Planning panel approves permit power for planner

Whitman County’s planning commission gave unanimous approval Jan. 5 to changes in county code that would give Planner Alan Thomson sole discretion to grant certain building permits.

Under the changes, applicants looking to erect cell phone towers, build accessory farm buildings or change how their land is used would no longer have to seek permits from the county’s Board of Adjustment which is made up of residents appointed by the county commissioners.

Instead, Thomson would be able to issue an administrative use permit.

The changes to the code will next go to county commissioners for a public hearing and final approval. No one attended the planning commission hearing.

Thomson said the changes are designed to speed permit approval. Applicants of those projects would no longer need to go through the lengthy process and cost of public hearings before the Board of Adjustment.

Many of the conditions put on by the board of adjustment are standard. Those standardized conditions, such as cell phone tower height, fencing around utility structures for those towers and appropriate available land for farm structures, would be included in the code if commissioners approve the changes.

If those developments are deemed by Thomson to impact neighboring properties, they will be sent back to the board for public hearings and special conditions.

Anyone who objects to projects would be able to appeal to the county to take the decision out of the planner’s hands and demand a board hearing. Legal notices for such projects would have to be published.

The board of adjustment is a five-member citizen panel, with board members appointed by county commissioners from commissioner districts.

Earlier this year, county leaders took heat when they removed final decisions on wind farm permitting from the board of adjustment. The county decided specialized attorneys would be hired to decide such cases.

The move was backed by members of the board of adjustment, but some citizens criticized the county for removing citizen involvement from key land use decisions.

With the code changes approved last week by the planning commission, the board of adjustment would only decide on unique developments or developments that involve neighbor disputes.