Fox guarding the henhouse on zoning board

This year, Bonner County commissioners split the Planning and Zoning Commission into two separate boards, Planning and Zoning. The final result on the Zoning Board of Commissioners, which hears files regarding zone changes, lot size changes, land splits etc. was appointed and seated with a 60% majority of active Realtors. This majority lends itself to a bias of continued land splits in your neighborhoods and accelerated growth. Does this sound reasonable?

I challenged the BOCC in writing and copied the incoming with the concern that there is a clear conflict of interest in a financial bias for continued growth and development. Realtors only make money when land is available to buy and sell. These individuals are talented professionals that the BOCC could have seated on the Planning Commission to lend their knowledge instead, and the written response was surprising.

I was informed in writing that their assessment "was wrong." They selected these individuals merely on the basis of limited public applications.

Rather than holding out for a diverse group of individuals and continuing a search to seat those without a financial bias, they rushed the seating and ignored the impact on our county. Hasn't Bonner County seen enough rapid growth than to leave the henhouse to be guarded by the fox, the BOCC has done a disservice to the citizens of the Bonner County and have openly admitted their assessment was wrong in writing from the BOCC chair himself.  

SUZANNE GLASOE

Sandpoint