More North Fork meetings on tap

Mother Nature has been in the mood for teasing. We have had a few nice days but mostly it has been wet with rain and loud with thunder and a few heavy hail storms thrown in. No known coronavirus on the North Fork and everyone is a little nervous but determined not to let fear ruin their lives. Well, maybe a little.

It will be interesting to see what happens in downtown Polebridge on the Fourth. For sure, the parade will be something less than usual. After several changes of mind both the Northern Lights and the Mercantile will be open. I don’t know what they are doing about masks but I would advise wearing one, and have some hand sanitizer with you. Also a few determined souls will conduct a mini parade. One local plans to decorate a Jeep with American flags and travel the parade route, even if he is the only one.

The Firewise Educational Meeting will take place at Sondreson Hall on July 8, starting at 9:30 a.m. Attendees will be limited to 50 persons in the hall and no lunch will be served.

Same thing for the Summer Interlocal, which begins at 1 p.m. at Sondreson Hall. Only 50 people are allowed in the hall at anytime and everyone is asked to keep their distance and wear a mask. Masks and hand sanitizer will be available. Folks are asked to donate a dollar for a mask, but if you don’t have a buck, take a mask anyway.

On July 9 at 7 p.m. the Land Use Advisory Committee will meet at Sondreson Hall. Again, wear a mask and use the hand sanitizer.

Business should include selecting a chairman. Randy Kenyon is current chair and is eligible for re-election. Also, the membership list needs to be brought up to date. Membership is made up of one county appointment, the NFPA president or their designee, and most of the NFLA board of directors.

In addition to reorganizing the county has requests for several conditional use permits and the LUAC is tasked with advising the county planning board on these requests. I have not been informed on what they are but will let you know when I find out.

Main goal of North Fork planning is to maintain our rural nature and avoid over-development. Obviously, not everyone has the same perception of what that means. Realtors, for example, would just as soon have hundreds of small lots to sell. That is why current regulations call for a 20-acre minimum lot size. It also explains why grandfathered 1-acre lots now sell for up to $60,000.

Even so, development continues - promoted by the federal government, state and local government, and some landowners.

We will see where it ends.

Larry Wilson’s North Fork Views appears weekly in the Hungry Horse News.