HOPE — A zoning change that would reclassify 15.6 acres on the Hope Peninsula on Lake Pend Oreille as a recreation area is set to come before the Bonner County Zoning Commission next week. 

Currently, the area is zoned as Rural 5, which allows for low-density residential and agricultural uses. In the application narrative submitted by Jeremy Grimm's Whiskey Rock Planning and Consulting on behalf of Stonehedge Partners LLC, he cites Bonner County's Comprehensive Plan as backing for the change. 

In the comprehensive plan, the county has the area zoned as a recreation community.  

"This request is not a developer-driven deviation," Grimm wrote. "Rather, it is a necessary, proactive step to legally harmonize the property’s zoning map with the county's own adopted long-term vision." 

Several residents have raised concerns about the zone change on social media. They have shared concerns about developing the land, which sits on wetlands, is used as an active nesting ground for wildlife and has historic ties, as it lies close to Sam Owen Park.  

In the narrative, Grimm writes that any future development must adhere to the county's environmental standards, including the 40-foot shoreline setback and other protections. 

Under the proposed zone, the land could be able to be used to provide housing, or as a commercial or private resort, as long as it provided a range of recreational activities, or as a conservation development. Currently, there is no publicly announced development plan for the site. 

The zoning commission will host a public hearing Thursday, July 23, at 5:30 p.m. at the Bonner County Administration Building in Sandpoint. The entire narrative and application can be found on the county's website at bonnercountyid.gov/zc0002-26.