Bonner County commissioners in Idaho voted 2-0 on July 7 to overturn a zoning commission decision approving a 20-unit RV park near Clagstone Road and Al’s Welding Road in Blanchard, citing noncompliance with local and state regulations.
The reversal followed a nonconsecutive, two-day public hearing where Commissioners Brian Domke and Ron Korn determined the project did not meet the standards outlined in Bonner County Revised Code or Idaho State Code.
Key concerns raised during deliberations included insufficient fire, health, and law enforcement coverage.
Letters from the Spirit Lake Fire Protection District, Panhandle Health District, and Bonner County Sheriff’s Office stated that the site could not be adequately served with current infrastructure.
“The location of this (proposed RV park), in my opinion, is not a very suitable place to have this higher density use. And the fire is a huge concern,” Korn said, as reported by Bonner County Daily Bee on July 9.
“Part of our job, sitting here today, is not only determining this, but we also need to take into account the public safety of those people that are going to be in that camp. That is our job,” Korn added.
Officials also noted that the project failed to comply with performance standards related to noise and lighting, both of which are intended to preserve the rural character of the surrounding area.
Parking standards were another point of contention. Under county code, each RV space must have a minimum area of 1,800 square feet and a width of at least 24 feet. The proposed site listed RV spaces measuring 1,000 square feet and 20 feet wide.
“I should simply rely on the applicant’s information, and that information says it does not meet the requirements of the code,” said Domke.
The RV park proposal has undergone multiple reviews and reversals over the past four years.
Initially approved by the Zoning Commission in 2021, the permit was appealed and approved again in 2022 by the Bonner County Board of Commissioners.
That approval was challenged in First District Court in August 2023 and subsequently vacated.
A second approval by county commissioners in November 2023 was also appealed and struck down in district court the following year.
In April 2025, the Zoning Commission approved the revised application, asserting that the site posed no immediate threats to the public and met all code requirements.