BOCC adopts changes to Comp Plan

By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey
Reader Staff

Bonner County commissioners adopted updates to two sections of the county’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan on Dec. 7, marking the latest in the extensive process to amend the guiding document in its entirety for the first time since 2005.

Commissioners Dan McDonald and Jeff Connolly voted to approve updates to the Property Rights and Recreation sections of the Comp Plan during the Dec. 7 hearing, which saw very little public comment. Commissioner Steve Bradshaw was excused from the meeting.

The adopted changes came as recommendations from the Bonner County Planning Commission, which has been working through each section of the Comp Plan and suggesting updates since late summer. Commissioners voted to accept all of the planning commission’s suggested changes to both the Property Rights and Recreation sections, as well as to incorporate comments received from Idaho Fish and Game to more completely list the county’s fishing and hunting opportunities under Recreation.

On Dec. 21, commissioners will hear recommended updates to the Goals, Objectives and Policies portion of the Comp Plan, which serves to set the tone for the rest of the extensive document. Once made available, an agenda for that hearing will be available to view at bonnercountyid.gov/bocc-agendas.

Drafts of each section of the Comp Plan, currently under review by the planning commission, are available to read at bonnercountyid.gov/ComprehensivePlanUpdate. The commission canceled its Dec. 20 and Jan. 3 hearings due to a lack of quorum, and will resume its regular schedule on Tuesday, Jan. 17.