Commissioners deny request to waive private road standards requirement

SANDPOINT — In Tuesday’s business meeting, county commissioners unanimously denied a short plat applicant’s request to waive the private road standards requirement.  

The denied waiver stems from a short plat file, which divides a 19.39-acre lot into one 9.691-acre lot and one 9.273-acre lot, where private road standards are required for the existing road that accesses the split lots.   

According to Bonner County Revised Code Title 12 appendix A, the purpose of the private road standards is to “provide consistent standards for construction of new private roads built in Bonner County and reconstruction or renovation of existing private roads for subdivisions, in Bonner County.” 

In a request letter on behalf of the short plat applicants, land surveyor Kristopher James outlined four criteria that he claimed supported the request to waive private road standards. James suggests that the already existing road, Still Meadows Lane, has “safely served the community for many decades” and that the proposed short plat “does not increase traffic or negatively affect safety, health or neighboring properties.”  

The letter also indicates that the waiver should be granted because the road already fulfills the objectives and standards of Title 12 appendix A. James also states that the requirement to upgrade the private road would create practical hardships and be a financial burden on the short plat applicants. 

The final reasoning outlined by James indicates that the alternative proposal, a waiver, would be “both practical and efficient, ensuring safe access for residents ... without the redundant expense of upgrading a road that has reliably served its purpose.”  

When it came time for commissioners to ask questions about the request, all agreed that no factual evidence was provided to back up the support of a waiver. Commissioner Asia Williams noted that, while justifications for the waiver were provided, there was no evidence to back up the claims.  

Additionally, Commissioner Brian Domke disagreed with the applicant’s claim that there wouldn’t be an increase in traffic. Domke highlighted that one parcel could have four dwellings developed on it, main residential dwelling, an accessory dwelling and two RV dwellings. If that parcel was split into two, like the applicants are in the process of doing, that would double the number of dwellings that utilize the private road. 

“If you take an average of two vehicle trips per dwelling per day. Now you have two parcels that can each build four dwellings; you just doubled the amount of dwellings and vehicle trips by doing that. So, this is a factually incorrect statement and therefore can impact the ongoing maintenance of the road and the safety of access. I just find this to be factually incorrect,” said Domke.  

Commissioner Ron Korn acknowledged that he doesn’t have an issue with the request itself but agreed with Williams and Domke that there wasn’t enough detailed information provided to make an accurate decision.