsports, she said, but talked about towns dying when the young people leave because they have nothing to do.

Mud boggers wanting a local place to run their vehicles without getting in trouble also supported the application and Romero read emails from other supporters such as Jeremy Thomas, who said  “I believe a man should do what he wants with his property.”

Neighbors on Highland Flats Road were split about the event.

Linda McLeish had never been to a mud bog before volunteering at the gate for the 2013 NIMC. She was impressed by the family environment, the preparedness and organization, she said.

Much of the opposition referred to the infamous Moyie mud bogs as they tried to convince commissioners that this event could grow out of control. More than 90 neighbors from the area signed a petition opposing the event.

Many felt they had been misled by the Romeros, who told them the 2013 event was to “save the farm.”

“We suffered in silence last time,” said Terry Wallace, “We won’t do that again. Our opposition isn’t against motorsports, and certainly not against property rights,” said Mark McFadden.

“We want the commissioners to balance rights in a fair and equitable manner.”

“These are our ordinances, for our protection and use,” he said.

McFadden felt the full scope of the event was not addressed by the application, nor was the public nuisance factor. “This benefits outsiders at the expense of locals,” he said.

Heidi Brown, who recently moved to the Highland Flats area, sent in a letter opposing the event.

“DelRey Romero does not live in this neighborhood,” she said, “He lives in Washington. He does come into the neighborhood to run a commercial motorsport event as allowed and then leaves, not living with the consequences of this activity.”

Jeff Gutshall worried about the safety of his property and equipment, prompting county commissioner Alan Pinkerton to suggest extra patrols be made by sheriff’s deputies during the event.  

Like the 2013 event, this year’s event will be alcohol free, with security, fire and ambulance on site. Mufflers, seat belts and roll cages or cabs will be required. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The event will be Friday, May 30, and Saturday, May 31, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 1, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To better address concerns from neighbors about noise the event will create, Commissioners imposed restrictions on the permit that will allow the event to open at 9 a.m. Friday but no rigs will be run until noon Friday.  It will close at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; quiet time is 9 p.m. Sunday’s hours will be 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Commissioners also restricted the number of attendees to 750 per day, including participants and spectators but not including safety crews, security and staff. The permit was worded so only the mud bog and rock crawl event would be allowed.

Romero was denied a conditional use permit by the Planning and Zoning Commission in February to permanently change the zoning of the property that would have allowed multiple events with fewer restrictions.