BOCC announces job openings, minor changes to Zoom

Planning Commission hosts public hearing on MLDs

By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff

The Bonner County board of commissioners touched on several forthcoming issues and changes in the county regarding online participation, litigation, planning and position openings. Attendees also noted the Planning Commission’s upcoming public hearing on minor land divisions, which will take place Wednesday, Aug. 27 at 4:30 p.m. in the Bonner County Administration Building (1500 Highway 2, Sandpoint).

Zoom

Due to the July 22 incident when a “Zoom bomber” temporarily interrupted a BOCC meeting with hate speech, Chair Asia Williams announced that online participants will now have to enter their full name when logging into Zoom in order to give public comment. Zoom already requests a first and last name when logging on, though users have had the option to enter placeholders or usernames.

“The benefit of Zoom [is it] allows you the opportunity to ask questions. So, the county isn’t going to accept names that are not — like, it says, ‘Idaho.’ It needs to say the first and last name to give you the option to ask a question,” said Williams, later adding, “don’t put a generic name up there because you won’t get put into Zoom. You’ll have to go to YouTube [to watch the live stream].”

County officials considered alternative measures — such as blocking VPNs — but ultimately decided on a policy that they felt least limited public comment.

“I think most of North Idaho wants a VPN. I don’t think that’s going to fly because … we can’t punish everybody because somebody did something,” said Williams.

The Bonner County YouTube page streams and uploads recordings of every public meeting; however, due to the nature of the bomber’s language, the county had to remove the July 22 meeting to avoid a citation from the social media platform. The public can still view the meeting by submitting a public records request to the county.

Cell tower litigation

Bonner County and Verizon Wireless have gone back and forth regarding a conditional use permit for a potential cell tower near Oldtown. Though initially approved by the county hearing examiner, the BOCC sided with area residents and unanimously voted in April to reverse the approval, later voting to uphold that decision in June. The county argued that the CUP conflicted with its Comprehensive Plan and Bonner County Revised Code — which dictate appropriate land uses based on the area’s zoning — and could negatively affect area homeowners.

The Communications Act of 1996 acknowledges but limits local authority over the placements of cell towers; and, for that reason, Commissioner Brian Domke has often said that the decision on the CUP would eventually lead to litigation.

“We are working on what we’re going to do, but this will be an opportunity for us to see, ‘What are our defense opportunities in this type of a case?’ Because it is unique for the county,” said Williams. “We have a full board decision on it, with [the] full board making the original decision and supporting moving forward with fighting the piece of litigation.”

As of press time, the Reader did not have access to the exact language of the lawsuit against the county.

Open positions

Domke announced Bonner County Planning Director Jake Gabell’s intention to step down from his position by Sept. 12. Applications for the role — as well as seats on the Planning and Zoning commissions — are available on bonnercountyid.gov.

“[Gabell] has informed us that he’s intending to move on to a slightly different career path in the near future. And so, as of yesterday, we have posted the planning director position and we are now accepting applications,” said Domke.

Gabell has been with the department for more than three years and oversees planning and zoning in the county while also acting as the land use, building regulation and floodplain administrator. 

“The Planning Department is an outstanding team of hard-working professionals that I will miss greatly. I won’t be far away; I have accepted a position working for the City of Priest River as the new Planning and Zoning Administrator,” said Gabell.

Depending on experience, the planning director position pays $44.87 an hour, whereas seats on the P&Z commissions are voluntary. Applications for the commissions must be submitted by noon on Friday, Aug. 22, while applications for the planning director position will remain open until the job is filled.

Public hearing on MLDs

After months of work, the Bonner County Planning Commission will host a public hearing Aug. 27 on minor land divisions, where members will potentially vote to recommend approval of proposed changes to Bonner County Revised Code Title 12.

The county earlier instituted an emergency moratorium on MLDs in order to give the commission time to change the code’s imprecise language, which resulted in unintended loopholes allowing developers to create de facto subdivisions without the required infrastructure.

Gabell testified in March that the MLD “processes have led to underregulated land division that often lacks adequate infrastructure and presents long-term challenges for emergency access, fire protection and stormwater management.”

Homeowners in the Mountain Homestead development — which was created using MLDs — are suing the county and about 50 other defendants in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) suit. 

The plaintiffs allege that improper land division and lack of regulations resulted in unclear legal access to their properties, flooding and drinking water polluted with sewage, among other issues.

The proposed update discussed at the Aug. 27 hearing will include changes to almost 50 sections of code. If approved, the revisions will go before the BOCC for a final vote at a to-be-determined date. 

Stream the meeting online via Zoom or YouTube at bonnercountyid.gov/PlanningCommissionHearings.