SAGLE — Another chapter has opened in the extended saga of an asphalt batch proposal off U.S. Highway 95.

The Bonner County Planning & Zoning Commission approved a conditional use permit for the facility following a lengthy, well-attended public hearing on Thursday night. The permit approval cleared the board on a 3-2 vote.

The panel deadlocked 2-2, with commissioners Suzanne Glasoe and Brian Bailey voting in favor and commissioners Taylor Bradish and Sheryl Reeve voting against permit approval. Chairman Don Davis stepped down and cast the deciding vote, finding the proposal was in accord with Bonner County Revised Code and the county’s comprehensive land use plan.

Frank Linscott’s grandfathered gravel pit has been in place for more than 60 years. Interstate Concrete & Asphalt has sought for years to establish a batch plant at the site so it would no longer have to truck raw materials from the pit for processing at Interstate’s processing facility in Sandpoint.

Cutting the 15-mile round-trip commute will cut production costs, which provides savings for Interstate’s private- and public-sector customers.

“It makes logical sense,” said Steve Syrcle, Interstate’s engineer of record, told the commission.

Interstate has been granted permission over the years to conduct temporary batch plant operations, although a previous county commission declined to grant permanent status to batch plant operations because it was too incongruous with the comp plan. The marriage of batching and rock-crushing operations has also faced opposition from neighboring landowners who argued that the plant’s noxious emissions poses a health risk which threatens to shred their property values.

“It’s a highly toxic product,” said landowner Larry Smith.

Several testified that the batch plant would jeopardize their existing health conditions.

“This is not something to take lightly. For me, it’s a matter of life and death,” said Corene Jones, who suffers from asthma.

Jonna Plante, who has multiple sclerosis, said operations at the site will cause sensory over-stimulation and questioned whether the county would place the desires of a for-profit corporation above the wishes of local landowners.

“Your decision is life-changing to me,” Plante said, her voice cracking with emotion.

Opponents also argued that historical operations at the pit have shown a lack of compliance with permit restrictions. Interstate maintained that there is no public record of its noncompliance with operating restrictions, but said it didn’t control rock-crushing operations at the pit.

Interstate officials said they would be responsive to neighbors’ concerns and plant operations would fall well below Idaho Department of Environmental emission thresholds.

The commission’s deliberations were sparse and punctuated by more than one period of complete silence.

Glasoe questioned why opponents didn’t solicit the testimony of a physicians to moor their public health concerns.

“It’s a tough call,” said Bradish, who said the reduced truck traffic in Sandpoint would become Sagle’s burden.

Davis ultimately broke the 2-2 tie, finding that the permit request was in keeping with requirements in county code.

“It does appear to me that they have been met,” said Davis.

Opponents have 28 days to appeal P&Z ruling to the current board of county commissioners.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.