New group looks to protect lands

COEUR d’ALENE — A commission charged with protecting Kootenai County’s agricultural areas and working lands held its first meeting this week.

The Agricultural Protection Area Commission was formed by county commissioners in December as required under the Agricultural Area Protection Act approved by Idaho legislators in 2024.

“Legislators expressed concern that Idaho’s working farms, ranches and forests — along with the benefits they provide — were being lost to rapid growth and development,” said David Callahan, director of Kootenai County’s Community Development department. 

During Monday’s initial meeting, the newly formed commission elected Wes Evans as chair and Mike Plante as vice-chair. The commission adopted bylaws and tentatively set its next meeting for 8 a.m. May 21 at the Kootenai-Shoshone Water and Conservation District office in Coeur d’Alene.

By including land in an Agriculture Protection Area, property owners can protect their property from future non-agricultural development for a period of 20 years. Property owners can choose to withdraw from the Agriculture Protection Area after the 20-year term by notifying the county in writing; otherwise, the property will remain in the protected area for another 20 years.

Applying for agricultural land to be designated as an Agricultural Protection Area is voluntary, Callahan said. To qualify, the land must be at least five contiguous acres, actively devoted to agriculture or forest purposes, assessed as agricultural or forest land, and be located within a zone that allows for agriculture or forest use.

“The commission will develop a process for reviewing applications to designate agricultural lands as protected areas and make recommendations to county commissioners who will make a final decision," Callahan said.

Large, confined animal feeding operations are prohibited within Agricultural Protection Areas, along with residential, commercial, manufacturing, solar energy, wind energy and battery storage structures or other non-agricultural uses.

Info: 208-446-1070 or email [email protected]