Root out the rotten regulations

You might think builders would know how many trees you can squeeze into a small parcel. You might also think that businesses would know best if they should make room for employees or customers to park their bicycles. But not everybody thinks that way.

That the city of Hayden had on its books an untenable tree-planting ordinance and a requirement for bicycle parking in industrial areas became well-known facts only after it was discovered that the rules had recently been dumped. Not that anybody’s got anything against bicycling to get around; we’re all for it, as is a tree in Coeur d’Alene’s City Park. But the Hayden requirement was a minor proof, along with a bunch of others, that over-regulation is alive and well among us. Now, we’re happy to report, those bike racks are optional.

How this and other measures deemed unfriendly to business (and questionably beneficial to mankind) ever came to be regulations speaks to several important matters.

•As a community, we should all be more involved in rule-making, and more vigilant. These kinds of rules are usually decided in public meetings. The Press has recently shuffled priorities so its reporters can attend more of these public meetings, but citizens’ help in pointing out questionable policies or other governmental decisions is welcome. They don’t have to be new policies or regulations, either — just strange ones.

•Too much turnover in elected bodies can lead to very little getting done. For many, there’s a learning curve that needs to take place before course-altering decisions should be embraced. However, some turnover is healthy. Fresh perspectives based on different backgrounds and talents can put a fresh spotlight on rules that might be questionable or even absurd.

•Competition is good. Yes, even among elected bodies. We can’t help but watch what’s happening in Hayden, with a new mayor, city administrator and other key people, and admire the friendly ferocity with which that community has begun to compete with Post Falls for new residential and commercial construction, as well as employers who will pay livable wages. Hayden is becoming more business friendly, an essential step if it’s going to provide better services for its residents.

We need regulations to ensure the public’s health and safety aren’t compromised, and that communities’ long-term sustainability isn’t jeopardized. But at the municipal level, as Hayden is demonstrating, a thorough review of existing regulations and their possible unintendended consequences might prove a wise investment. A healthy, logical regulatory environment throughout Kootenai County won’t open the door to chaos or evil anti-environmentalists. It will improve predictability and consistency, key ingredients in the recipe for good growth.