SANDPOINT — The Board of County Commissioners, in a public hearing Wednesday, denied two zone changes near Trestle Creek proposed by Snowmass Enterprises LLC. 

Both of these files are important steps toward construction of a mini storage facility located off Creekside Lane and Highway 200. Without a plan map amendment and rezone to rural-designated area, the proposed storage facility can’t be constructed.  

Alex Feyen, planning staff, presented both a Comprehensive Plan map amendment from Rural Residential to Resort Community and a zone change from Rural 5 to Recreation, with the help of Joshua Povolt, representative of Provolt Land Surveying and speaking on behalf of the project. It should be noted that without the approval of the amendment, the request for a zone change for the project site wouldn’t likely have grounds to stand on.  

Feyen spoke on both files, going into detail about highway access, the width of the driveway and a turn lane that could minimize traffic into the project site.        

"I know a lot of concerns were brought up about access should the applicant or the landowner decide to go further with this part of the plan would be a conditional use permit. We feel that those things could be addressed at that time,” Povolt said.   

The plan was not without critics as several community members spoke against the amendment. The commentors weren’t against the building of a mini storage facility, just against it being at that specific property. Concerns were brought up about the access point that was suggested by Feyen, which is the only access point for the surrounding neighbors to get to their homes and could lead to road blockage if emergency response vehicles needed to get down the road.  

“We accept the fact that just, you know, at some point that this lot was going to be developed for some sort of recreational or even resort community purposes, that's fine. We have no contest against that. However, having the only entry and access point being on Creekside Lane, a pretty rough dirt gravel road, it could be a public safety concern, especially for all the residents that live further up on Creekside Lane,” Luke McMillan, Hope resident, said.  

Other county residents were concerned about the legitimacy of what would actually be built on the project site.  

“I don't understand why we need a recreational zone for a storage unit. So that is something that I'm opposed to, because that opens the door for them to do any other things that they want to do,” Bonner County resident Scott Abby said. 

The applicant representatives were given a chance to rebuttal against the public comments, making note that “Part of the appeal of a storage unit facility was the low traffic. The storage units I've been around, which I won't say has been a lot, but I've been around a few, you don't see many people accessing their storage units.” 

When it was time for deliberation among the board, Commissioner Brian Domke quickly noted the lack of permits and fell short of requirements necessary to amend the Plan Map and rezone. Commissioner Asia Williams agreed, noting that the project site fit perfect as rural residential and would need conditions and permits to be a proper resort community.  

“I would be forcing a fit to go into recreation when my staff report says this parcel doesn't meet the minimum site requirement for the zone that they're asking to go to. So why would I change that?” Williams shared.  

Commissioner Ron Korn shared to light a different perspective, stating, “I do think, out of everything that you can do with that piece of property, that that (storage unit) would probably be one of the better things to do.”  

After some structural deliberation, Domke moved to deny the amendment proposal as it didn’t meet the requirements necessary. The motion passed with a 2-1 vote, Domke and Williams for, Korn against.  

Following the hearing of the second file, Domke moved to deny the zone request. Because the applicant was unsuccessful at amending the plan map, the zone for the proposal site couldn’t be changed without adding conditional rule.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote. 

    Courtesy BONNER COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT