If you don’t have the time to send a long opposition letter to the county commissioners on the proposed Camp Bay Road give a way, but want to weigh in, below is an easy cut and paste letter.
If you do have time and a personal experience or perspective on Camp Bay, those comments would be very valuable. Also if the timing of this hearing is inconvenient to you and your family because of the holiday or time of day, please add that to the letter. Please submit your comments no later than December 13th so they will be part of the record. If needed, you will find a list of suggested talking points by scrolling below. For more detailed information go here.
E-mail address for you to cut and paste into your e-mail:
- planning@bonnercountyid.gov
- jeff.connolly@bonnercountyid.gov
- dan.mcdonald@bonnercountyid.gov
- steven.bradshaw@bonnercountyid.gov
Cut and Paste Letter
Subject: Opposed to VS0002-21 – Not in Public’s Interest
Dear Bonner County Commissioners,
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this request to vacate the lower portion of Camp Bay Rd. I am… [1-2 sentences introducing yourself, where you live, and any connection to Camp Bay].
I am opposed to vacating Camp Bay Road. The developer’s proposed pathway is not in the public’s interest because it does not provide access for all citizens, whereas the existing county owned Camp Bay Road does. There is no legal or legitimate reason to give up this road.
Respectfully,
[Name]
Suggested Talking Points For Comment Letter
Path Is Not In Public’s Interest
- The BOCC already determined the road vacancy is not in the public interest (February 16th hearing here). Because of this, they gave the road back to the public on this date.
- A road directly to the lake is far superior to the proposed walking path. Why would we make an unfair trade?
- the proposed beach location is still uncertain and inevitably will be less ideal than the current beach, which has a view directly out to the larger lake and is accessible by a road.
- The proposed location will be next to a very large community dock system – blocking scenic views and increasing the potential for conflicts between paddle craft and boaters.
- People who just want to drive down and enjoy the view from their car will be unable to do so.
- Unlike the existing road access, the path will not be plowed during the winter.
- We have no guarantees the quality of the beach access will be equal to that we are giving up.
- The public is giving up ownership and control of the site. HOA control is a problem.
- The public feedback to date has been OVERWHELMINGLY opposed to giving up the road and lake access. This previous feedback should be taken into account. A straw poll conducted after M3 first offered the trail, drew approximately 150 NO responses and 1 YES response, for a walking trail.
- Personal stories about how you would potentially use lake access in Camp Bay and whether this option fits your needs.
- This walking path proposal is not ADA accessible and restricts the young and the old whose legs are too short or to weak.
- A walking path makes is near impossible for non-motorized water craft and small motorized use, like kayaks, canoes and small boats, that are too heavy to carry or haul.
- A restricted walking path is not a legal and direct route for emergency vehicles.
- The length of this proposed walking path eliminates short trips to the water as the walk itself takes a considerable amount of time.
- The historic purpose for the existing public lake access, the transportation of goods, services, and people, should be preserved and in place for unexpected future conditions.
Noticing and the Law
- Every effort should have been made for adequate public participation in this public interest case because Idaho code requires it be in the public’s interest.
- The date of this hearing, a Monday at 9am, excludes the participation of huge numbers of people who have to work.
- The date of this hearing falls outside of regularly scheduled hearings noticed on the county calendar and the hearing is not noticed on the County’s 2022 Hearing Calendar. In addition, the agenda won’t be posted until Dec 13th, which is the day comments are due. All of this, limits the public’s ability to anticipate an upcoming hearing.
Ownership/Legalities
- The public currently owns the entire Camp Bay road right-of-way, but the public map shows several platted lots over the road. The plats show ownership by M3 and other unlisted owners. This causes legitimate public confusion around a decision dependent on public interest.
- All plats currently shown over the public road should have been removed after the decision by BOCC on February 16th to give the road back to the public.
- This developer platted several lots directly over the public road, while the first road vacancy approval was in judicial review by the Arns. M3 lost the ownership of that land in February 2022 when the county gave the road back to the public. Yet they put up trespassing signs and have been building their large development as if the public road isn’t there and the lot is still valid.