New county zoning laws take effect Thursday
October 31, 2011
On Thursday, November 3, a new set of land use laws governing those who live outside city limits in this county are going to take effect. It's taken six years to put them all together, everyone who has played a part in their development knows they aren't perfect ... but they will be law.

For most of county residents, the new laws won't mean anything ... this is a county whose neighbors get along well together and who respect the rights of property owners to enjoy use of their land.

The new ordinance doesn't infringe on your right to build the home you want, and the permit fee hasn't changed.

It doesn't tell you what to build. After six years of study, argument and toil ... Boundary County will most often only refer you to the resources ... it's still up to you if you want to take the advice.

Boundary County will not, either, preserve your property rights at the expense of another.

We're trying hard to keep alive the mores this county was built on.

The biggest change in the new ordinance is how property owners might divide their property ... an issue that started the fissure years ago when land prices were booming and those who had land sold.

Those who bought land did so recognizing the weaknesses in our ordinances, and those who arrived in time made a lot of money and were gone with a pocketful, leaving the county with problems not of our making, and leaving a lot of new neighbors expecting promises that no one here ever made.

It took six years to come up with a new set of rules as to how to accommodate the interests of those who live here against those who would come here, take advantage and leave.

The law has to apply equally to all.

All without unduly burdening property owners and without growing the planning and zoning office; which will remain a one-person shop, one of few, if any other such county P&Z offices in the state.

There is no doubt the new county land use laws are going to add a burden to the land owner who wants to divide a piece of property. In most cases, to make clear title, a process through the county is going to need to be coped with if you want to finance or borrow money on land you own, or if you want to assure the buyer that they have a lot that can be built on.

After six year's effort, the new law allows much ... it just asks that all of us remember we are neighbors.

The county has already been verbally threatened wtih law suits, points of law and reasons as to why this new ordinance will fail, but on Thursday, the new law goes into effect.

"I know that few are happy with what we've accopmplished, but I hope that they give what we've done a chance to work," said county zoning administrator Mike Weland. "Nothing is perfect, but what we've done is a big step. Let the new comp plan and ordinance apply, let the new ordinance work, and let's see if the way it's applied lets us find common ground."

The new ordinance is available online by clicking here. For information on the new ordinance, call the county planning and zoning office, (208) 267-7212.