Airport Overlay Zone moratorium is an ill-conceived idea

A legal notice appeared in the July 2 Daily Bee, stating at the July 17 City Council meeting, the council will consider a one-year moratorium on any new rezone applications in the current Airport Overlay Zone.

This is a very dangerous and ill-conceived idea.

The council needs to consider the consequences of restricting local landowners’ ability to legally benefit from their property, while not taking into consideration airport growth. In effect, the airport could grow exponentially while prohibiting local landowners the rightful use of their land.

I believe this proposed moratorium is the city’s easy way out. Instead of stepping up to the table and defending city residents’ rights, the city is trying to change the rules in the middle of the game so they don’t have to do the hard work of addressing current issues. Then, during the moratorium, they will change the Comp Plan with regard to the Airport Overlay Zone in favor of the airport, thus denying citizens their due process.

Before the council makes any decision on a moratorium, I suggest they ask themselves this question: “What gives you the right, either individually or collectively as the city, to ruin people’s lives, steal their property and bankrupt the life savings of people you were elected to represent, in favor of allowing unchecked airport growth?”This moratorium needs to be postponed until the council more thoroughly studies and identifies the overall consequences of such a move.

MAUREEN TILLBERG

Sandpoint