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The Bonner County Commission is considering substantial changes to the county’s land use code. Title 12 of the code was revamped in 2008 after exhaustive public discussion and broad input from the various stakeholders — taxpayers, land planners, developers, political leaders, etc. It was a remarkable process of give and take, contention and compromise. Land use planning is all about protecting and promoting a community’s collective vision for how our county will look years and decades from now. We don’t all agree on that vision but, in 2008, we came together and then put together a land use code that worked for the vast majority of us.

Yes, our land use code must be updated and adjusted from time-to-time. The question now is this: should two lame duck commissioners — Commissioners Todd Sudick and Cary Kelly — be rushing through changes to an otherwise carefully crafted code in the last six months of their administrations? The manner in which Commissioner Sudick dealt with the planning department was a major issue in his campaign and he lost. So, I think we’d be better served by allowing the new commissioners to lead a more thoughtful process, with broader public input.

BILL BERG

Sagle