SANDPOINT — In a packed conference room, about 40 people from the Sagle and Priest River areas came out against a proposed spot zone for a rural service center.

Land owners Sean and Laura Hammond applied to change the zoning from rural five-acre to rural service center. The RSC zoning exists to allow selective industry in rural areas without inadvertently causing over-development. The intended use, should the zone change be affirmed by the elected Board of Commissioners, would be for small scale commercial services, including the sale of fuel, food, and miscellaneous items.

The parcel is 11 acres and abuts a recreational zone to the north. In the application narrative prepared by Whiskey Rock Planning and Consulting, the applicant argued that the growth in the area, especially in the nearby Willow Bay area, merits a convenience store and gas station.

Whiskey Rock’s Jeremy Grimm, who helped prepare the application, pointed out at the meeting that the nearest gas station from that parcel was either 12 miles east or 9 miles west. Grimm mentioned “rural service centers” that have been located near small resort or recreational locations in rural areas, citing locations in Blanchard, Priest Lake, and Clark Fork.

Per Bonner County Revised Code, rural service center zones are not permissible unless the parcel is “designated as neighborhood commercial, resort community or transition by the comprehensive plan” (12-327). This parcel is currently zoned rural 5-acre and borders a “recreation” zone to the north at Willow Bay.

Among concerns raised by those present were increased traffic, increased crime, noise and smell concerns, and the rural “country road” character of the scenic area accessed by the two-lane road.

A county staff report found the proposal to be in line with the objectives and policies of the comprehensive plan and permissible under county code.

Larry Munson, who spoke in favor of the proposal, relayed the story of an emergency at his property about a half mile north in the resort community. Someone with a bee allergy was stung and due to the rural nature of where he lives, getting an antihistamine would have taken an hour to drive to and from another service center.

The next speaker, Randy Benton, said he did “not care one way or the other” but added he had some concerns about the traffic in the area. Benton, who lives near the proposed development, disputed the claim that the center would lower the traffic on Dufort Road. He also was worried about safety, calling the intersection of Vay and Dufort a “blind corner” with dangers exacerbating winter conditions.

In the application narrative, Whiskey Rock officials said they do not expect to induce traffic, but rather to catch already existing passerby traffic. Since residents and recreators would not have to drive to Cocallala or to Priest River to get essentials, they anticipate traffic load on Dufort will decline.

The three-hour meeting saw two hours of comment against the application, which was ultimately recommended for approval by the Zoning Commission.

Among those speaking against the proposal was Rod Williams, who said he chose to live in that area because of its rural nature.

“I hope you guys can understand our disappointment with finding out there is going to be a store,” he added. “We picked that place going, ‘Oh this is perfect, we’ve got Sagle, it’s plenty close … and we couldn’t see this place possibly changing.’ ”

Being able to go out in the evening, and not see any lights is something he treasures, Williams said. Had he known the rezone was a possibility, he said he doubts he would have purchased his property.

Concerns about light and other pollution were brought up by several speakers, including Sandy Spalling. The sharp curve, how normal speeding is, and more traffic were brought up as well.

“Who are we trying to please here?,” she asked. “The tourists or are we trying to help out the residents? I see this as something for people coming through.”

Like Spalling, Marley Conway spoke about protecting the quality of the area around Dufort Road. She moved here for rural living and is content with the “wonderful Vay Market” as the only store nearby.

“If we thought we were going to live across the street from a gas station,” she said. “You guys all know what Dufort is like. It is a beautiful, pristine, two-lane country road. It is gorgeous. It is 9 or 12 miles to the nearest gas station. How tough is that to plan a drive for?”

Despite the concerns, the Zoning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the zone change to the Bonner County Board of Commissioners, finding that, while not a “neighborhood commercial, resort community or transition” area, the parcel can still be legally re-zoned as a rural service center. The rezone request is expected to go before county commissioners within the month.

“The public is not going to be horribly happy if we recommend they approve of this anyway,” zoning commissioner Matt Linscott said. “If we go ahead and limit that to the conceptual plan that the applicant has submitted, I would think that maybe they would be happier.”

While zoning commissioner Luke Webster brought the motion to approve, he also directed Planning Department staff to develop a condition asking the board to limit the use of the RSC zone to only what was described in the application, preventing potential future development.