(C) Idaho Capital Sun
This story was originally published by Idaho Capital Sun and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .
Commercial development of the Henry’s Lake Flats doesn't preserve, protect Idaho's public land • Idaho Capital Sun [1]
['Ken Watts', 'Steve Stuebner', 'Kyle Dunphey', 'More From Author', 'February', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow', 'Class', 'Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus', 'Display Inline', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar']
Date: 2025-02-06
The Idaho Land Board and the Idaho Department of Lands are planning to “commercially” develop Idaho public lands throughout the state.
The Idaho Constitution requires that Idaho maximize profits from endowment lands to support schools. However, the Constitution also requires that these lands be “preserved and protected” for the people.
In January 2024, the Idaho Land Board issued a new commercial leasing policy. It states, in part, the following:
“A. The Department has the discretion to evaluate commercial ground lease applications, initiate the Request for Proposal (RFP) process, and create and maintain leasing processes for activities falling within the purview of an existing commercial ground leasing portfolio. These include ground leases for industrial enterprises, retail sales outlets, business and professional office buildings, hospitality enterprises, commercial recreational activities, multifamily residential developments, and other similar businesses.”
How is a commercial lease for an “industrial enterprise” or a “professional office building” preserving and protecting the land? It is doing just the opposite. It is destroying the land and removing it from public use permanently.
This is wrong, and the people of Idaho must take immediate steps to stop it.
If we look at the Henry’s Lake Flats in the Island Park area, there approximately 2,130 acres of Idaho Department of Lands land that could be commercially developed.
If these lands were commercially developed, the Flats would look like Jackson Hole, Aspen, etc. All wildlife would be displaced, as would the people of Idaho using the area for recreation. We have seen from the glamping leases on the Flats, that the Idaho Department of Lands completely ignores local land use planning and zoning.
The Idaho Land Board must fix its totally misguided commercial leasing policy. Maybe the Legislature should amend the Idaho Constitution to provide more protection for Idaho public lands. One cannot help but wonder if backroom land deals are being considered. Only the rich could afford these deals.
Stand up and be heard.
[END]
---
[1] Url:
https://idahocapitalsun.com/2025/02/06/commercial-development-of-the-henrys-lake-flats-doesnt-preserve-protect-idahos-public-land/
Published and (C) by Idaho Capital Sun
Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0.
via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/idahocapitalsun/
