PLAN: Ready for adoption now

On Feb. 17 the Coeur d’Alene Press editorial called on the County Commissioners to scrap the new comprehensive plan and begin over after this year’s elections.

The editorial further stated that the plan is inflexible and too complex and will be a nightmare to administer.

The editorial also implied the creation of the plan was not collaborative and is confusing to many county residents.

The drafting of the comprehensive plan was a truly collaborative effort. The county planning commission went out of its way to listen to all the organizations, agencies, and individuals interested in the proposed plan. This included neighborhood groups and developers.

The proposed plan is responsibly flexible. It provides for development, but directs it to areas where it should take place, near existing services, leaving the bulk of Kootenai County rural, attractive, and not cluttered with sprawl.

The plan would bring order to the current land use planning chaos.  It is specific enough to guide the writing of related ordinances. It is both visionary and directive, informing all parties about land use planning priorities.

The comprehensive plan reflects the values and wishes of the general public. The County Commissioners themselves hired a public opinion firm to survey what county citizens value and want protected by the comprehensive plan, its ordinances and enforcement. According to its survey report, the large majority of county residents said “that growth should be orchestrated, consciously decided, and managed to be orderly and logical, with the long view in mind.”

This is exactly what the proposed new comprehensive plan calls for, and this is why it should be adopted now and not delayed. The County Commissioners should be listening to the public.

MERLYN NELSON

Harrison