Preserving our way of life?

Is it just me or do others feel outraged at the selling off of Bonner County and our precious way of life?

1-On one side of the equation, our new Planning Director buys a.6.27-acre parcel, zoned suburban, breaking it into four lots, three of which would be 1-acre lots. Lots in suburban zones are only allowed to be one acre where urban water is available and held to 2.5-acres where urban and sewer water services are not available (BC Code §12-412).

The very public servant who should be listening to our cry for preserving the “rural nature” sets a dangerous precedence.

2-On the other side of the equation, Kristina Kingsland gets fired from the Zoning Commission for having the courage to stand up against overdevelopment.

3-And three out of five of our zoning commissioners are realtors? The other two were developers - according to the Bee article 8/31/22. Where is the balance in perspectives? This “system” of “land use decisions” is not working.

Is it just me who vacillates between anger and hopelessness as I watch the region be carved up, with little thought as to the impacts of our warming world on declining ground/surface water supplies? Where’s the modeling or scenario planning regarding the future forested, wildfire-prone, unique habitats, and warming lake with dangerous algae?

Please speak out: Enough! How do we harness the GOOD in ourselves as stewards of the Earth and take care of it? Let's expand our vision to being a “model county” preserving the riches of this precious place.

NANCY GILLIAM

Sagle