CANYON: Just more California

I am writing about a serious concern that I have for our community. Glen Lanker, an architect transplanted Southern Californian and his Pennsylvania financiers are attempting to build a high-density (9.64 units per acre) development in a rural area of our county. Entitled Hayden Canyon, this “utopia” would include multi-use commercial/residential tracts, complete with low-income housing. These homes would have no backyards or privacy, only “shared” greenbelts, where both the elderly and young would be encouraged to “walk a mile in the snow” on steep terrain, to school and shopping. The use of cars would be discouraged. Mr. Lanker is trying to bring “new urbanism” to Idaho, saying that our “time has come” to embrace this socio-economic lifestyle. His “vision” is really a thinly disguised attempt at social engineering.

I see this clearly, because I sat at the planning tables of a governmental agency for many years in California.

In my county, a city of 40K was diligently working with “planned developments” to incorporate them in their master plan. Property values were skyrocketing, so banks wrote mortgages at 110 percent loan-to-value. Everybody then had access to “affordable housing.” This town was the model of progressive planning. Unfortunately, everything crashed. And today, the developers are long gone, the city is out of money to maintain its infrastructure and public safety, and property values continue to nosedive (60 percent and still falling). The town is now the poster child for what not to do.

People in North Idaho look at Californians with caution, and that’s understandable. Some don’t like us at all, because California represents everything a state shouldn’t do. I can’t blame them. I have the same view. Most of us left the “Golden State” because of its structural/financial collapse and quality of life issues. We left our families, homes, and friends behind, because Idaho WASN’T California!

Hate me if you wish, but one thing I must do . . . sound the alarm! A city can do numerous things to disrupt the “way of life” for its citizens. Without hesitation, permitting Hayden Canyon is clearly one of them. If Hayden listens to this piper’s flute, Mr. Lanker and his out-of-state financiers will literally lead us off the cliff, having permanently changed this community forever. Simply put, Mr. Lanker wants to recreate California in North Idaho.

RICK JAMES

Hayden