SANDPOINT — In a longstanding process to alter Bonner County code to address concerns of minor land divisions, county commissioners have officially voted to strike the division process from county code. 

The decision stems from a Nov. 10 land use hearing, where commissioners approved to replace the MLD process with short and long subdivisions in a 2-1 vote; Commissioners Asia Williams and Brian Domke in approval, Commissioner Ron Korn opposed.  

According to county staff, short subdivisions are granted for the development of 10 or fewer parcels, with long subdivisions being applicable to the development of 11 or more parcels. These subdivision types, as opposed to MLDs, fall under the jurisdiction and protection of the Local Land Use Planning Act, which aims to establish an efficient, transparent and coordinated system of land use planning.  

The short and long subdivisions will additionally exist under the requirements supported through infrastructure and service capacity reviews, ensuring that population increases are evaluated for impacts on housing, schools, transportation systems and other services.  

“The Planning Commission ultimately worked through their process of their workshops and hearings and brought forward this recommendation, and this is what they proposed as the way to resolve it,” said Domke during the meeting. “Making small or individual changes to the MLD part of the code was not going to be effective at addressing the underlying concerns, as compared to just treating it as a short subdivision process.”

Korn shared opposition to the proposal, stating his beliefs that it would serve as an additional loophole for families dividing their land during financial hardships.  

“My issues are that we’re making it harder for people to split their property, even on additional parcel,” said Korn. “If you have medical bills, or you’re being taxed out of your property, and if you want to try and create one extra parcel so that you can try and cover your bills and live more comfortably, what we’re doing as a government now is we’re adding more red tape and more expenses.” 

The striking of MLDs from county code marks the end of the long-standing work of the Planning Department, Planning Commission and the BOCC as the county worked to address the conflicting interpretation of code and inconsistent enforcement of minor land division procedures.

Brought forth to commissioners during a March 25 business meeting, former planning director Jake Gabell added an amendment to the meeting’s agenda to discuss a moratorium on MLDs, citing long-term issues with the land division process.  

“These processes [minor land division] have led to under-regulated land divisions and often lack adequate infrastructure, presenting long-term challenges for emergency access, fire protection and storm water management,” Gabell said.  

The moratorium — ultimately approved by Williams and Domke — brought with it issues of leaked information and allegations, meeting violations and the censorship of two commissioners.