$50 million open space bond on ballot

COEUR d’ALENE — Kootenai County voters will decide Nov. 7 whether to approve a $50 million bond meant to preserve public open space on the Rathdrum Prairie and other parts of the county.

An “Open Space and Park Development Bond” is the one item every Kootenai County voter has an opportunity to vote on in this election which includes local races for mayors, school board trustees, city council members and fire district commissioners.

In order to pass, the bond needs two-thirds voter approval.

Proponents say the bond will help preserve the Rathdrum Prairie before it disappears and make Kootenai County a better place to live.

“It’s time for people to embrace a bigger vision for Kootenai County and their life within it,” said Wes Hanson, who proposed a public land acquisition program in 2021, alongside Community Development Director David Callahan. “We’re not all about building houses and establishing businesses. There’s something more to life than that. It’s all right to say yes to a good thing.”

If the bond is approved, funds would be used to acquire open space properties in Kootenai County and pay for recreational amenities. Properties purchased with bond funds would be available for public use and would not be sold or converted for other purposes. Public-use spaces might include new trail systems, play areas, parks, spaces for farmers markets and more.

Acquiring and preserving open spaces, particularly over the Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, would help protect local drinking water and prevent overloading of area sewer treatment plants, the county said in a news release.

Kootenai County Commissioner Bruce Mattare told The Press in July that many residents have shared concerns about density and the impact of continued growth on the county’s open spaces. He said the bond vote gives the community a direct say in how growth is handled in Kootenai County.

“The very draw that attracts people here, the open spaces, is quickly disappearing,” Mattare said at the time. “This is an opportunity to help preserve the qualities that attracted people to the area.”

In 2021, Parks and Waterways Director Nick Snyder estimated that a $50 million bond would allow for the purchase and development of about 333 acres.

County commissioners voted unanimously in August 2022 to put the $50 million bond question on the November 2023 ballot. The board approved the bond election ordinance July 11.

Based on current conditions, taxpayers would pay $8 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value, according to the county. It’s estimated the owner of a home with a market value of $500,000 ($375,000 taxable value after applying the homeowner’s exemption) could expect to see a tax increase of $30 per year.

Individual taxpayer costs are expected to decline over the next 20 years, the county said in a news release, given continued growth in Kootenai County’s tax base and economy.

Hanson, a 50-year resident of Kootenai County and former Planning and Zoning Commissioner, said he believes strongly in the importance of public open spaces.

“It gives people a breather,” he said. “It gives families a place to explore, places other than subdivisions or commercial establishments and gives them a connection with nature. It allows wildlife to coexist with us, which is part and parcel of Kootenai County. It preserves the landscape, which is why many people come here.”

Last month, the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee published a sample ballot showing which candidates for local office the local GOP recommends. The KCRCC makes these recommendations before each election and typically includes bonds, levies and other measures that will be on the ballot.

The central committee made no recommendation on the open space bond.

Jeff Tyler, who chairs the KCRCC rating and vetting committee, said this is because the group didn’t have enough information about the bond before it convened for the rating and vetting meeting in September.

“I’m not really sure where our committee would rest on that because some people are for it and some are against it,” Tyler said Wednesday.

Some who oppose the bond do so because of concerns about property rights or growing government, Tyler said.

Hanson said he lives by a simple motto, which has guided his conservation efforts.

“Do good while you can,” he said. “I truly believe we’re capable of doing great things that we benefit directly from.”

The county has created a website with more information about the proposed bond: www.kcbondinfo.com.