Bashful Dan

Before I criticize a man, I walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets angry, he’s a mile away and barefoot. Maybe we can knock off some of the insults and innuendo going on and focus on forging solutions for the challenges that exist with our continued growth. You may not agree with everything that I have written but I have not put it here for you to destroy. I have put it here for you to discuss. So put your shoes back on and let’s walk around together and talk about the town we both love.

1. Among the myriad issues facing the city at present, what do you consider the single most important issue facing the City of Sandpoint? Growth. It is a constant part of the equation regardless of what issue is on the table. You would not try to stick your high school senior in the clothes they wore in the first grade. No matter how much they loved those outfits they simply do not fit anymore. Smart parents and good governments plan for the future. I believe we can live better lives on less ground by using our land more efficiently. Growth planning should:

1. Involve the stakeholders from every layer of the onion in Sandpoint to include various citizens groups, developers, green spacers, landowners, elected officials, city staff, and business owners.

2. Pay attention to creating green spaces in the neighborhoods so folks have a gathering place that welcomes people with different incomes, households, and viewpoints yet are bound together by their neighborhood. A convenient place for kids to play and neighbors get to know each other. In our current green places maybe we should make small adjustments like moving the swings out of the darker areas in the trees at Lakeview Park and locating them near the new playground equipment

3. Consider more emphasis on compact development, diverse housing, and connecting our green spaces and subdivisions via walking and biking rather than relying on a vehicle. Look to areas of the city where we combine public services, employment, retail, housing, and education.

4. When new neighborhoods are planned they should include alternatives to our car culture. Everything is on table to include walking, biking, public transit, van pools, telecommuting and driving; and each option should be supported by elected officials and planners.

5. A regional approach involving Dover, Kootenai, Ponderay, Sandpoint, Sagle, and County government should continue to be explored and experimented with by elected officials, citizens and all other stakeholders. Together we can craft cooperative plans to ensure that our zoning and land development ordinances are consistent. Comprehensive plans at the city level could span boundaries by identifying and perhaps designating areas that remain unchanged and places for future growth only now we are doing it on a regional basis. It’s changing our viewpoint from looking out the car window to hovering in a helicopter and taking a good look around.

6. Inconsistent ordinances from one jurisdiction to another encourage development where the developer’s costs are lower but the cost is higher to the area when you consider all factors. Land use policies, regulations, impacts such as infrastructure, public safety, and transportation must be consistent, all planning codes should be tools that provide uniformity and work together to enable developers to perform for profit but in line with the community vision for our city and its neighborhoods.