Last Thursday’s Boundary County Planning and Zoning Commission meeting heard Dennis Lamphere make a public apology to his neighbors.

Lamphere is seeking to amend the zoning on a 5.5 acre parcel on Highway 2 from rural residential to rural community/commercial. 

A recent windstorm scattered styrofoam insulation onto properties next to Lamphere’s, which was stacked on his property for building his house.  His inability to explain how he could prevent a similar occurrence if he were to establish a business selling the material commercially, led to the five commison members present giving a thumbs down, even though part of the property was designated for commercial zoning in the new comprehensive plan.

A motion to forward to commissioners a recommendation of approval tied at two for and two against, and commissioner chair Rod Barcklay cast the deciding no vote. The application has yet to be scheduled for a second public hearing for a final decision.

Boundary County Planning and Zoning Commission  held a public hearing on five land use applications for four property owners.

They approved two variance requests, recommending approval on one zone map change request and recommending another be disapproved, and recommending that a special use application permit be denied.

The commission was unanimous in their approval of a variance request by Mark Cowan to divide a parcel on Upper Pack River Road where it's divided by Pack River, creating parcels approximately 13 and 9 acres in size.

The second public hearing by Dennis Lamphere, seeking to amend the zoning on a 5.5 acre parcel on Highway 2 from rural residential to rural community/commercial.

 It began with Lamphere apologizing publicly to neighbors after a recent windstorm scattered styrofoam insulation onto adjoining properties that was stacked on his property for building his house. 

His inability to explain how he could prevent a similar occurrence if he were to establish a business selling the material commercially, led to the commission giving a thumbs down, even though part of the property was designated for commercial zoning in the new comprehensive plan.

A motion to forward to commissioners a recommendation of approval tied at two for and two against, and commissioner chair Rod Barcklay cast the deciding no vote. The application has yet to be scheduled for a second public hearing for a final decision.

Thomas Bushnell, who owns a seven acre parcel on Meadow Creek Road, had two applications in. One of which was approved and one going to county commissioners with a recommendation of disapproval.

Bushnell received a variance to divide the property along a seasonal creek, thus creating another residential site, but his application for a special use permit to build log home shells commercially on that property goes to commissioners with another narrow thumbs-down, saying the operation would be better suited on property zoned for commercial use.

A motion to forward a recommendation of approval was again decided by the chair, who broke a tie against the motion, and that application, too, now goes to county commissioners for a final decision.

The commission didn't need a tie breaker to recommend that an application to re-zone Blue Lake RV Park on U.S. 95, owned by Carbo Trading Company LLC, from agriculture forestry to rural community/commercial be approved, which passed by a vote of three to one.

To find out more, call (208) 267-7212.