Out of state developers have discovered our little corner of the world and are constantly coming forth with grandiose plans for fancy gated golfing communities for the rich and famous. The latest that has been making headlines is Chatueu de Loire.
A French themed golfing community strikes me as a bit hokey though the developer is from Las Vegas so maybe that explains it. Trouble is I have visions of the "Paris" Hotel and Casino smack dab in the middle of our little mountain communities. That aside, a citizens group has been holding both the County and the developer's feet to the fire and, I believe, rightly so. As a result the three Commissioners denied the most recent revision of the plans.
Whether or not this is justified is not the point. What is, is how differently it was reported in the two papers of which I seem to be picking on of late. The article in the Spokesman Review was written by a reporter whose name is unfamiliar to me. It was a good overview of what the proposed development was to be, some generic reasons why the Commissioners denied it and the frustration felt by the developer.
The Coeur d'Alene Press story took it a bit further and therein lies my problem - with the Commissioners. The story included comments from the developer including the fact that many of the concerns had been addressed in the report had they read it. One Commissioner took exception with that assertion, but went on to say "Did I read every page? No, I didn't, nobody can."
Excuse me? Yet you passed judgement?
He continued, "Did I study it? Yes. I stayed up until 1 a.m. reading it."
How long before the hearing was the report in hand?
On the other hand, another Commissioner said he had read the file. Says he, "We read everything we get."
So which is it? No one can possibly read it all or we read everything we get?
One wonders how many other decisions have been made in this manner? This makes me very uncomfortable. First they listen to the county hearing examiner who is responsible for the mess that is Government Way in Hayden; second, the alternative will likely be more five acre plots such as we have here on the prairie and we all know how attractive that can be.
It takes me back to the idea that perhaps it's time for some professional management on the county level. By someone who has time to read the files before making decisions.
If it had not been for the article in the Press this information would not have been available to me. And I can't help but wonder what would have been in that paper if the project was slated to be withinin the city limits. I suspect the city fathers would have passed it in a heartbeat. They like high tone - even if it prices the workers they need right out of the market.
1 comment:
Give it time - it will get passed. The commissioners are just holding out. It's what they always do. Too much money at stake not to - even at a county level. And you are right - about the city, but they would have given them some LCDC money probably for nice lighting or something - maybe flower baskets.
And about the papers - even though they may report on something like our commissioners not reading anything - there is really not anything we can do about it.
The CDA Press also spilled the beans about the CAVE - ers that were mentioned in a survey that was paid for by city tax dollars. Whitecaps expounded on that at length and the city denies the public those documents - unless you pay up to get them - FIRST. No mention of this by the S-R. But then - they are not a North Idaho Newspaper and other sources are still aligned with the S-R agenda.
I fear that the area is done - eventually will file bankrupsty down the road like McCall did - and most folks will be forced into homeless shelters and cared for by the Salvation Army - Kroc Center. Well - at least the city was looking ahead and on the bright side? Coeur d'Alene will have no shortage of bell ringers come Christmas time. :-)
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