PROPERTY: County grabbing your land

The county, under the guidance of Kendig Keast Collaborative, is undertaking a propaganda campaign to tamp down opposition to their property rights grab.

When new and more restrictive codes are enacted, existing uses can become non-conforming. The use is still allowed because of “Grandfathering” but future development rights are taken. This is WRONG! You should not be penalized in any way if you obey the law.

The county wants more control over YOUR use of YOUR property. In typical progressive double speak they are doing this to “protect” your rights. The Neighborhood Conservation “solution” is for a problem the county created.

If you have non-conforming aspects on your property, it is because of THEIR overly restrictive land-use policies. The county has a policy where ALL USES ARE PROHIBITED unless specifically allowed by THEM. This creates thousands of non-conforming uses where the land owner must go and plead for approval or face a fine. This puts control of your property in the hands of the county.

The right thing to do would be to have all uses allowed unless specifically forbidden in the land use code and to automatically make grandfathered uses allowed. The county would have a process to add uses to the prohibited use list as needed. This puts the burden on the county for taking your rights rather than the county taking all your rights and then allowing you a few of them back, if you ask nicely and pay a fee.

BRENT REGAN

Coeur d’Alene