By Gerald Higgs
Bonners Ferry
I am logging this formal complaint requesting an enforcement action for business activities occurring on property at the southeast intersection of US95 & El Paso Street in the City of Bonners Ferry owned by Eric Lederhos and operated by Levi Falck, based upon alleged activities.
My complaint is based upon current City Ordinance(s) and Idaho Code(s).
The operator of this business claims to be a currently licensed auto dealer performing auto sales. However, Ordinance and Code define what currently transacts on that property as a “junkyard/salvage” usage, which are prohibited within the Commercial Zone. The current usage is only allowed within the Industrial Zone.
More than two unlicensed and/or inoperable vehicles predominantly exist on this property, perpetually. Some are in various stages of disrepair while exhibiting disassembly and/or collision damage. Vehicles arrive and depart via tow truck(s). Disassembled auto parts are in public view.
Other Ordinance/Code issues include: 1) snow being pushed off the property into the right-of-way; 2) obstacles blocking visibility through the sight-distance-triangle of the intersection (HWY95 & El Paso St.); 3) inadequate parking/access for customers and delivery; 4) continual encroachment of inventory into the right-of-way; 5) the prohibited burning of refuse/garbage in a burn barrel by a Commercial business; 6) the absence of a sight-blocking fence; and, 7) the potential for being deemed a “nuisance” due to multiple alleged violations.
I am requesting a formal review of the activities occurring on this said property and notification of all resulting enforcement action(s) following discovery.
This Complaint is intended to be routed to the City of Bonners Ferry Clerk, Administrator, Attorney, BFPD, Ruen-Yeager Planners, P & Z Commission, Council, Mayor, and the following encroachment-affected Departments: Street; Electrical; Water &Sewer.
Please forward this Complaint to ISP regarding Idaho Code issues, the legal property owner, and the proprietor of the business on said property.
The timing and motivation for this Complaint are two-fold: 1) The subject(s) of this Complaint have a history of non-compliance allegations(s) for other property owned and/or operated in Boundary County for similar reason(s), resulting in County enforcement action(s), for which I was present at the hearings. and 2) An auto vs. three-deer collision occurred the beginning week of February 2024 which may have been causal by junk cars blocking the sight-distance-triangle of the intersection of US95 & El Paso Street. I was an eyewitness to the collision and assisted in the removal of a still-alive deer from the edge of US95. Let me be clear…the junk cars blocked the view of the driver from seeing the deer approaching the highway. I was in my vehicle stopped at the El Paso Street stop sign at the time of accident.