Project threatens lifestyle in Silverwood region
Is the Silverwood area about to become saturated with a series of high density, low income home developments? Many of the rural residents are worried that if a pending application to rezone 34 acres for the development of 86 low income homes is approved, it could empower the developers with a precedent to proceed with long range plans to build out hundreds of acres into a high density community potentially adding over 1,000 new homes to the area. A 500-plus acre wastewater treatment facility is also a component of this three phase application due for a final public hearing before the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on March 12 at 6 p.m. in the Kootenai County Administration Building - 1st floor.
In 2010, Dennis Swartout, a well-known developer from Spokane, expressed his intent in a written comment to the Comprehensive Planning Department stating:
"This policy goal [of restricting development in rural areas] would also discourage and restrict the creation of new cities and urban centers, severely constraining growth and economic viability in Kootenai County.
"There is an abundance of undeveloped land in Northern Kootenai County. There is plenty of room to have both large acreage tracts where folks can enjoy the 'rural lifestyle' and enough room to have some new urban centers that have their own sewer & water infrastructure, schools, shopping, transportation, work places and affordable housing."
He goes on to state his true interest in changing the rural landscape to "cities and urban centers" by disclosing:
"Please note my special interest: As a real estate developer with several large tracts of land in [north] Kootenai County, I would like to be able to develop a master planned urban center project that is not only profitable, but that creates jobs, provides badly needed housing and, most importantly, wins neighborhood approval."
Cliff Mort of Mort Construction and Monogram Homes is the applicant for the zone change request, the 86 home subdivision and wastewater treatment plant. Mort and Swartout have been involved in a number of previous projects together in the Post Falls area. Cliff Mort is currently in a lease option agreement with Dennis Swartout on the 34-acre site, thus entitled to act as an owner builder.
Local residents are concerned about the impact that high volume, low income homes will have on their own property values. With the majority of area homes located on 5 or more acres, where the median value is $268,000, yet the Athol area currently has the highest foreclosure rate in Kootenai County. Depending on the proximity to a high density, low income development and a 500-acre wastewater treatment facility, a large number of property owners will most certainly suffer from devaluation of their investments.
The additional burden of potentially increasing the rural population by as much as 2,000 or more new residents is the impact on local roads, schools, emergency responders and other public support systems could prove to be devastating for the entire area's infrastructure.
Opponents of the development argue that the current Comprehensive Plan should protect their property rights from the likelihood of BOCC approval. However, at the hearing before the County Examiner on Oct. 16, 2014, in spite of 60 plus opposed and only 3 in favor, the Examiner recommended approval. Now the property owners face concerns that the Commissioners could possibly follow the lead and approve this precedent setting intrusion into the rural lifestyles the majority of residents cherish, love and wish to protect.
Protest organizers have scheduled an informational meeting at the Athol Community Center on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. to prepare for the final hearing before the BOCC on March 12. Concerned citizens are encouraged to learn and participate by attending the meeting and more importantly, making their opposition known at the official BOCC hearing.
Anyone seeking additional information plus updates is encouraged to email directly to:
RuralPropertyRights@gmail.com
Michael Cord is an Athol resident.