Boundary County Planning and Zoning Commission
Minutes July 20, 2017
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AGENDA
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Statistics
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Attending |
Names |
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Public |
Rob Woywod, Horace ‘Marty’ Martinez, Matt |
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Planning & Zoning |
Caleb Davis (Chairman), Wade Purdom (Co-Chair), Marciavee |
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Absent |
Counselor Tevis Hull |
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Staff |
John Moss |
At 5:30 pm Chairman Caleb Davis opened the meeting and presented the evening agenda. After identifying the presence of a quorum Davis asked if there were any changes or corrections to be made to the Minutes of the May 18 meeting. There being none, Davis asked for a motion to approve the May 18 minutes. Ron Self so moved, seconded by Scott Fuller, and there being no further discussion Davis called for a vote. The votes were as follows:.
Ron Self - Aye, John Cranor - Aye, Tim Heenan - Aye, Scott Fuller - Aye, Marciavee Cossette - Aye, Wade Purdom - Aye, Adam Isaac - Aye, Caleb Davis - (tie-breaker);
Tally: Nay (0), Aye (7), Absent (0)
The motion to approve the May 18 minutes was unanimous.
[Planning & Zoning minutes are transcribed from the conversation that takes place during the meeting. Topics are condensed, eliminating verbatim comment in order to condense the material. Key points are included in this extraction and all votes taken are recorded.]
Next on the agenda was a presentation made by Robert Martin concerning a request to consider dividing gift parcels for his children. The parcels he desires to be taken are from his 72 acres, in sizes less than the minimum size of the Agriculture/Forestry in which his property lies. Mr. Martin is aware that the gift to family members with a waiver of minimum parcel sizes has been removed from the ordinance implemented July 20 2017, and would like the Planning and Zoning Commission to consider his request as a variance or exception to the now current ordinance. He explained that he has been a resident of the community since 1978, that he has always planned to give smaller parcels to his children and has in fact done so for one child, son Gary Martin (also included in this presentation). He made the point that his interest in the forested nature of his property has made it a priority to preserve the wooded nature of the land. Mr, Martin said that he fears that having to divide into 10 acre segments would make the parcels so created likely to be sold and reduce the forested nature of the land. He further stated that by dividing the property separately into smaller pieces allows his children to settle on their own property while retaining the forested nature of the entire area.
Staff interrupted at this point, explaining that this was not a formal hearing and that although the Planning and Zoning Commission may or may not have an opinion on the matter, the request is beyond the authority of the Planning and Zoning Commission to grant. Staff suggested that Mr. Martin make the request of the County Commissioners, since only they can make a decision in favor of Mr. Martin's request. Apologizing for any inconvenience, Staff indicated that it seems that remedies available (such as rezoning to allow smaller parcel sizes) seem to also not be to the applicant's liking. Mr. Martin and son Gary left the meeting, thanking the Commission for their time and consideration.
Four applicants applied to fill the opening left on the Planning and Zoning Commission vacated by Kim Peterson. (Peterson moved to Sandpoint and her term expires January 2018; she was filling Steve Shelton's position when he left.) These four applicants are:'Marty' Martinez, Stephen Howlett, Rob Woywod and Matt Philbrook. All four applicants are qualified, having resided in Boundary County for at least 2 years. Stephen Howlett was not present, but the Commission has interviewed him in a past meeting intended to fill the opening left by Matt Cossalman. Mr. Howlett has asked that his resume supplied recently for the last interview procedure be included for consideration, and this was done.
Chairman Caleb Davis suggested there be several rounds of questions, where members of the Commission would ask the applicants questions germane to serving in the capacity as a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission. They were asked if they had read the Comprehensive Plan and whether they understood the relationship between the Plan and the Land Use Ordinance, among many similar questions. After each applicant had participated in giving an opening statement, had answered the questions asked of them (three rounds of questions, each taking several minutes per applicant), and had given a closing statement, the applicants were asked to leave while the Commission considered their responses and decided upon an applicant to recommend to the County Commissioners. The applicants were encouraged to remain after taking a break while the Commission voted; they were invited to listen to the remainder of the meeting which would relate to steps to be taken in considering revising the Comprehensive Plan. The applicants left the courtroom.
Each member of the Planning and Zoning Commission participated in the ensuing discussion, and each applicant was recognized as having qualities which would make them good participants on the Commission. However, it was Rob Woywod who not only stated he had read the Comprehensive Plan, and the Ordinance, but indicated in his responses to questions that he understood how to apply that knowledge in his answers.
Wade Purdom moved to recommend Rob Woywod to the County Commissioners as a replacement for Kim Peterson. The motion was seconded by John Cranor and there being no further discussion Davis called for a vote. The votes were as follows:.
Ron Self - Aye, John Cranor - Aye, Tim Heenan - Aye, Scott Fuller - Aye, Marciavee Cossette - Aye, Wade Purdom - Aye, Adam Isaac - Aye, Caleb Davis - (tie-breaker);
Tally: Nay (0), Aye (7), Absent (0)
The motion to recommend Rob Woywod to the County Commissioners as a replacement for Kim Peterson was unanimous. At this point the applicants were invited back into the courtroom to view the remainder of the meeting.
The last item on the Agenda had to do with Comprehensive Plan considerations. It was understood that the existing content must be reviewed, and that a possible revised Comprehensive Plan would result from this review, as well as a revised Comprehensive Plan Map.
Staff pointed out the Ordinance dealing with this revision, specifically Section 18.2.2. Chairman Davis directed the Commission members to review the Comprehensive Plan as per duties of the Commission Section 18.2.1.4. Staff made it clear that the existing Comprehensive Plan is consistent with the wishes of the county residents and that there has been no conflict expressed that would necessitate a major revision. The purpose of the next meeting, as specified by the Chairman, is to meet to discuss the content of the Plan and determine if 'a review is necessary'. Staff said he would publish the meeting content so any member of the public wishing to contribute a point of view that needs to be included can do so. Wade Purdom pointed out that Section 18.2.2.2.3. specifically states 'Schedule a series of public meetings regarding the process', and Staff suggested that it would help to have Counselor Hull present at the next meeting so as to help clarify the steps that need to be taken. The applicants remaining in the meeting were thanked for their interest and participation.
Staff introduced a suggestion concerning the naming convention for the Land-use Ordinance, the Comprehensive Plan and their respective maps. Given the requirement that the Ordinance be derived from the Comprehensive Plan, and further that is was impossible to tell just what version of the Comprehensive Plan was used as the basis for what version of the Land-use Ordinance, it seems appropriate to use a naming convention that ties everything together. The name would be composed of four parts: (1) county name, (2) year, (3) component, (4) version. This configuration might look something like this:
- 9B (Boundary County)
- 18 (Year)
- CP (Component - Comprehensive Plan)
- V1 (Version)
As a result, the names of the Comprehensive Plan, Plan Map, Land-use Ordinance and zone map might look like this:
- 9B18CPV1 Comprehensive Plan
- 9B18CPMV1 Comprehensive Plan Map
- 9B18LOV1 Land-use Ordinance
- 9B18LOMV1 Land-use Ordinance Map
Staff said there may be regulations per State code that regard ordinance and/or resolution naming but that it is worth presenting an alternative to what we have now. This is a suggestion only, and there are many ways to accomplish the same thing; food for thought, at this point.
Ron Self moved to adjourn, Scott Fuller seconded, approved unanimously at 7:20 pm.
John B. Moss
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