Amendment delayed, subdivisions approved

SANDPOINT — Bonner County commissioners met Wednesday to discuss an amendment, two subdivisions, and a zone change application.

However, the meeting began with the withdrawal of the first agenda item due to a noticing error. County officials said the item would be rescheduled.

The hearing then moved onto the other three agenda items: two subdivision applications and a zone change application.

First came the subdivision application for The Woods at Priest Lake. The owner Bennett Properties LLC and their representative Glahe and Associates filed S0001-22 seeking to plat 19 new lots in a recreation zone near the shore of Priest Lake for a resort community.

The 10.28-acre lot will be split 19 times. The smallest lot size will be 0.275 acres, or 12,000 square feet (the minimum for a recreational lot) and the largest will be just over two acres.

The subdivision will be served by two shared wells, one which is yet to be dug, and the Granite Reeder Water and Sewer District has issued a “will serve” letter promising to attach the subdivision to their sewer main. Northern Lights Inc. already has preliminary plans drawn to serve the area as well.

There is a federally recognized wetland on the southwest of the property but according to Travis Haller of Glahe and Associates, “no construction or disturbance of the wetlands is planned.”

Idaho Fish and Game commented on the application to recommend “considering a more wildlife friendly subdivision design that would retain open spaces, maintain travel corridors, and provide more retention of existing wildlife habitat” and underscored the need to educate residents about avoiding encounters with wildlife.

While none of the lot, currently undeveloped, Fish and Game officials said that “as more development occurs in Bonner County all open spaces become more crucial for wildlife.” Fish and Game also discouraged the planting of any “yew” plants, which are an invasive species poisonous to big game.

During the question period McDonald asked about a public comment regarding a required easement. The “ingress and egress easement” in question dates back to 1953 and allows access to cabins to the south of the property. In the preliminary plat originally submitted the easement was not shown on the plot map, however, in the phasing plan, the easement was shown. Mapping all easements on the property is a condition of approval from planning staff.

Mary Elwin, a neighbor to the subdivision, spoke on behalf of the residents who use a 1953 access easement. While she recognized that the plan now shows the easement, Elwin said the “new plan shows a major shift in the location of the easement, taking [it] away from the established road pattern and into the 50 feet wetland buffer zone” which would require a new bridge to be built.

Elwin said this would destroy their current access route and cost them thousands of dollars to build a new route. She asked that the easement be plotted so that it connects more directly with the established road. Until the easement is redrawn, Elwin asked the board to deny the application. She also complained about the absence on the county website of the minutes from the August hearing about the property.

Elwin concluded that since Bennett Properties presented two different plans, in her opinion, they “do not demonstrate a good faith effort to honor or acknowledge our easement.”

In the rebuttal, the property owner Chase Bennett said the easement was left off at first because they did not know for certain where it was. It was then added to the phase map so it could be seen by the concerned neighbors. He said the location of the easement will be adjusted when it is surveyed. “I just want to put everyone at ease … we are not going to ever lock anyone out, we would never do that.”

County staff recommended the approval with conditions of the application. There were several conditions of approval, which concerned Commissioner Jeff Connolly. He was concerned about the enforcement of the 18 conditions of approval, which must be done before final platting can occur.

Commissioner Steve Bradshaw moved to approve the application and the motion passed unanimously.

The next item addressed was S0003-22 for the Poirier Fourth and Fifth Edition Subdivision. This application was brought by Brian Poirier Living Trust and represented by Tri-state Consulting Engineers Inc. and sought to split 80 undeveloped acres in a rural 5-acre zone into 16 new residential lots.

The application states the lots will be served by individual wells and individual septic systems. However, Panhandle Health District still has not received an application for the appropriate sanitary setbacks and lifts. The application states that Inland Power will serve the site.

Connolly was concerned about the increased road usage. The site is accessed by Hunter Road which the applicant pledged to widen where it accesses the subdivision.

Idaho Fish and Game made a similar warning about wildlife and the poisonous yew plant that has killed some big game in the area. They encouraged the protection of open spaces, travel corridors, and habitat. They warned that deer and turkeys may become a problem for residents and that in the more forested areas moose, elk, black bear, and mountain lion are likely to occasionally pass through.

Staff recommended the conditional approval of the project. There was no public comment. Commissioner Connolly moved to approve the application and the motion passed unanimously.

The final agenda item was for a zone change from rural 10 acre to rural 5 acre. Landowner Heather Fiegener, represented by H2 Surveying, LLC, filed ZC0010-22 since several other similar zone changes had occurred in the area.

Fiegener plans to service the new lot with an individual well and septic. The Panhandle Health District warned that they had not yet surveyed the land and encouraged the landowner to contact them before proceeding.

Staff recommended the approval. During deliberation, McDonald said the lot should have actually been zoned rural 5. The parcel was discovered to be slightly smaller than 10 acres.

Connolly moved to approve the application. The motion passed unanimously.