After reconsideration, Bonner County approves Ledru property rezoning to Ag-Forest 10

On June 11, 2025 the Bonner County Board of Commissioners reversed its April denial and approved file ZC0011-24, rezoning a roughly 20-acre parcel off Thimbleberry Lane from Agricultural-Forestry 20 (AF20) to Agricultural-Forestry 10 (AF10).

Planning staff presented the reconsideration record, explaining the board had granted a request for reconsideration after the applicant submitted additional evidence challenging the soils mapping used in the original decision. "This application is a zone change from agricultural forestry 20 to agricultural forestry 10 on one parcel that's approximately 20 acres," Alex Van, planning staff, told the board and reviewed standards for AF20 and AF10.

Staff's packet noted the parcel contains four mapped soil types, including Sully Silt Loam and Mission Silt Loam; the staff report said approximately two acres have slopes of 30% or greater and roughly 18 acres are 0–29.9% slope. The report also said about 19 acres of the parcel were then receiving an agricultural timber tax exemption; the applicants disputed that figure during the hearing and said 12.6 acres were under exemption.

The applicants and their representative submitted a field-level soils analysis. Project representative Dan Bridal said laboratory particle-size testing classified the samples as silt loam rather than a well-drained sandy loam and concluded the mapped "prime farmland" designation on part of the parcel did not match the on-site laboratory results. The landowners, Nikki and Rich Ledru, said they intend to divide the parcel into three 10-acre lots so family members can continue forestry and small-farm activities.

Opponents and some commissioners argued about how to apply code language such as "featured" prime soils and whether mapped soils or parcel-level testing should control. County counsel and planning staff advised the board on the reconsideration process and the written decision requirements.

After deliberation, the board found the new soil test results supplied by the applicant provided relevant evidence that the parcel does not "feature" prime agricultural soils, a threshold for AF20. The board found the parcel otherwise meets AF10 criteria (ag-forest land in the comprehensive plan, access to standard roads, fire protection, and other services) and voted to reverse the April decision and approve the AF10 rezoning. The board directed planning staff to prepare a written reason statement and draft ordinance amending the official zoning map for formal enactment and transmission to interested parties.

The approval concludes the reconsideration step; staff will incorporate the board’s findings into a written decision and an ordinance to change the county zoning map.