Don't Believe the Hype - Vote No on Prop. 2

There is a measure on the Idaho ballot that is alluring, seductive, and completely misrepresentative. If you care about managing growth and fiscal responsibility this measure will be a disaster.

For those (like myself) who are supporters of private property rights, it would appear that voting to restrict the use of Eminent Domain in light of the Supreme Court's unpopular ruling on that topic last year is a good thing.

But those selling this measure don't promote the fact it will basically gut the ability of communities to plan, zone, and determine their own futures. The linked story is a long, but informative primer on what this measure really is.

Here is an excerpt from and a link to the High Country News article Taking Liberties, written by Ray Ring:

"Libertarians and property-rights activists believe that a huge array of common government regulations on real estate, such as zoning or subdivision limits, "take" away property value. Therefore, they say, the government should compensate the owner, or back off. The extreme view of "regulatory takings" is really at the core of this campaign — not eminent domain.

The campaign to pass regulatory-takings laws began in the 1980s, when libertarians seized on the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which says: "Nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation." They’ve tried to use Congress, state legislatures and ballot initiatives to pass laws that would treat most regulations as takings. Their first big win came in November 2004, when they persuaded Oregon’s voters to pass Measure 37. That initiative blew holes in the strictest land-use system in the country, allowing longtime landowners to escape many state, county and city regulations (HCN, 11/22/04: In Oregon, a lesson learned the hard way).

The impacts of Measure 37 have been delayed by court battles, and the libertarians are determined to turn the delays to their advantage. Before the fallout in Oregon can be fully understood, they are rushing to pass similar ballot initiatives in Montana, Idaho, Washington, Arizona, Nevada and California. While each initiative has its own sales pitch, they all deliberately tuck the notion inside the unrelated eminent domain controversy. The Los Angeles-based libertarian Reason Foundation mapped the strategy in a 64-page paper published in April, titled Statewide Regulatory Takings Reform: Exporting Oregon’s Measure 37 to Other States. It recommended pushing "Kelo-plus" initiatives, combining eminent domain reform with regulatory takings, to capitalize "on the tremendous public and political momentum generated in the aftermath of the Kelo ruling …"

Monsters in Lake Coeur d'Alene?

I don't know where travel writers get their urban mythology, but this one is interesting. One out of three ain't bad, since I know there is a lot of interesting history about Nell Shipman - there are some industrious fans and film buffs in Boise working on a documentary about her contributions to film history as we speak.

From Sunset Magazine and CNN.com: "The lakes of northern Idaho -- Coeur d'Alene, Pend Oreille and Priest -- are deep, blue and busy. Scooped out during the Ice Age, the lakes now float yachts and kayaks. On the green shores, towns draw visitors to high-end resorts, restaurants and lakefront bicycle trails.

Each lake has its legend: Native Americans told stories of monsters in Coeur d'Alene Lake; another monster, the Pend Oreille Paddler, is rumored to inhabit Lake Pend Oreille; and Priest Lake is linked to 1920s actress and filmmaker Nell Shipman, who established a wilderness movie studio in what is now Lionhead State Park."

My Father's Face

In a Leo Kottke song some time back he talks about looking in the mirror and seeing his father's face.

This past week I sat in a hospital in Florida with my soon-to-be 70 year-old father. He had undergone emergency quadruple bypass surgery and the doctors were concerned that he had also suffered a minor stroke at some point in the process.

As he fitfully struggled to get some real sleep I had hours to look into his face, and turn to the left into the mirror and see his face again, about 33 years earlier.

It was among the scarier and more sobering experiences of my life to see my father laying there in such a state of vulnerability.

Dad's home and doing better now, but he has quite a road to go for recovery.

And in looking in that mirror, I have quite a road to go to myself - in more ways than one.

Popkey: Rev. Camacho ministers with love and soccer

This piece on Fr. Jesus Camacho is a wonderful testament to a wonderful man. Dan Popkey really captures the essence of this powerfully effective priest in his column.

Copyright Idaho Statesman, Written by Dan Popkey, Photo by Katherine Jones

"Amidst the shrill debate on illegal immigration, the Rev. Jesus Camacho's voice is calm and conciliatory.

Twenty-five years ago this week, Camacho immigrated to Idaho from Mexico. Though obscure to most non-Catholic Anglos, he may be the most influential figure in Hispanic Idaho. His three-hour Saturday radio program, "Chatting with Father Jesœs," airs throughout southern Idaho.

"You don't know how powerful that is," said Sam Byrd, a more recognized Hispanic leader among Anglos. "There are very few ethnic leaders, but if there is a voice, he's that voice." To read the rest click here.

Downtown Development in the Lake City

Tomorrow night, 7/5, the City Council will be on a Wednesday instead of Tuesday because of the 4th. On the agenda is the downtown development regulations public hearing - all are welcome to sign up and come make comments.

If you're interested in a little more information about it, check out the Mayor's show this week on Adelphia Cable Channel 19 with Dave Yadon, City Planning Director and John Bruning, Planning Commission Chairman. For more information and a copy of the council packet, click here.

Dark Times in the Middle East

He's just an ordinary, shy young lad, but his fate could mean war or peace in the Middle East - World - Times Online.

More About Idaho Smart Growth

For more information about Idaho Smart Growth, click on the link in the title above. They do good work, they're pragmatic and practical, and people are awakening to the need to address new challenges with new approaches.

Be sure to dig around the site a while - there is a lot of information there.

Smart Growth Meetings in Coeur d'Alene

This week there will be 2 meetings at which Jon Barrett, Interim Ex. Dir. of Idaho Smart Growth is presenting on the issue of growth and how to manage it wisely.

The first presentation is scheduled for tomorrow, (Tuesday), June 6 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Idaho Spokesman-Review Community Rm, 608 Northwest Blvd. in Coeur d'Alene. This is an informal meeting for anyone interested in learning more about "Smart Growth" and/or having an interest in advancing its principles in our communities.

Mr. Barrett recently agreed to hold this meeting in order to generate further interest in this issue here in northern Idaho. You are welcome to attend whether or not you RSVP, but a reply would be helpful to gauge interest and estimate attendance.

If you have friends or colleagues who might be interested, feel free to let them know.

The second meeting is sponsored jointly by the City of Coeur d'Alene and the Lake City Development Corporation and is especially directed to elected officials, planning commissioners, city and county planners. This meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 7, also from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Lake City Senior Center at 1916 N. Lakewood Drive, Coeur d'Alene. Please encourage any public officials you know to attend this presentation. Pre-registration is not required.

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Here is the text from the flyer about the Wednesday session targeted to elected officials but open to the public as well:

Whether you are an elected official, P & Z commissioner, or planner, you can no doubt relate to the following. The day-to-day business of implementing planning and zoning requirements rarely affords the opportunity to pause and reflect on the requirements themselves to assess whether they are resulting in the kind of development we actually prefer. How might our ordinances be modified to encourage the development of vibrant commercial areas and neighborhoods with character and lasting value?

Please join Idaho Smart Growth Interim Executive Director Jon Barrett for a presentation and interactive discussion about:

• The qualities that make for great neighborhoods

• The relationship between the comprehensive plan and the development that’s actually occurring on the ground

• How to evaluate and update land use and transportation policies related to development within city limits (i.e. infill) and in areas of city impact and beyond (i.e. greenfields) so that development better reflects the desires communicated by our comprehensive plans

• What are the barriers to updating planning and zoning-related ordinances?

Idaho Cloned Mules Win Preliminary Heats in Nevada

From Breitbart news: "Two qualifying heats, two wire-to-wire victories, two nearly identical times. It was almost like the same mule won twice. Idaho Gem, the world's first equine clone, and his brother, Idaho Star, made successful debuts Saturday in what scientists billed as the first professional competition between clones of any kind."



UPDATE 6/5: Looks like the horses didn't win in the final race on Sunday, coming in 3rd and 7th. No matter, it's fascinating (and a little unnerving) to see genetically engineered animals competing in a very traditional sport.

City Focus Areas Ranked by Votes

This chart doesn't reproduce incredibly well in this Blogger format, but here are the areas of priority that the City Council voted for on April 13th in a public workshop. This is the first part of the budget process, and staff then took this list back to determine hard costs.

The order is in order of council priority, and the numbers after (H M L) indicate the number of council members (including the Mayor in this exercise) voting for each priority.
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Proposed Focus Area H M L

1 Additional Police Personnel (Police) 7 0 0
2 Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance Updates (Planning Commission) 6 1 0
3 Develop & Implement Affordable Housing Strategies (Administration) 5 2 0
4 Increase the Level of Overlay Funding (Engineering) 5 2 0
5 Additional Fire Fighters (Fire) 5 2 0
6 Additional Parks Workers (Parks) 5 2 0
7 Customer Service Enhancements (Building) 5 2 0
8 Resources for Constructing ADA Compliance Initiatives (Streets) 5 2 0
9 Strengthen Code Enforcement (Legal) 4 3 0
10 Additional HEO Staffing in Streets (Streets) 4 3 0
11 Parks Irrigation Worker (Parks) 4 3 0
12 Replenish Insurance Plan (Legal) 4 2 1
13 Provide Fire Service Outside City/Transfer Revenue (Fire) 4 2 1
14 Implement a Traffic School (Police) 3 2 2
15 Effluent Reuse Pilot (Wastewater) 1 6 0
16 Implementation of Citywide GIS Program (Municipal Services) 0 6 1
17 Pursue Fernan Sewer Agreement Negotiations (Legal/Wastewater) 2 5 0
18 Support Expansion of Citylink Public Transportation (Administration) 2 5 0
19 Acceptance of HUD “Entitlement City” Designation (Administration) 1 5 1
20 Expand “North Ramsey Campus”/Land Acquisition (Administration) 1 5 1
21 Convert Inline Area of Skate Park into BMX/Skate Park (Recreation) 1 5 1
22 Continue to Implement E-Commerce (Finance) 3 4 0
23 Joint Construction of Gyms (Winton) with School District (Recreation) 3 4 0
24 Credit Card Payment & On-Line Registration/Reservation (Parks/Recreation) 3 4 0
25 Resources to Sustain Expanded Library (Library/Parks) 3 4 0
26 Park Facility Upgrades (Parks) 3 4 0
27 Project Management and Inspection for ADA Compliance (Engineering) 3 4 0
28 River District Planning Study (Administration) 2 4 1
29 Planning for Growth by ULI Advisory Committee (Administration) 2 4 1
30 Develop a Hearing Examiner Process (Legal/Finance) 1 4 2
31 Adjudication of Aquifer Water Rights by State (Water) 1 3 3
32 Become a Class I Rated City (Fire) 2 2 3
33 Weed Abatement Program/Double-Fronted Lot Maintenance (Streets) 1 2 4
34 Downtown/Midtown Roof Drain – Stormwater Separation (Wastewater) 1 2 4

Summer Help in Coeur d'Alene

A message from Parks Director Doug Eastwood:

The CDA Parks Department is in the process of hiring summer help. The starting wage is $8.67 per hour. We work 40 hours per week and this can include weekends and holidays. The individual needs to be 16 years old or older and have a current driver’s license. We are hiring guys and gals. They will be assisting the full time staff with the daily maintenance of our parks, trails, building grounds, boulevards, and natural areas. If you know someone that might be interested, send them to City Hall and ask for Jackie Carbone. Jackie will give them an application.

Some highlights of this week's City Council Agenda

* - Proclamations on Arbor Week and Fair Housing Month
* - Housekeeping issues on the consent calendar
* - Resolution of support for St. Vincent dePaul's Homeless Grant Application
* - Discussion and vote on a new policy for water service outside city limits
* - Discussion and vote on a new bulk water use program
* - Public Hearing on Annexation and Zoning for Hawk's Nest Property adjacent to the Landings at Waterford between Atlas and Heutter Roads

The council will recess until 12 noon on Wednesday in the Council Chambers for a workshop/planning lunch on downtown development.

For more details, click here.

Property Tax Relief in the Idaho Legislature

Legislators hold the ball, citizens left holding the bag.

City of Coeur d'Alene Strategic Planning Session

This Thursday, April 13, the first component of the annual budgeting process begins with a workshop to be held at the Lake City Senior Center. The real meat of the meeting begins around 5:45 pm and will likely last until 8:30 or later.

City staff has prepared documentation that begins the process of setting priorities for projects, and it's being reviewed publicly by council members and questions will be put to staff on the various items.

Council and staff will be looking at the many different initiatives that are underway, ongoing, or potentially worth doing, and giving input into where the focus should be.

This is a public meeting - or rather a continuation of the last Council meeting - so the public is invited to attend. I encourage attendance because as a member of the Council I for one need the public input.

Another Shot of Crash

New Addition to the Kennedy Family

Welcome "Crash" Kennedy

Born December 3, 2005
Yellow Lab

Looks sad in this picture, but really he's only tired, having been worked over like, well, like a dog, by the kids.

Growth Paradox in Coeur d'Alene Last Week

The following are comments I made at the March 21, 2006 City Council meeting regarding the events of last week in Coeur d'Alene.
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Madame Mayor I wanted to talk just a little bit about a few things that happened last week in Coeur d’Alene. I don’t have a motion to introduce, but rather just a few brief comments and a request for some more feedback both here and in the larger community. Councilman McEvers has made mention of the need to try to spur more discussion on some issues facing the city without always having to have a vote on a specific measure, and I agree with him.

Last Tuesday, a week ago today, the Planning and Zoning Commission had a very long hearing covering several items. The same day, School District 271 was holding a school plant facilities levy election.

P&Z was handling two items on their calendar that caught my eye:
1) A request for variance to increase the height on a building on Sherman Avenue that would provide as I understand it 6 new residential units; and
2) A proposed zoning change from agricultural to city residential for annexation which facilitated a preliminary plat request for 867 new units on the prairie.

As the minutes of the P&Z meeting will attest, a number of people spoke against the 6-residential unit proposal downtown and the P&Z commissioners voted the variance down.

Later, though, not one person spoke in opposition to the annexation of the potential 867 residential new units on the prairie.

All the while, the returns were coming in indicating that the voters pretty soundly rejected a new school levy to deal with overcrowding and maintenance of old building issues in the district.

Certainly many folks have varying opinions on why the levy went down, but everyone I talk to seems to at least agree that increasing property taxes and a feeling that “new growth” should be paying for the impact on schools contributed to the levy’s defeat.

But as I read the papers the next day and read the outcome of the P&Z hearing, I couldn’t help but feel that there is a pretty serious disconnect in our community when residents clearly vote down a school levy on the very same day that an 867-unit plat annexation is being unanimously approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission with no discussion or input from residents at all.

No one has all the answers to the complex issue of managing growth effectively – I certainly don’t.

I recognize that currently the school districts cannot charge impact fees at all on new growth, so the burden falls heavily on property taxpayers. I recognize that P&Z has strict rules on what issues they can factor in when making a decision to approve or reject an annexation request. And I recognize that some folks don’t want any new heights downtown while others are very nervous about any new ordinances dealing with height and downtown development in Coeur d’Alene.

I knocked on about 1700 doors during last fall’s campaign, and when I asked regular residents an open ended question about what concerned them most about the community, to a person they talked about growth, taxes, and the changing nature of Coeur d’Alene and Kootenai County.

Last week it felt to me like all three of those issues came to a head on the same day. And for lack of a better word it seemed almost schizophrenic to see two competing messages being delivered on the same day in the same city.

Citizens do look to us here, as well as to the School District, the County Commissioners and State Legislators for leadership. So I felt it was important to speak up when I saw this clear paradox in real time, and try to get some input from residents and other elected officials as to how we feel our way forward, trying to manage growth effectively while not choking off any economic expansion or opportunities.

In short, I want to hear what voters and residents are saying and I want to rely on the expertise of folks like the Planning Commissioners as well. But what concerns me is that we appear to be getting, or maybe delivering, two conflicting messages.

So on that note folks may not be prepared to have a longer discussion about it tonight, but I would like to open a discussion about the general issue of growth and how to manage it both with my fellow councilmembers, and with citizens directly. I’m all ears, and I invite people watching to contact me or any of our city councilmembers with input, thoughts, or concerns. I can be reached on my city email address at mkennedy@cdaid.org or by calling me at 664-7976.

Thank you, Madame Mayor for the time to speak.

Idaho Legislature Week Nine Report - Sen. Clint Stennett

Legislative News from the Senate Minority Leader...

Senator Clint Stennett
District 25
Legislative Week #9
03/10/06

This winter, Idaho saw the price of gasoline reach nearly $3.00 per gallon, and you were not alone if you needed to sit down before you opened your utility bills recently. We have been cautioned to look into alternative energy and fuels for quite some time. The time is upon us now. Every household and pocket book is feeling the pinch of our heavy reliance upon foreign oil and diminishing fossil fuels. The Idaho Legislature is waking up to the needs and the opportunities that exist in alternative energy and fuels as well.

This week a House Committee agreed to form a study committee to spend the summer researching the opportunities and possible pitfalls in implementing a mandate for adding ethanol to gasoline. My motion in a Senate Committee sent a 2% Bio-Diesel mandate to the floor for amendment. I predict this bill will end up in the summer study committee. I also predict that we will send the coal fired electric generating plant proposals to this study committee as well. This committee will be charged with developing a statewide energy plan. This plan will identify our future energy needs as well as where we should look for that energy. This effort will set the stage for the future of energy development in Idaho and Idahoans will be able to help shape that development. I support these efforts to develop alternative fuel and energy industries in Idaho.

In Idaho, we have ample resources (not fossil fuel based) that should also be implemented as a part of that plan. For example, there are enough wind resources in Idaho to provide for the entirety of our electrical energy needs. Wind and solar energy do fluctuate and hence cannot be counted on to serve a base load, or a constant source of energy. However, with natural gas fired plants to provide for peak needs in the coldest and hottest months and hydro to provide the base load, it is incumbent upon us to look to wind and solar energy as a way out of our dependence on fossil fuels.

I am intrigued with the idea of bio-diesel and ethanol to serve our motor fuel needs and lessen our dependence on foreign oil. These alternative fuels can be produced with the crops we grow, as well as with some of the waste products from food processing. While both fuels have some challenges, we must as a nation focus our efforts on developing these alternatives. I have been exploring the opportunity to develop a co-op of producers where farmers could use canola as a rotation crop and grow their own bio-diesel fuel, which could provide fuel for their own operations. As an ancillary benefit, this rotation might provide for the diversion of acres to help firm up pricing in crops such as potatoes.

Clearly, if we are to reach some sort of energy independence, we must encourage development of solar, wind, geothermal, small hydro, ethanol and bio-diesel. These resources should all be integrated into Idaho's plan. The debate about locating the Sempra coal-burning plant has helped Idaho focus on the need to develop alternative energy within our borders. We must develop our ample resources. The planning is long overdue and I encourage all Idahoans to weigh-in with their opinion. This energy plan will set the stage for the next generation of Idahoans. It will determine the movement toward renewable clean energy or coal fired electrical generation plants. I believe that Idaho has a bright future in developing clean alternative energy solutions.

As always, I welcome any suggestions, or comments you have to offer. It is my honor to serve District 25. I can be reached by calling (208) 332-1000 or toll-free 1-800-626-0471, via email at idleginfo@lso.idaho.gov, or by mail to P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720.

Clint Stennett, D-Ketchum
Senate Minority Leader
District #25

Cheering for Max

Quite the revelry in the Kennedy home this week as Max has taken to his potty training with a vengeance. You probably can't remember the last time anyone cheered when you went number one or two in the right place (i.e. not your pants) but Max has been getting constant cheers all week from his brother and sisters. Dinner the other night had the crowd chanting "Way to go, Max, way to go!!" in the rhythm you'd hear at a World Series game.

It's interesting, because we decided this weekend that it was just flat time for him to get going on this project, and sure enough he has responded amazingly well. As always Mrs. Kennedy gets most of the credit, since she spent the patient time with him in the bathroom getting acquainted with the procedures.

So there you have it - whatever else is going on in the grown-up stressful life zone, Max is digging getting cheered while he's on the toilet.

Nice work if you can get it.

Kudos to John and Ann Beutler

John and Ann give $200,000 back to Cd'A

Story by Linda Ball, Cd'A Press
Photo by Jerome Pollos, Cd'A Press
Story and Link Courtesy of Cd'A Press

COEUR d'ALENE -- The Coeur d'Alene Public Library and the Salvation Army Kroc Center are both $100,000 closer to their goals thanks to a generous gift this week from John and Ann Beutler.

Ann has lived in Coeur d'Alene her entire life, and John moved here in 1975 from Clarkston, Wash., after graduating from Washington State University. Their objective with the big gifts: Give back to the community that has given so much to them.

"I remember going to the library when I was a kid all the time when it was at what's now the Harris-Dean Insurance building at Seventh and Lakeside," Ann Beutler said. "I'm sure this library will be very different, but we'd like to be able to have good opportunities for the kids of this community."

Read more here.