Our Viewpoint

The City of Thompson Falls has been working now for a couple years on how to handle growth in the community. On Monday, the City Council discussed adding tiny homes to the mobile home placement ordinance. The discussion went several different directions. When it comes to growth, it's not just about home size or how many residences are on a lot. The city has to think about things such as guidelines for fence placement, impact to the city sewer and water systems and requirements for off-street parking.

Communities within Sanders County are growing, and there has to be some guidelines for building and for helping the community grow. On one hand, growth is good for the economy. There is definitely a need for more affordable housing in the county, not just in Thompson Falls. But there is also a need to keep the residential feel. The Thompson Falls City Council has worked to enforce the decay ordinance and help maintain a positive residential feel in the community. That positive momentum needs to continue, but additional housing options need to be built.

As I've learned owning a newspaper, you can't please everyone. So it is for our community leaders as well. They have to find a balance between growth and maintaining our small-town charm. It's not easy. — Annie Wooden