Board doubles back on plant ruling

SAGLE — Bonner County commissioners have agreed to double back on a decision approving a controversial asphalt plant proposal after questions were raised about the conformance of an underlying gravel quarry at the site.

The commission voted unanimously Tuesday and without comment to conduct a hearing on Friday, March 22 to reconsider an earlier decision affirming the Bonner County Planning & Zoning Commission’s approval of a proposal to relocate Interstate Concrete & Asphalt’s plant in Sandpoint to Frank Linscott’s gravel pit on the west side of U.S. Highway 95 north of Monarch Road. The hearing is set for 9 a.m. at the Bonner County Administration Building.

The county commission denied an appeal of the P&Z approval of the asphalt plant relocation on Jan. 11 and neighboring landowners requested reconsideration on Jan. 24.

“There were 11 alleged deficiencies with the decision made by the board on Jan. 11, 2019. They’re asking the board to reconsider that decision,” Bonner County Planning Director Milton Ollerton told commissioners.

Ollterton said planning staff reviewed the 11-point reconsideration request and found only one of the items — the pit’s nonconforming land use — to be a matter in need of further consideration.

Opponents of the quarry and the asphalt plant argue the surface mine is a nonconforming land use and a 1995 use permit was never formally issued because conditions of approval were not fully satisfied. They further maintain that a nonconforming use cannot be expanded or altered in a manner which would affect a neighborhood any differently than the underlying nonconforming use.

Points of reconsideration dismissed by the planning department included erosion of property values, impacts to public health by plant emissions, unfinished improvements to U.S. 95 and bias on the part of county officials.

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