Commissioners vote in favor of keeping, reviewing density map
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POLSON — Citizens of Lake County made their voices heard through Democratic channels, and the County Commissioners listened. On March 2 a vote over a controversial motion to repeal the county’s density map was up for consideration. The Commissioners voted 2-1 to keep the map and review it further, along with the County planning board.
Commissioners Bill Barron and Ann Smith Brower voted in favor of keeping the map, while Gale Decker voted against it.
The vote wasn’t a change of heart by the Commissioners, who at the Jan. 20 public meeting made it clear they were interested in repealing the density map and regulations, which were created in part to keep growth centered around populated areas for efficient use of services and to prevent over development in outlying, rural areas.
That public meeting was well attended, with most, but not all, in favor of keeping the density map. The Commissioners delayed voting on the matter in order to collect more public input.
Decker and Barron said in a phone interview after the vote, that they still believed the map should be repealed. However, Barron said it was the huge outcry from the public that influenced his vote in favor of keeping the map, even though he didn’t personally agree with the document.
“I made the decision from the huge amount of public input. I don’t like the document, but I’m willing to take a little more time,” Barron said.
Decker, who made the motion to repeal the density document explained that he believed the map could not be fixed because it had already been studied for well over a year. He also stated that while many people had said they did not want the map repealed, a solution had not been put forward by any of the map proponents to address making county development work for all citizens.
“I made the motion to repeal. In my opinion, the document cannot be fixed,” Decker said.
Brower, who also believes there are issues with the map, said her vote was influenced because of what the citizens of Lake County made clear via letters to the editor and statements sent into the Commissioners office.
“I strongly believe the public wants us to keep the map. There is a problem with it, but there might be solutions. We can’t keep it as is ... certain pieces have to come out,” Brower said.
The plan, according to Brower, is to revise the Growth Policy, which in turn would affect the density map.
“It’s a domino affect. Change to one will affect the other,” Brower said.
After the March 2 vote to keep the map, Barron made another motion to put together a planning committee to the review the map, which Brower seconded. However, in the follow up interview, Barron mentioned that another planning group might circumvent the Lake County Planning board, whose job it was to review the density map.
