Here is a quote from one of your new Zoning Commissioners:

“Subdivide it all. And when the last tree is cut, I’ll dry my tears with hundred-dollar bills.”

Keep Bonner County Rural (KBCR) stood in direct opposition to the decision of county commissioners to split up the Planning and Zoning (P & Z) Commission into two separate commissions – one planning and one zoning. At the hearing, we told the commissioners that this move would be a back door to getting more high-density development to Bonner County. We predicted that Dan McDonald would pack the new commissions with his friends who share his mission to usher in high density and irresponsible growth.https://bonnercountydailybee.com/news/2022/jan/14/commissioners-ok-dissolving- planning-zoning-commis/

That’s exactly what ended up happening. Through all of our hard work and attendance at hearings, the previous Planning and Zoning Commission was beginning to see that approving so many rezones would usher in unmitigated growth and negate the very reason for having zoning districts. We had two workshops with the now disbanded P & Z where we discussed that the numerous rezones are impacting our county in a negative way. They gave us a lot of good feedback and seemed to be on board with our plan to amend the code to disallow this practice.

https://bonnercountydailybee.com/news/2021/nov/20/selle-valley-rezone-request- unanimously-denied/

https://bonnercountydailybee.com/news/2022/mar/24/kbcr-planning-zoning-work- together-land-use/

Not to be outdone, our County Commissioners decided to step in so that they could continue the unmitigated growth. They disbanded the P & Z Commission, allowed some of the commissioners to continue on the two new commissions and then packed these new commissions with members who see their vision of making Bonner County into every other over-developed county in Idaho.

New commission members (contact info not yet provided on the county web site):

Planning Commission

Alan Songstad

Josh Pilch

Dave Frankenboch

Don Davis

Brian Bailey

Wayne Benner

Debby Trinen

Zoning Commission

Sheryl Reeve (already resigned)

Frank Wakely

Luke Webster

Jacob Marble

Matt Linscott

While we have had some victories, the County Commissioners have stayed one step ahead of us the whole time because they have the power to decide land use issues. They clearly no longer listen to the people and are now emboldened to pack in the density at a reckless rate.

As you may know, Dan McDonald is not running again and has endorsed a surrogate he can control to carry on with his policies.

But wait there’s more...

Along with two new commissions, this was the next move by Board of Commissioners. They created a code amendment that is modeled after the Kootenai County code, which changes title 12 yet again so that rezones will be permanently legal. They did this as they knew that we were bringing to them a code amendment that would cease the high-density development.

County’s Code Amendment

https://www.bonnercountyid.gov/FileAM0006-22

KBCR’s Code Amendment (note that this application has been updated based on P & Z input and the new amendment is not yet posted on the county’s website).https://www.bonnercountyid.gov/FileAM0021-21

We are at a critical point with no time to waste.

In a very short amount of time, we could have the entire county chopped up into smaller and smaller lots, and then the national building companies will be here building on these smaller lots and it will be unstoppable. We’ll be left with dwindling water supply, increased fire danger, increased pressure on law enforcement, overcrowded schools, sewer issues, terrible traffic, long lines for services and a myriad of other irreversible impacts. We will eventually be forced to increase all these public services.Your taxes will be increased to fund services you never wanted.

What can you do?

You can support the KBCR code amendment that would cease the rezones. We took our amendment to the previous P & Z to get their input and weigh-in to make it better, and we were making major headway with them.

But in response to this the County Commissioners put their own code amendment before ours and they will hear that amendment on May 11th.

We need to write letters – hundreds and hundreds of letters.

Call the two commissioners (Connolly and Bradshaw) that may still listen to us. See their contact information below.

• Tell them that their code amendment is not one that you want for our county and you want the KBCR code amendment passed.
• Tell them that you want them to stop the rubber stamping of the increases in density that they are perpetrating against the People’s desire to keep our county rural. • Tell them that you want rezone applications denied. Rezoning is not a property right and it flies in the face of our Comprehensive Plan policies that the people created.
Get your letter out now and get as many friends as you can to send one too. We don’tusually provide form letters, but it is so important that you get a letter out immediately so I have attached one for you. If we all send the same letter, they will know that we are united and that we mean business.

We do have a chance to stop this. We only need two county commissioners to side with us. Obviously, Dan McDonald has already made his decision that he is not going to listen to what the people want.

Email the attached letter or a letter in your own words to:

Jeff Connolly
jeff.connolly@bonnercountyid.gov

A phone call is just as good, maybe better.

Jeff Connelly: (208) 304-3859

and

Steve Bradshaw

steven.bradshaw@bonnercountyid.gov

Steve Bradshaw (208) 610-3328

Sincerely,

Dave Bowman
Chairman
Keep Bonner County Rural

Form Letter added to COPY and PASTE - add your name and send:

To: Jeff Connolly, Steve Bradshaw
 
RE: AM0006-22 Code Amendment for Development Agreements for Rezones
 
Dear Commissioners,
 
This letter is in direct opposition to the County’s Zoning Code Amendment AM0006-22. As you know, Keep Bonner County Rural (KBCR), on behalf of the people of Bonner County, submitted a Zoning Code Amendment AM0021-21 on November 4, 2021.
 
Your code amendment was submitted on March 23, 2022 shortly after KBCR completed two workshops for the People’s code amendment with the now disbanded Planning and Zoning Commission. Your code amendment was not heard by the Planning and Zoning Commission nor will it be heard by the new Planning Commission. While this is legal, it is neither fair nor is it what the people want, as it denies us the opportunity to be heard by the Planning Commission on this important issue of rezoning. Going around the People to pass a code amendment that is in direct opposition to our code amendment is not how government should operate. It is not what the People want.
 
We the People of Bonner County request that you table your code amendment and hear ours first. This will make the process fair toward the People and give us the representative government that our Constitution guarantees.
 
Additionally, AM0006-21 does not solve any issues that are created by increasing the density as it is an agreement that is completely voluntary for developers. It is widely known that developers are highly unlikely to voluntarily enter in to any agreements that reduce their profits.
 
Please - hear the People’s amendment first.
 
Sincerely,