Board mulls more code changes

SANDPOINT — Bonner County commissioners’ ongoing efforts to scale back land use regulation are continuing next month.

The commission is holding public hearings on Wednesday, Dec. 5, to consider removing a requirement for land capability reports from planned unit development projects. The board is also contemplating shortening the agency review process from 30 to 15 days, which brings it in line with the state’s agency review window.

The hearings start at 1:30 p.m. at the Bonner County Administration Building.

The county argues land capability reports, which are meant to assess a parcel’s ability to sustain a proposed use, are vague and undefined in the current land use code. They can also be duplicative of information generated by Panhandle Health District permitting and stormwater drainage plans.

The Bonner County Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval of the land capability report requirement during a public hearing on Oct. 18.

Also up for amendment is the agency review clock. Under the current code, public agencies affected by a land use proposal have a 30-day window to submit remarks for the public record. The code change would winnow the window to 15 days.

The county contends the code change would ease the burden on land use applications by shortening the process by at least 30 days.

P&Z recommended approval of the code change when it convened last month.

The commission’s years-long effort ease the regulatory burden on landowners has been both cheered and jeered. Some welcome the changes because it removes headaches and hurdles to land development.

Critics of the effort maintain that the scaling back of regulation places water quality and other prized resources at risk.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.