Kootenai County weighs proposed Cd'A Tribe rezone
A proposed rezoning would affect around 25,000 acres located within the Coeur d’Alene Reservation boundaries.
Courtesy of Kootenai County.
COEUR d’ALENE — Kootenai County commissioners are considering a proposal to rezone approximately 25,000 acres located within the Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s reservation boundaries.
About 50 people gathered Thursday night at the Kootenai County Administration Building for a public hearing before the commissioners, who will make the final decision Aug. 10.
Under the proposed rezone, some properties within the reservation currently zoned rural would be designated agricultural. If approved, it will be the largest rezoning in Kootenai County history — approximately 39 square miles or about 3% of the county’s land area. About half the area under consideration is owned by the Coeur d'Alene Tribe.
The purpose of the rezone is to preserve agricultural land, timberlands, open spaces, natural resources and the existing rural character of the southwest portion of Kootenai County.
Affected parcels are all 20 acres in size or larger, currently zoned as rural, within the boundaries of the Coeur d’Alene Reservation and had a recorded agricultural or timber tax exemption within the last two years.
Subdivisions are currently permitted in rural zones, with a minimum lot size of 5 acres. If the parcels within the tribe’s boundaries are rezoned, subdivisions will no longer be allowed. Timber tax exemptions would not be affected by the rezoning.
Gene James, a member of the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Council, said the tribe is more than a governmental entity.
“We not only represent the 2,600 members of the Coeur d’Alene Nation,” James said during Thursday’s hearing. “We represent all life, land and water that resides not only within the boundaries of our reservation but within our aboriginal territories, which we stand upon this very evening.”
James emphasized that the Coeur d’Alene people are this area’s original inhabitants.
“We don’t want to see our land cut up for the monetary benefit of a select few,” James said.
Tim Weston, who is not a member of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, has lived on the reservation for 11 years. He spoke in favor of the rezoning.
“I feel grateful to live here,” he said. “I feel grateful that the tribe is standing up for their land. They were here thousands of years ago. They’d like to be here thousands of years later and they should have the right to keep their land the way they feel it needs to be for their people.”
The majority of those who spoke Thursday night opposed the rezoning. Many said they believe the change from rural to agricultural would effectively take their property rights.
Robert Bonacelli, who purchased 154 acres north of Worley about three years ago, said he believes the downzoning would “send the wrong signal” to people looking to move to Kootenai County.
“I believe this downzoning is going to have a detrimental effect, not only on the value of my property but every piece of property that is privately owned, other than that of the tribe’s,” Bonacelli said. “They don’t really care because they’re not going to sell it.”
Russell Lyster shared a similar sentiment. He moved to North Idaho from California about eight years ago and said he fell in love with the region.
“I have no interest in splitting my land up and I don’t want to be told what to do,” he said. “I come from a place where they told you to do everything and that’s why I fell in love with this place.”
David Callahan, the county’s community development director, outlined four main choices that commissioners might make.
The board can follow the Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommendation to approve the rezone with no exceptions or approve the rezone but exempt property owners who oppose it.
Commissioners could deny the proposed rezone altogether. They could also remand it back to Planning and Zoning if they think an amendment to the county’s comprehensive plan would be useful in this case.