MARITIME: Hold on a minute

It has been a long time since the community has come together in such force to oppose what thousands of people in Kootenai County see as a damaging, dangerous and inappropriate project asking officials for approval to go forward. I am making reference to the request by John Condon of North Idaho Maritime to place a staging station for his dock building in Wolf Lodge Bay.

Interpretation of the zoning of any piece of land falls into many arenas by each individual, but the legality of allowing something so non-compatible for the area in this ecologically fragile Bay is impossible… one would think. Well, now that the zoning of the parcel in question in Wolf Lodge Bay has been found to actually already be zoned commercial, Mr. Condon and his representatives feel they have a right to build his business smack dab at the beginning of the popular Scenic Byway of Lake Coeur d’Alene, on a blind curve in a bay that feeds many forms of wildlife and draws thousands of persons yearly to share in this bay’s beauty.

Not so fast. Back in 1989/90 when this zoning was changed to commercial, it was only allowed as the family requesting it stated they were going to put in a business for water recreational use; the INTENT allowed the zone change. Fast forward to today. Mr. Condon’s INTENT is to place a commercial/industrial business (as his application states) in this location; not something that is attractive, nor safe for the surrounding land and water, nor healthy for the environment.

There is a pivot point between “can” and “should.” Just because you CAN do something doesn’t mean you SHOULD. Just because you CAN doesn’t mean you GET TO.

BEV TWILLMANN

Kootenai County