[Vision2020] City Must Enforce Zoning Law

[Tom Hansen]

>From the July 9, 2005 edition of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News with
appreciation to Kit Craine -

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City must enforce zoning law

This is in response to the June 30 editorial in the Daily News which
suggests the Moscow City Council should immediately revise the zoning code
to accommodate New Saint Andrews College in the Central Business District so
the college won't take the City to Court. 
My question is: why should the city rewrite the code in order to stop them?
Much less, rush it through in the middle of the summer? 

The City Council has determined the use of the NSA building is a violation
of the zoning code. Under the same code (Title 4, Chapter 11), it is illegal
to use or occupy or to permit the use or occupancy of premises which are not
in compliance with the code; any person or corporation who permits the use
is committing a misdemeanor (a criminal act); the city has a mandatory duty
to enforce these laws. Although the council may regret the situation, under
state code it is not liable for mistakes made when issuing permits. 

Given all that, why should the city turn its back on the law to accommodate
something that is illegal? 

If New Saint Andrews wants to use its financial resources to dispute the
council's decision in district court, that is their choice. But under its
own code, the city has no option. It must enforce the law. 

Kit Craine, Moscow

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Thank you again, Kit.

Reinforcing a wrong by simply stating, "OK, but just this once," does not
establish a common standard, it allows for persons of privilege.  Our
community CANNOT allow for this.

Take care, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice, and when they
fail in this purpose, they become the dangerously structured dams that block
the flow of social progress."

- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.