EDITORIAL: Tribal request deserves county's OK

What you see when you travel through the Coeur d’Alene Tribe Reservation is pretty much what you’ll get for generations to come.

At least, that’s what Tribal leadership is seeking.

And thanks to the Kootenai County Planning and Zoning Commission’s near-unanimous approval of the Tribe’s recent rezoning request, what you see now is what others likely will see well into the future. The decision now resides with the county’s Board of Commissioners.

P&Z’s 6-1 approval would designate roughly 25,000 acres within the reservation as agricultural land, rather than rural. At the risk of oversimplifying, the difference between those designations is crops and timber vs. houses and streets; status quo vs. development.

Current rural designation allows subdivisions within the 20-acre parcels. Agricultural would not allow subdivisions.

Some of the property owners within the reservation’s boundaries have expressed interest in development, so it’s understandable that they would oppose the Tribe’s rezone request. However, the county attests that it contacted over 1,000 people who would be affected by the rezoning, and received only eight objections.

“These are complicated issues with many conflicting views and it isn’t easy, but we only have one chance to do what is best for our community and this precious land we call home,” said Coeur d’Alene Tribal Chairman Chief Allan.

“I am grateful to each of the Planning and Zoning commissioners for their careful consideration of the issues before them and for ultimately making the decision to join with us in preserving the lands and resources in the southern end of the county for future generations.”

P&Z Commissioner David Levine, who voted for the rezone, provided an appropriate answer to the burning question: “Does the Tribe have the right to determine the health, safety and general welfare of the land within its borders?” he said. “If you believe they do have that right, then it’s a simple answer to me, which is you honor their request. If you don’t believe that — and that’s legitimate and I respect anybody who doesn’t — then you deny the request.”

The Press applauds the P&Z decision because, like Levine, we believe firmly that the Tribe has the right to decide what happens to the land within its borders. There’s plenty of room outside the reservation for the kind of development that so many people want and need.

We encourage the Kootenai County Board of Commissioners to approve the Tribe’s request at its earliest convenience.