[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6624410,"mediaKeyId","2765763-492c75264e366275cf88ec9eb86560a6","parentId",2765763,"title","At a glance: Bonner County commissioners approve moratorium, sign contracts and adopt routine fiscal items","audioSeconds",523,"startMs",3733000,"endMs",4256000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2765763-492c75264e366275cf88ec9eb86560a6&start=3733&end=4256","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2765763-492c75264e366275cf88ec9eb86560a6/thumbnail_3733000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6624410/Bonner-County/Idaho/At-a-glance-Bonner-County-commissioners-approve-moratorium-sign-contracts-and-adopt-routine-fiscal-items","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6624410-9e9448ff7a4af0f0c42956226158af5b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771106177&Signature=EHTJC6gHFN0JZ9ys3f9eWCjbnrx5MMhMkmGNi3IuIBhNTA3-q5JePnG4eK9ykbRr0dvjsYpy~PQbkREZC2ndYwbAkJrrfr8cZ3GKo5fpcGdkvmEe5zuqUX5A23sIPnU4cxzUsyIjo9-lWQ59LEV1KB~mO-OVFW2DumRgoldeSNFI1O1XkMjJELSMdMjPuk7KxL13HjYl2JHxxWTeCP7lKxs6NzjuOw8lvtMExsrLFfzxXjn3SgGZu1bneh7mRLMHft36esR4lI85GcEwjDiNrgkhn7zd1g93tGp9XmQmT6xpiyFYaF7~6au2BCGUaopRw0gxwXc50ADBJLtpB-sFyA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Bonner County","date","2025-03-25T19:19:20.587Z","article","The Bonner County Board of Commissioners' March meeting included a mix of substantive land-use decisions and routine administrative approvals. Key outcomes:

- Moratorium on minor land divisions and family exemptions: The board directed staff to prepare an ordinance establishing a temporary, 182-day moratorium to permit code revisions addressing contiguous minor land divisions, infrastructure standards and emergency access. (See separate coverage.)

- RV parks/campgrounds: The board directed planning staff to draft a code amendment removing RV parks and campgrounds from agricultural-forest, rural residential and rural service-center use tables. The change will be processed through Planning Commission workshops and public hearings. (See separate coverage.)

- Verity election system renewal: The board approved renewal of the county's Verity election software and support contract for the term 07/01/2025'06/30/2026. The item included a 4% annual rate increase that staff said is a standard annual adjustment for the vendor.

- Justice Services surveillance upgrade (Phase 1): The board approved payment of $77,985.62 to purchase Phase 1 of a surveillance-system replacement at Justice Services. Staff said the current analog system (installed 2011) is failing and the upgrade moves to a digital system; Phase 1 includes the majority of wiring and labor and is funded from Probation Services (tobacco-tax and detention revenue) accounts.

- Sand purchase agreement with Idaho Transportation Department (ITD): Road & Bridge staff obtained board approval to buy 10,000 cubic yards of screened \"reject\" material from ITD at $0.98 per cubic yard (assumed 2 tons per cubic yard), an estimated per-ton cost of $0.49 versus the department's prior purchase price of $14.50 per ton. Staff said the purchase would supply roughly two years's worth of traction sand and is expected to yield substantial savings.

- Fiscal items and routine approvals: The board approved the consent agenda, a container-carrier mount purchase for Solid Waste ($54,294.15), FY25 claims batch No. 24 totaling $631,256.51 (big-ticket items included medical and pharmacy payments and pass-through taxes), and a resolution designating polling places for the 2025 election year. The board also approved the Verity renewal noted above.

What the votes mean: Most administrative items passed by roll call vote; the moratorium and the RV-parks directive instruct planning staff to prepare ordinances or code amendments that will return for formal hearings and final adoption. The board reiterated that the RV-parks direction would not retroactively invalidate existing, lawfully approved campgrounds.

Notes on funding and next steps: The Justice Services upgrade is to be paid from Probation Services account lines (tobacco-tax revenue and contract housing revenue). The sand purchase is funded from Road & Bridge budgets; staff said a two-year supply at the ITD rate would significantly reduce annual traction-sand expenditures. The Verity renewal is a standard annual operating cost for election software.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bonner County Board of Commissioners Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved a temporary moratorium on minor land divisions; directed a zoning code amendment to remove RV parks from rural zones; approved several administrative items including a Verity election software renewal, Justice Services surveillance Phase 1 payment, a sand purchase agreement with ITD and standard claims.","taxTitle","Bonner County, Idaho","taxId",49415,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6624414,"Commissioners direct staff to remove recreational-vehicle parks from rural residential and agricultural zoning tables",617,2533000,3150000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2765763-492c75264e366275cf88ec9eb86560a6&start=2533&end=3150","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2765763-492c75264e366275cf88ec9eb86560a6/thumbnail_2533000.jpg","/articles/6624414/Bonner-County/Idaho/Commissioners-direct-staff-to-remove-recreational-vehicle-parks-from-rural-residential-and-agricultural-zoning-tables","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6624414-40bc4d9b25eddd4c8880e7909ea381b2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771106177&Signature=ChMZUChYVQtMUyQGIFcNyyzE4dg0SpxQBxYKPFnTnIrpZCYqWrIuWgCmsJwbObA0Y5a5m9zZqxJQB7wCB7CycoJnIMhz~qM51PFwJwspLRBJqDUpX1dU1vRr0mbqBhpzCPQFIQZA7RGwqHxw6Zr7OFRx1C8VIdMFXaIoa1ameHT7t0JM--Ukn1hQw-9JkTdka6H6~7JKWrZAQ-wIynbnDxxlTXaMfM2kauac-unrk~VcRt~zaJO~MyEAoSGKjfvBo8BOpedHlSqrAqsM-MbwbbJtD4NRIbS5WiSjvcTZ9ZfIPZSZZePyLgetVlxgi4vFu7IbdbcJXaLs606enoprnQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","After a public hearing with dozens of residents and business owners, the Bonner County Board of Commissioners voted to direct planning staff to draft a code amendment that would remove recreational-vehicle parks and campgrounds from the county's residential and agricultural use tables.

The motion directs staff to amend Bonner County zoning code so RV parks and campgrounds are no longer permitted uses (including by conditional-use permit) in Agriculture-Forest, Rural Residential (R-5) and Rural Service Center zoning districts. Planning staff and speakers at the hearing said the change is intended to preserve rural character and prevent campground and RV-park-style density in areas without sewer, fire mitigation, and other infrastructure.

Speakers for the amendment included landowners and long-time rural residents who said RV parks introduce noise, traffic, generator use and wastewater risks to residential areas. Several residents described recent permit applications and existing small RV developments they said had produced higher-density occupancy, road impacts and pressure on emergency services. Planning consultant and public commenters urged the board to consider the Highway 95 corridor as an appropriate place for destination parks and recommended that any comprehensive update distinguish appropriate corridors from residential countryside.

At the meeting, Susan Bowman (land-use consultant speaking for local citizens) recounted the history of a prior code change that—she said—allowed RV parks into rural zones; she requested that the county reverse that allowance. Jeremy Grimm of Whiskey Rock Planning and other professional planners said a peer review and comprehensive approach would be preferable, but many residents said immediate action to remove campground uses from rural zones was necessary to prevent additional approvals while the county completes its broader code update.

Commissioner discussion touched on whether the motion was too broad, with one commissioner urging more specificity (for example, limited allowances near major corridors). Planning director Jake Gabel noted that removing the use from certain zones would shift demand toward other zones and that staff would need to consider density, buffering and standards when drafting the amendment. The board agreed to proceed with a code amendment and told staff to return with proposed text for Planning Commission review and public hearings.

The motion as directed does not affect existing, lawfully approved RV parks or applications already vested under existing rules; the board and staff repeatedly told residents that the change would affect future permitting and would be implemented through the standard code-amendment process with Planning Commission hearings.

Why it matters: Residents argued that RV parks function like commercial, higher-density developments that can be incompatible with rural residential lots lacking road, water, and firefighting infrastructure. The board's direction is intended to keep commercial campground density in areas the county determines are appropriate when it finalizes the comprehensive-plan and zoning updates.

What comes next: Planning staff will draft a proposed amendment removing RV parks and campgrounds from the identified rural-use tables, include any recommended density/buffer adjustments, and return to the Planning Commission and the Board for formal hearings and adoption.","After public comment and board debate, Bonner County commissioners directed planning staff to prepare a zoning-code amendment to disallow RV parks and campgrounds in agricultural forest, rural residential and rural service-center zoning districts.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6624419,"Bonner County commissioners approve 182-day moratorium on minor land divisions and family exemptions",986,425000,1411000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2765763-492c75264e366275cf88ec9eb86560a6&start=425&end=1411","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2765763-492c75264e366275cf88ec9eb86560a6/thumbnail_425000.jpg","/articles/6624419/Bonner-County/Idaho/Bonner-County-commissioners-approve-182-day-moratorium-on-minor-land-divisions-and-family-exemptions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6624419-72108ec29f2f3d8a5425b31c8c65e985/orig.mp4?Expires=1771106177&Signature=T35T-8CTt9WbLMrnn2zdsyuCmbaz7Pa3y0t076EogCmGeN3OQAM3k~fTE6~As2Y~nL-kFvWahmwBW-btKqpeNfHgPc0~rjjkJ1U1vWQXKd7WUbP1HPXRpa3xRFJaGCkHy0IOppdJALi8tQG~L7z~UZNK16QyvEznyChzxNqSj9Fooj-329xOUa14Dqw-xekuKwHmQhgrTdTCbI6cKnhLl3y~c-LY83NLlY2r-Xd1Jf4naYBqxyhOpl4csba20k497FcLTPtuSSrzOQV10nl5TBJsEyiH1dnsjlHYpvk00PCaQR4wgJdfMp24Y0jFv6k0YOIjrfV2WUunVr4UiKDA5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bonner County commissioners voted to impose a temporary moratorium on minor land divisions and family exemption applications, directing planning staff and legal to review code and propose changes aimed at addressing infrastructure, emergency access, wildfire risk and inconsistent application of the county's subdivision rules.

Planning director Jake Gabel and county legal counsel Bill Wilson told the board the moratorium is an emergency measure allowed under Idaho law and the Local Land Use Planning Act. Gabel said the planning department has identified instances where contiguous or sequential minor land divisions had been used to produce subdivision-scale development without the infrastructure and review required for subdivisions. Gabel said the pause will allow staff to amend Bonner County Revised Code Title 12 provisions to ensure alignment with planning goals, infrastructure standards and public safety requirements.

The moratorium, as presented, would run for 182 days (the statutory maximum in the county's cited authority) or until earlier replacement ordinance adoption; the proposal also includes temporarily expanding the short-plat threshold to allow administrative processing of simple, small divisions (short plat defined as up to 10 lots) while the moratorium is in effect.

Supporters at the public hearing said the moratorium responds to observed problems: several residents, emergency-services and Road & Bridge staff described instances where MLDs had produced development patterns that hinder emergency access, increased fire risk, and created stormwater and road maintenance problems. Matt Mulder, Road & Bridge staff engineer, told the board that unreviewed splits had produced narrow rights-of-way and unplanned stormwater impacts that later fell on county infrastructure and neighbors. Project 7B and other residents called for the temporary pause so county code could be fixed before further applications were accepted.

Opponents and some board members expressed concern about process and fairness. Commissioner questions focused on whether the circumstances amounted to the \"emergency\" or imminent peril permitting abbreviated notice under Idaho law. Commissioner Corn (recorded in the transcript as Commissioner Corn/Korn) said she was concerned about removing options for residents who want to split land to help relatives, and warned the moratorium could effectively wipe out a building season for some applicants. Legal counsel and planning staff replied that Idaho Code provides for emergency agenda changes in certain cases and that the moratorium is intended to prevent a rush of applications that would vest rights under existing rules before code changes could take effect.

After public comment and board deliberation the board moved, reworded and re-voted on the measure; the motion to direct staff to prepare an ordinance establishing a 182-day moratorium on minor land divisions and family exemptions carried and the board directed staff to return with the implementing ordinance and code amendments for formal adoption.

The board and staff repeatedly emphasized the moratorium is temporary and intended to allow a careful rewrite of Bonner County Revised Code Title 12 sections dealing with minor land divisions, short plats and family exemptions. Gabel said the planning department plans workshops with the Planning Commission and public hearings before any permanent code change.

Votes and procedural steps: the board first voted to amend the published agenda on an \"emergency\" basis to add the moratorium hearing (per Idaho open meetings provisions referenced by counsel). After public comment and discussion the board approved a motion directing staff to prepare an ordinance establishing the 182-day moratorium; staff said the ordinance would return to the board for formal adoption and recording.

Why it matters: planning staff described examples of contiguous minor land divisions that, over time, had resulted in subdivision-like development without subdivision-level infrastructure or review; the board and supporters said the moratorium is intended to protect public health, safety and welfare while the county resolves conflicting code language and adds clearer standards for roads, fire safety, drainage and contiguous divisions.

What comes next: planning staff said they will prepare an ordinance implementing the moratorium, hold workshops with the Planning Commission (staff suggested an initial workshop as soon as the week after the meeting), and pursue code edits to align Title 12 with the County's comprehensive plan and Idaho law. The moratorium would last up to 182 days unless superseded by a new ordinance adopted sooner.

Attribution: Direct quotes and specific attributions in this article come from participants recorded in the meeting transcript, including Bill Wilson (county legal counsel), Jake Gabel (planning director), Matt Mulder (Road & Bridge staff), public commenters Mike Williams, Kima Botkin (Project 7B), Tess Bogel (land use planner/landowner) and multiple commissioners as recorded in the public minutes.","Bonner County commissioners voted to place a temporary, 182-day moratorium on minor land divisions (MLDs) and family exemption applications to allow planning staff and legal to revise county code addressing infrastructure, emergency access and contiguous MLDs.","actionData","errors"]

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At a glance: Bonner County commissioners approve moratorium, sign contracts and adopt routine fiscal items

Commissioners direct staff to remove recreational-vehicle parks from rural residential and agricultural zoning tables

Bonner County commissioners approve 182-day moratorium on minor land divisions and family exemptions