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Bonner County continues Cropper family zone-change hearing to July 15
Summary
On June 11 the Bonner County Board of Commissioners continued a public hearing on a request to rezone roughly 10 acres off Helen Thompson Road from Rural 10 to Rural 5. Staff recommended approval; neighbors raised spot-zoning and slope concerns. The board voted to continue the hearing to July 15 for a full panel decision.
On June 11, 2025 the Bonner County Board of Commissioners continued a public hearing on file ZC0001-25, a request to change zoning for a roughly 10-acre parcel off Helen Thompson Road from Rural 10 to Rural 5.
Planning staff summarized the record and recommended the change. "The applicants are requesting a zone change from rural 10 to rural 5 on 1 parcel approximately 10 acres in size," said Dave Fisher, Bonner County planning staff, describing the parcel’s access, soils and service availability. Staff reported the parcel is accessed from Bonner County–maintained roads, contains mapped wetlands and frontage on an intermittent stream (Trickle Creek), and is served by an individual well and septic system, Westside Fire District, Northern Lights Incorporated power, and Lake Pend Oreille School District No. 84.
The applicants’ representative, Travis Haller, and applicant Joe Cropper said the request is intended to allow a young family to build a home on family land. "They're offering us this land they worked so hard for so that we can afford to build a modest home," Joe Cropper said, telling the board the rezoning would let his family remain in Sandpoint and help care for aging parents.
Several neighbors opposed the rezoning at the hearing. Dave Bowman argued the parcel is "characterized" by steeper slopes and said the surrounding pattern of larger parcels creates a buffer where R10 zoning is appropriate; Reg Crawford said she opposed "spot zoning" and warned against using neighboring small parcels as justification for rezoning. The applicants and staff disputed those points, and Haller said the parcel does not meet the R10 criteria described in county code.
Commission discussion focused on how to apply the county’s rural zoning standards (BCRC 12-3-23 and related sections) and on how to weigh mapped soils, slopes and the presence of smaller adjacent parcels. Commissioners noted the zoning commission recommended approval on April 17, 2025.
Because one commissioner was absent and the remaining board members expressed differing interpretations of the slope and density criteria, the board voted to continue the hearing so a full three-member board can render a definitive decision. The board moved to continue the public hearing to July 15, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.; the motion passed and the hearing was continued.
Staff and applicants will return with any additional materials requested by the board at the July 15 hearing. The continuance preserves the county’s current Rural 10 zoning for the parcel until the board issues a final decision.
