Project 7B is a non-partisan group of individuals who want to help the residents of Bonner County understand and become more involved in land use planning. For that reason, Project 7B decided early in its existence to advocate for transparent land use planning and processes, and encourage public education and involvement in those processes. It also encourages jurisdictions to cooperate with each other to achieve mutual goals.
Land use planning can be overwhelming, and we aim to make this task less intimidating while encouraging citizen engagement in local planning. You can find information about the basics of land use planning on our Land Use Primer page including summarized fact sheets about planning, zoning and the laws that guide these processes. Please visit our social media account to learn about what is new with planning in our county and local cities. We have numerous links to more in-depth information on our Resources pages: Cities, Bonner County and General Planning.
Our mission is twofold:
- To educate citizens and encourage citizen involvement in land use planning in Bonner County, Idaho, in order to support land use planning based on locally-shared values.
- To facilitate land use collaboration among governmental agencies, elected officials, NGOs, and citizens of Bonner County.
You can contact us on our Facebook or Instagram pages, at [email protected], or at PO Box 2365, Sandpoint ID 83864.
Leadership
Project 7B was formed in early 2016 by a group of Bonner County residents who were concerned about changes to Bonner County land use planning policies and regulations being implemented at that time. Those changes appeared to limit public involvement and opportunities to comment on changes to land use regulations. The current board of directors is composed of individuals of varied backgrounds, with a wide range of expertise.
- Carol Curtis has lived in Bonner County since 1986. She has been selling real estate locally for over 15 years. Carol is committed to helping current and future residents understand their rights and responsibilities in regard to local codes and ordinances, to ensure everyone can enjoy their property.
- Susan Drumheller has been a resident of Sagle since 1998, and has experience with land use planning from her previous work experience as a reporter and more recently as a staff member of the Idaho Conservation League. She worked for the Spokesman-Review covering North Idaho news for 15 years. Susan was also a board member of Friends of the Pend d’Oreille Bay Trail. She is currently employed as a grant writer and serves on Project 7B because of her commitment to public involvement in local government, and her understanding of the impact land-use decisions can have on our quality of life.
- Judy York (Secretary) has been a Sandpoint and Bonner County Resident since 1997, and an Idaho resident since 1983. After completing her undergraduate and master’s degrees at the University of Idaho, Judy worked for the U.S. Forest Service for 30 years, mostly in land use planning. Judy joined Project 7B because, like so many people in Bonner County, she is concerned about how our elected officials are handling the rapid pace of growth and development.
- Karen Brenner (President) first moved to Bonner County in 1990 to work for the U.S. Forest Service while pursuing a degree in Forestry from University of Idaho. After a short stint broadening her horizons in Delaware and Virginia, in 2002 Karen and her husband Carl returned to Bonner County to raise their children. Through Karen’s experience as a consulting forester working with clients in California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wisconsin, Texas and elsewhere, she has seen the impacts of poorly planned growth in rural communities and is eager to help Bonner County retain the attributes and culture so greatly valued in our community.
- Sheryl Reeve is an Idaho native who moved to Priest River in 1972. In 1991, she entered the real estate profession and became an appraiser. She served on the Priest River Planning and Zoning Commission for eight years, working in conjunction with students from EWU who were obtaining their master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning. More recently, Sheryl served as a commissioner on the Bonner County Planning and Zoning Commission, and served on the Priest River Revitalization committee. Currently, she is continuing a 10+ year term as the secretary of the Priest River Museum board, as well as being on the board of the Priest River’s Rex Theater. Land use, planning and responsible growth with consideration of private ownership is why Sheryl became a member of Project 7B.
- Molly O’Reilly moved to Bonner County with her husband in 1999. Her career had been in marketing, sales, and management both in the profit and nonprofit sectors. She had seen the impact of cooperative land use planning in preserving working farms, forests and natural areas. Believing that planning should reflect the shape of the community that people want to live, work, and play in, Molly is pleased to be a Project 7B board member.
- Michelle Boutin has owned property in Sandpoint since 2013 and moved to Sandpoint full-time in 2023. She has been a practicing attorney for 39 years, primarily working on commercial real estate matters in Alaska. She is in the process of retiring from law practice. Her family enjoys hiking, boating, fishing and everything beautiful Northern Idaho has to offer. “I hope to assist in facilitating information to the public about future land use and regulatory changes in Bonner County. Growth in Bonner County is inevitable. Project 7B can bring attention to upcoming changes and can be a voice for the general interests of the public,” she says.
- Executive Director Katie Botkin is a nonprofit organizer, writer, and editor. The Idaho panhandle has been her home since childhood, and she has lived in Sandpoint since 2008, when she started getting interested in local land use planning. For 13 years, she worked as the editor-in-chief of a magazine focused on localization, or adapting services and ideas to local areas, and traveled internationally as part of the job. She has witnessed firsthand how different approaches to land use shape cities, towns, and rural areas — and in some cases even destroy them. She has additionally worked in forestry, the local construction industry, and run home renovation projects. She is passionate about community, affordability, and strategic planning.