Citizen survey indicates wide opposition to proposed land use map

By Katie Botkin
Reader Contributor

Public input and has already had an effect on the controversial draft Land Use Map developed by the Bonner County Planning Commission.

At its July 30 meeting — following a packed public workshop two weeks earlier — the commission revised its map based on public comment that showed overwhelming opposition to a plan to lump all rural residential and agriculture/forestry land into one land use designation. 

At the workshop, a Project 7B board member shared preliminary results from a Rural Character survey also showing opposition to the proposed plan. 

Over the past month, nonprofit Project 7B and citizen group Bonner County Rural Lifers have been gathering input from Bonner County residents for Bonner County’s Land Use Map and Comprehensive Plan. The map and Comp Plan will determine how and where development occurs for the next 10-20 years. 

The two groups put together a Rural Character survey that they advertised widely in print media and online. The Rural Character Survey is now complete, and responses are in. Over the course of the month, 789 people participated. More than 99% of respondents live in Bonner County, and 95% of them own land here.

More than 98% of participants indicated that it’s important for Bonner County to retain its rural character outside towns. The vast majority (over 80%) indicated that of the options offered in the survey, their idea of “rural” roughly corresponds to, “Large portions of undeveloped land and forests, larger working farms (10+ acres), an emphasis on privacy, low traffic and the theoretical ability to hunt grouse off the back porch.”

More than half of respondents (55%) preferred the current land use map, while 8% of respondents were in favor of the Planning Commission’s working proposal, which had combined three areas into one designation called “Rural,” allowing five- to 40-acre parcel sizes, and kept the current Remote Forest with 40 or more acres. The remainder wanted a compromise (17%), didn’t know (16%) or wanted something else (4%). Most of the latter category seemed to prefer larger lot sizes than the current map. 

Sample representative responses to “other” include:

• “Stop any further division of agricultural land to preserve our food sources. Any current agricultural land can not be rezoned. No new subdivisions outside city limits. Any future developments within city limits must be at the total expense of the developers. Including environmental studies, infrastructure improvements, etc.”

• “Large unfractured forest and ag parcels greater than 20 acres.” 

• “Parcel sizes of 10 acres; Ag/Forest, with parcel sizes of 10-20 acres; Prime Ag with 20-acre minimum; and remote Ag/Forest with 40+ acres” and “40+ acre parcels with gravel roads.”

To survey participants, the most important characteristics in rural Bonner County were wildlife habitat (87% considered it important); open spaces and dark skies (77%); and low-density development that protects groundwater through adequately-sized septic drainfields (76%).

Of the 10 options offered, the least popular was “convenient access to shopping and other services,” which only 5% of respondents considered important.

In line with results from the previous question, 75% of respondents indicated that they did not approve of the county eliminating site reviews by environmental health officials for septic systems in most land divisions and building location permits. 

At its July 30 meeting, the Planning Commission restored the distinction between “rural residential” uses and “agriculture/forestry” uses. This is more in line with the county’s current land use designations. The new draft has yet to be mapped out.

The commission has not yet decided whether or not to hold additional public workshops on the new language in the plan or a new draft map. At a minimum, it must hold a public hearing before recommending the updates to the Bonner County Commissioners. 

To stay informed about the next steps in the process, or to learn more about Project 7B, go to project7b.org, or follow Project 7B on Facebook.

Katie Botkin is the Project 7B coordinator. Contact her at [email protected]. For more info on Project 7B, which describes itself as “a non-partisan group of individuals who want to help the residents of Bonner County understand and become more involved in land use planning,” visit project7b.org.