Residents need to speak out against spot zoning

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” John Stuart Mill.

Do you want a gas station down the road from your farm?

The Board of County Commissioners have the ability to spot zone. “Spot zoning is the process of focusing on a small section of land to be used in a completely different fashion than the surrounding land for the sole benefit of the landowner and the disadvantage of nearby landowners. For this reason, spot zoning is considered the opposite of plan zoning" as defined by Jeffrey T. Angley, P.C.

This exact scenario is happening right now on Vay and Dufort roads where residents are fighting against the Hammond rezone. You can email the commissioners your thoughts on why or why not on rezoning this piece of land. Please Attend the next planning hearing on June 14 at 1:30 p.m.

You may think the planning director is a check and balance against spot zoning. However, he is appointed by the Bonner County Board of Commissioners.

The commissioners’ powers include controlling the purse strings of the county. The commissioners have the last word over the budget of the other elected officials including the sheriff, coroner, clerk, the fair board and Road & Bridge.

One of the ways you can be involved is to come to a Bonner County Commission meeting. The next meeting is at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 13, in the Bonner County Administration Building, 1500 U.S. 2, Suite 308. The meetings are available on Zoom and YouTube. I hope to see you there.

TRISHA BOWLIN

Spirit Lake