Today is the last day to write a letter to oppose this mining ordinance. Send your own letter to planning@bonnercountyid.gov
Please come to meeting on Aug 27th at 5:30 at Bonner County building in Sandpoint.
Here is an excellent letter from someone in our group which helps describe the issues and the laws they are breaking. Also you can listen to me on the radio with Bill Litsinger on 8/11 explaining this ordinance. Click on the 8/11 link to hear it. August 19, 2020
Bonner County Planning and Zoning Commission
Planning Commissioners
Bonner County Planning Department
1500 Hwy 2, Suite 208
Sandpoint, ID 83864
planning@bonnercountyid.gov
RE: Bonner County Planning Dept. File AM0011-20 Proposed new mining ordenance
Dear Planning Commissions,
I am against administrative amentment (AM0011-20) for a proposed new mining ordenance that lacks proper public hearing, input and debate. The Commissioners failed to publicly provide clear explanation, adequate time for research, and/or a public publication of their intentions to give unilateral power to an unelected county employee (Planning Director) to make decisions impacting all citizens' health, property, and property values without taxpayers' informed consent.
The Commissioners appear to habituallyattempt to push regulation changes without adhering to Idaho's laws and Constitution, the U.S. Constitution, and Bonner County regulations by omitting legitimate public notice, public knowledge, and public opportunity for research, comment, and debate. Now, again, the Commissioners similarly appear to be pushing for unilateral and inappropriate powers granted to the Planning Director to convert by his whim any and all Bonner County gravel pits into asphalt plants, concrete plants,/retail sales/rock crushing, etc, by only a signature, without any public hearings or debate. I profuselyobject for to AM0011-20 for the following reasons:
1. Idaho’s Local Land Use Planning Act (LLUPA) does not give powers to a single county employee to make unilatral decisions about land use that impacts the health, property and property values of Idaho's citizens.
2. AM0011-20 provides no criteria or legal right for administrative decisions to be made by a single Bonner County employee (Planning Director) that affect the public and taxpayers without their informed consent about issues impacting their health, property, and property values.
3. Research and subsequent warnings about lethal polutants produced by asphal plants that seep into aquafers concludes those polutants cause citizens to have fatal illnesses and devaluation of their property. Those substantiated warnings should take priority consideration over potential commercial income from asphalt plants.
4. The rights of citizens of cities (or counties) through ACI agreements are not superceded by unilater decisions made by unelected county employees. Period.
5. Bonner County has NOT provided the public adequate prior announcement, time, material facts, or information constituting informed public comment and debate about AM0011-20, in violation of constitutional due process rights of citizens and taxpayers. Remember the Boston Tea Party! Also, you recently LOST for similar acts!
6. The repeated power grab by the Bonner County Planning Director is questionable;WHY does he want and think he should have dictatorial power over land use?
7. The Idaho Supreme Court has declared that local governments must not be in conflict with the LLUPA, which AM0011-20 does not satisfy.
8. The July 28, 2020 announcement for this hearing was unclear and vague, making it unlawful and invalid. Thus, it should be thrown out.
9. We The People expect elected officials to represent them, not visa-versa. We should not have to hire lawyers to defend county regulations, state laws, and decisional cases against county employees hired to enforce those laws that they want to violate.
PLEASE present my letter for the upcoming hearing and REJECT AM0011-20. Passing AM0011-20 would cause multiple lawsuits against Bonner County.
To listen click on 8/11/20 on http://www.northidahoradio.com/the-voice/