RURAL: Don't let this happen to you

My family has lived on our South Stateline Road property for more than 30 years. Four years ago we were forced to sell part of the family property for personal reasons. That land was bought by a couple who said all they wanted to do was raise a family in the country. Then, right after they bought it, they announced they wanted to turn the barn into a wedding and special events center. We were shocked and mortified, along with the rest of our neighborhood.

These people remodeled the barn - under the guise of an agricultural permit - for a commercial use, and have pursued a commercial resort conditional use permit for four long years, with the complicity of the Kootenai County Planning Department. Our neighborhood has endured these years spending endless time, energy and tens of thousands of dollars to oppose this intrusion of our country and rural living. Now, these same people and their consultants want to make putting a commercial development in any zone within the county a slam dunk. They have proposed a text amendment to county zoning ordinances that would allow commercial resorts and other types of commercial businesses in rural, agricultural and every other zone in Kootenai County.

You can help stop this commercial invasion of rural and agricultural Kootenai County now. If you spend a little time one evening, hopefully you won't ever have to walk in our shoes by spending years fighting commercial development, hundreds of vehicles and people and watching your standard of living disappear. Come to the Board of Commissioners' hearing on April 28, 6 p.m., in the County Administration Building at 451 Government Way in Coeur d'Alene, and oppose this dangerous text amendment.

Help keep rural Kootenai County rural.

ANITA PIELAET

Post Falls