Beware of changes to new comprehensive plan
Property owners in Boundary County should be wary of wide-ranging changes in the new comprehensive plan. Although touted as protecting the county's rural lifestyle, the latest version of the plan, for the first time, allows commercial and industrial mining, gravel pit and rock quarrying operations as conditional or special uses in five rural zone districts. No standards or limitations are imposed on these highly intensive activities to protect adjacent properties or the environment.
The five zone districts that will be invaded are: rural residential, agriculture, agriculture/forestry, prime agriculture and prime forestry.
The latest version of the plan requires that in agriculture/forestry zones, "extraction of natural resources," that is, gravel pits must be given priority over agriculture, residential or any other land use.
This language directly contradicts the carefully drafted "property rights" section in the new plan stating that "equal consideration" will be given to the rights of adjoining property owners in applications for special use permits. Equal treatment means no priorities for one person against the other.
In the latest version of the plan, property owners in agriculture/forestry zones will not be given equal consideration or guaranteed any safeguards to their property rights against persons or corporations seeking conditional or special use permits for gravel pit and quarrying operations. Without standards or limitations, these peaceful and scenic rural areas will erupt in high intensity enterprises that require blasting, rock crushing and other heavy equipment causing traffic, dust and noise substantially in excess of current uses in these areas.
Ask yourselves who will benefit from these provisions. Not adjoining property owners or the rural community whose interests apparently don't count.
Surface mines and quarries are still prohibited in districts zoned rural community/commercial, residential, and suburban to provide for quiet enjoyment of high density residential use. Quiet enjoyment of the five rural districts marked for gravel pits is not a priority.
Adopt these provisions and say goodbye to Boundary County's peaceful, rural communities. The minimum residential lot size requirements in zone districts where gravel pits are not allowed vary from 2 1/2 acres on the high side to 1/4 acre minimums. These standards protect high density development.
Minimum lot sizes in the unprotected districts range from 5 to 20 acres, while prime agriculture and prime forestry zones require minimum lot sizes of 160 acres. The new version of the plan protects high density development at the expense of low density rural property.
The new version of the Plan has the ability to devastate Boundary County's rural and scenic land. It was advertised as promoting and preserving the county's rural and scenic quality, but it will do the opposite. Boundary County residents who care about the environment and their community are being lulled into a sense of security that these core values are being protected when they are not.
Boundary County residents do not have a vote on the new plan, so we must make our views known. Only the commissioners will vote, and if these new provisions are adopted, they are going to change the culture and lifestyle of the county forever. If members of the community are complacent on these matters, we will forever lose our ability to have our voice heard.
You can appear at meetings or write comments to the commissioners to tell them your concerns about this new slant on land use in Boundary County. Commissioners are elected to protect the rights of all people in the community. Unless the people speak up, we will all lose. Commissioners need to consider the wishes of the majority of the community to retain our peaceful and rural environment, which we all enjoy at this time.
Patrick and Ada Gardiner
Porthill