[Vision2020] Latah County Zoning Commission

[deb]

For those of you who have been in Latah County awhile, you may remember the 
rest area which used to be just north of the Steakhouse Hill summit. It was 
sold to a private individual 22 years ago, and has become an eye-sore and 
possibly an environmental hazard.

Unfortunately, complaints about the junk yard have fallen on deaf ears. It 
seems there has been nothing to be done about it. Well, that may be 
changing.

The property owner, Richard Holbrook, has filed for a conditional use permit 
from the county to run a salvage yard. Mind you, he has been running a 
salvage yard there for many years with no permits in an area zoned 
residential/agricultural. At any rate, a public hearing will take place on 
Wednesday, December 15th at 5:30 pm in room 2-B of the Latah County 
Courthouse in Moscow. Interested parties are encouraged to attend.

As the owner of an organic farm directly across Highway 95, I am very much 
an interested party. Those of you who enjoy the Phillips Farm Park (which 
was deeded  to the children of Moscow) should also be concerned. The 
Holbrook property is chock full of old cars, toxic chemicals, etc. ad 
naseum. This means the water supply, the soil, the wildlife, and the air at 
the Phillips Farm (as well as my farm) are all at risk.

Hope to see some of you at the hearing. This is likely not the last time we 
will have to deal with a bad neighbor in our county, but it might be the 
first time we can impact such bad neighbors.

Debi Robinson-Smith
RavenCroft Farm