April 19, 2004
Nearly
four years after the process began, Boundary County Commissioners and officials
from CEDU Schools, which owns Northwest Academy, resolved an application for
variance that was applied for in February, 2000, and came to an agreement that
will improve safety and maintenance on County Road 12.
The
application for variance came about late in 1999 to allow for expansion that had
occurred in the wake of zone ordinance changes. The Boundary County Planning and
Zoning Commission granted the variance, but attached the requirement that CEDU
would need to develop an alternate access to ease increased traffic on County
Road 12, also known as Ruby Creek Road, that resulted from growth at Northwest
Academy.
CEDU
appealed that decision, citing the immediate expense, estimated at $1.4-million
inherent in obtaining alternate access and developing a road. After a series of
public hearings, followed by public meetings hosted by CEDU, the variance
application languished until revisited following a special use permit
application to allow construction of a new gymnasium at Northwest Academy in
January, 2004.
Realizing that the old variance issue had never been resolved, CEDU officials, county commissioners and Road & Bridge superintendent Jeff Gutshall worked together to address County Road 12 issues, and commissioners this afternoon granted the CEDU appeal and issued the long awaited variance, along with a special use permit to build a new gymnasium at the site.
Under
terms of that agreement, CEDU will continue to work on developing an alternate
route to Northwest Academy as a long-term solution, and in the near term will
pay Boundary County $15,000 per year for the next three years to assist with the
cost of safety improvements on County Road 12, including the removal of two rock
outcroppings, widening the road and a bridge and resurfacing the road.
“It
pleases me to sit on this commission and to work with CEDU to come together to
achieve a common goal for the good of the community,” said commissioner Walt
Kirby.
CEDU Schools have been in Boundary County since 1982 and they operate three, including Rocky Mountain Academy and Boulder Creek Academy, and the Ascent Wilderness Program. The schools employ about 300, making CEDU one of the largest private employers in Boundary County.