Hey law students! Still looking for something interesting to do this summer? We’ve got a job for you. We were just awarded a project grant for the summer and we need one or two law students to do some specific research and writing for the project. It is, of course, related to our never-ending efforts to protect North Idaho’s environment. Although we’re not paying very more »
Yesterday, the CDA Press reported that the Kootenai County Commissioners were “scrapping a proposal to expand shoreline protection requirements” in the re-writing of the zoning and development codes. And, in one sense, it is true that the Commissioners and the consultant and the Advisory Committee panel have gone back to the drawing board. But rather than this being some political victory for property rights, or more »
We’ve been tracking the Bonner County Property Rights Council for some time. Lately, we were following the PRC application on behalf of Lawrence and Nels Heidekker, owners of a problematic junkyard near Priest River. The junkyard, currently subject to a code enforcement action by Bonner County, appeared to be attempting to avoid the enforcement action by going through the PRC instead. According PRC documents and more »
KEA’s comments on the draft Idaho Panhandle National Forest Plan are due on Monday. The fairly lengthy comments are still being finalized, but the first paragraph will go something like this: As a general matter, we are glad that the Forest Service has finally developed a new draft forest plan, but we are disappointed. We believe that it is not sufficiently protective of watersheds, wildlife more »
We caught this press release (pdf) over at Huckleberries Online, and it is an important development in Kootenai County’s ULUC land use code project. One of the major difficulties in any zoning code overhaul is what to do with properties that already exist and would be allowed under an old code, but not allowed under the new one. Kootenai County ‘s consultant is suggesting a more »
We got word from some dedicated ice climbers that Kootenai County Parks and Waterways is considering the sale or disposal of Chilco Falls Park, one of the best ice-climbing spots in the entire inland northwest. Difficult to find, difficult to access, and with no park amenities whatsoever, the property is being considered for surplus, with the proceeds of any sale rumored to go toward facilities more »
We’ve been looking for a good primer on “property rights” to help people understand the debate when it comes to re-writing our land use codes in Kootenai County. And lo and behold, there’s a superb piece on the website dedicated to the project. We re-publish it here in hopes that more people read it and understand it and reject the silliness being promulgated by some more »
Late today, we were forwarded a copy of issued by a U.S. District Court in California denying the Army Corps of Engineers motion to dismiss a case over levee vegetation in Sacramento. The Court rejected each of the Corps of Engineers arguments to dismiss the case outright. Indeed, the order constitutes a complete rejection of the very same arguments which we were expecting in our more »
Our 2nd annual Earth Day Gala was a 2nd annual success last Friday at the Hayden Lake Country Club. Dinner was served, items were auctioned, money was raised, speeches were given, and fun was had. Special thanks to all three Kootenai County Commissioners who joined us for our 40th Anniversary celebration. At the Gala, KEA President Janet Torline presented awards to some great KEA members more »
