FAQ's

The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) serves as the governing body for County government, with final budget authority for all County departments. Additionally, they oversee the daily operations of departments that are not directly under the authority of the other six elected officials in the County. The BOCC meet in a public meeting forum each Tuesday to take official action on County business, and conduct Planning Deliberation meetings each Wednesday. The Board also sits as the Board of Equalization to consider property assessment appeals and various tax-related issues.

The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) sits as the Board of Equalization (BOE) at times designated by Idaho Code 63-501 to consider tax exemption applications and property assessment appeals. Application forms for tax exemptions can be found here; property assessment appeals may be found in the Commissioners Office.

The BOCC meets in an administrative capacity on a daily basis, as necessary to conduct the business of the County. Official actions of the BOCC take place at the Public Meeting each Tuesday at 2:00 p.m., as well as Planning Deliberations held each Wednesday at 10:00 a.m., and at various public hearings. Agendas and Minutes of Meetings can be found here.

Typical Public Meeting agenda items include contracts, ordinances, various resolutions, grant applications/agreements, advisory board appointments, and liquor license applications.

Meetings can be requested by phone at (208) 446-1600, or by using a Meeting Request Form. Due to public records law, it is necessary to provide the requested information concerning meetings before a meeting can be scheduled.

Idaho Code 31-702 requires that a person reside within the county for one year prior to election, and in the district for which they are seeking office for 90 days prior to election. The commissioners serve as a board, requiring a quorum of two members for decisions.

Applications can be downloaded here. Questions about membership requirements may be directed to kcbocc@kcgov.us.

Kootenai County Ordinance No. 174-A, Section 3.(s), requires a kennel license in circumstances where a person maintains five (5) or more dogs, six months of age or older. Kennel license applications are available here. or by calling (208) 446-1600.

Tax exemption applications must be received at the Commissioners' Office no later than 5:00 p.m. on the 4th Monday in June of each year. Applications are available here, or by calling (208) 446-1600.

Idaho Code allows for appeal of the current year property value to the Board of Equalization until the 4th Monday of June each year. Appeals must be filed on the form provided by the County Commissioners, which may be requested at kcbocc@kcgov.us, or (208) 446-1600.

County Commissioners have authority to waive delinquent taxes and/or penalty and interest in circumstances where a temporary hardship is found to exist. Applications may be obtained through the Commissioners' Office at (208) 446-1600.

The County Treasurer maintains a listing of properties that have been taken to tax deed, and did not sell at public auction. Once these properties have been through the auction process, the County may accept sealed bids from individuals interested in purchasing the property. The most recent list can be viewed here.

Information about current openings at the County and job application forms may be obtained here. They are also available at the Information Center, located on the main floor of the County Administration Building, 451 Government Way, Coeur d'Alene.

The State Department of Labor is located at 1221 W. Ironwood Drive, and they have a 24-hour job listing information line at (208) 769-1550.

The County does not issue business licenses, but does record "doing business as" documents. Business owners may contact the County Planning Department to determine zoning requirements, and if they are located within a city limits, they should contact that particular city to inquire about licensing.

This office is located at 451 Government Way, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, on the second floor, also known as the "main floor," of the Administration Building, next to the old County courthouse.

208-769-4427
Fax: 208-769-4490

Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., except recognized holidays.

Marla Lewis, Manager

Yes: Idaho Code Chapters 34 and 35.

This is an emergency assistance office for Kootenai County residents only to apply for the following types of assistance: Medical, dental extractions, rent, utilities, heat sources, and burial or cremation.

Go to the office to get additional, more detailed information and to pick up the paperwork and schedule an appointment if appropriate. The application process to determine eligibility requires completing an application, submitting various documents, and attending a scheduled interview.

Your appointment will be rescheduled.

Thirty (30) consecutive days (proof required)

Pursuant to Idaho Code 31-3504(4), upon receipt of an application for medical, dental, or prescription assistance, an automatic lien is placed on all present and future real and personal property of the applicant.

Yes. An application for non-emergency medical services shall be filed ten (10) days prior to receiving services from the provider. An application for emergency necessary medical services shall be made any time within thirty-one (31) days beginning with the first day of the provision of necessary medical services from the provider.

Yes. Either in monthly payments or by a work off arrangement.

Juror parking is directly north of the courthouse. If that lot is full, there is on-street parking on both sides of Garden Avenue in the Courthouse block.

Jurors may serve or go through selection on more than one jury trial during their one-week term of service.

If you have moved out of Kootenai County and are now a resident in a different county or state, please provide us with your new address. A form is included with your questionnaire packet.

If you have an individual in your family who has been sent a questionnaire but is in college or in active military service outside Kootenai County, you may write that information on the form provided in the questionnaire packet, sign your name as spouse, parent, etc., and return it on their behalf.

Unfortunately, our Master Jury List is not connected with Bureau of Vital Statistics records and we do not receive timely information on deaths. If you receive a questionnaire for someone who is deceased, please write that information on the questionnaire, along with their name, sign as parent, spouse, etc., and return to us.

Lake Coeur d'Alene is a natural lake with a restricted outlet. The Post Falls Dam located nine miles downstream of the outlet on the Spokane River does not affect the lake's outlet flow capacity. During the spring and winter, when inflows exceed the natural outlet flow capacity the lake rises. When inflows are less than the natural outlet flow capacity, the lake level falls. Typically, Avista maintains the lake at summer elevation after runoff through the first part of September. Avista attempts to lower the lake 7.5' by the end of January each year. Depending upon the weather, Lake Coeur d'Alene is on free flow discharge from January until after runoff. The level reached (both low and high level) depends entirely upon precipitation and temperature.

For more information on water levels in Kootenai County visit the following sites: avistacorp.com; Daily Post Falls outflow, CDA Lake elevation; Idaho USGS Realtime river flow information.

Sources for detailed maps of the Kootenai County area include Black Sheep Sporting Goods, 250 W. Bosanko Ave., Coeur d'Alene; The Yacht Club Sales and Service, S. 1000 Marina Drive, Coeur d'Alene; and North Idaho Blueprint, 1923 N. 4th St., Coeur d'Alene.

Kootenai County Parks and Waterways does reserve certain County facilities. Please visit the "Reservations" link for more information and for reservation and special permit applications, or call our office at (208) 446-1275. Other public agencies also accept reservations for public facilities, including the Bureau of Land Management (208) 769-5000; the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (208) 769-1511; the City of Coeur d'Alene (208) 769-2252; the City of Post Falls (208) 773-0539; and the U.S. Forest Service (208) 765-7223.

Bureau of Land Management (208) 769-5000
Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (208) 769-1511
City of Coeur d'Alene: (208) 769-2252
City of Post Falls: (208) 773-0539
U.S. Forest Service: (208) 765-7223
Idaho Department of Lands: (208) 769-1577

Kootenai County Parks and Waterways does not have jurisdiction over private water use. The responsibilities of our department include maintaining safe and navigable waterways, boating access (public launches and docks), providing marine pump-outs on area lakes, and the maintenance and improvement of various parks and trails in Kootenai County.

The Idaho Department of Lands is the governing agency for all encroachments and requires all permit applications for regulatory markers/buoys be submitted by another governmental agency (city, county, or state). In order for Kootenai County to sponsor a regulatory buoy/marker, The Kootenai County Parks and Waterways Advisory Board has an application process for private parties who wish to request the placement of regulatory buoys or markers on or near the public waters within Kootenai County. For instructions and application form, visit our link "Regulatory Buoys".

The Idaho Department of Lands permits the installation of docks on navigable waters within the State of Idaho. For encroachment permit applications, contact their office at 3706 Industrial Ave. South, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815; (208) 769-1577.

For information on snowmobiling in Kootenai County, please call the U.S. Forest Service Fernan Ranger Station at (208) 664-2318.

Several components are considered when determining whether or not a parcel is eligible to receive a building permit. There are some questions you may want to consider:

• Do I have an approved approach from a public road, and, if not, do I have a deeded ingress/egress easement to allow me to use the private road?
  
• Do I have septic approval?
  
• Was my lot legally created?
  
• Does my lot meet the minimum lot size for my zoning classification?
  
• Because of the complexity of this issue, you should discuss your particular situation with a planner.
  

The areas within the County have different zoning classifications. If you are able to provide the Building and Planning Department with either a parcel number or serial number, we will research your zoning classification.

Similar to determining zoning, the Building and Planning Department has several Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM), these map out several sections of the County which may or may not be located within a flood prone area. If you provide a planner with a parcel number, a flood zone determination will be given to you.

The Building and Planning Department does not have that information. This information can be obtained from the Panhandle Health District.

In rare instances, the Building and Planning Department will have that information. Another source for this information is the Assessor's office or your deed. If your property has been surveyed, you should be able to locate the corner monuments with a metal detector. If the property has not been surveyed, it may be necessary to hire a surveyor to accurately locate the property lines.

If your parcel number begins with a letter, you are a city resident and you would call the city for planning and zoning issues. Bayview is the exception and the County has jurisdiction. All other parcel numbers are in an unincorporated area of the County.

Some zones within the County allow duplexes. Another option may be the approval of an accessory living unit, provided your lot meets the requirements set out in the Zoning Ordinance. If your property is located over the Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, a minimum of ten acres is required. Please consult the Planning Department regarding your specific situation.

Manufactured homes constructed prior to June 15, 1976, must obtain rehabilitation Certificate of Conformance prior to application of a building permit. As well, in the Restricted Residential and Agricultural Suburban zones, manufactured homes must meet specific Class A criteria outlined in the Rules and Definitions portion of the Zoning Ordinance.

In order to subdivide land, usually you must go through a platting process. Exemptions to the platting process are very limited. Currently two options exist for the subdivision of land: (a) minor subdivision or (b) major subdivision. A planner can help you determine which option is best for your situation. The only zone that prohibits land division is the Agricultural zone.

A Code Enforcement officer is on staff and shares duties between the Planning and Building departments. If you have concerns about a potential zoning violation, contact the Planning Department to begin an investigation.

You do not need to sign a criminal complaint if you report a crime. However, the officer may ask you to sign a copy of the citation if you desire to make a citizen's arrest or if you witnessed a misdemeanor crime.

The defendant receives a copy of the complaint from the court after a criminal complaint is filed. The defendant is required to be present at a first after the prosecutor receives a copy of the complaint. At the first appearance, an attorney is appointed if the defendant cannot afford an attorney. A trail date is set within six months. For a felony crime, a preliminary hearing date is set after the first appearance. The victim and cert6ain other witnesses may be required to appear at the preliminary hearing. The State needs to only establish probable cause at the preliminary hearing, and if done, the magistrate judge sends the case to the highest court (District Court) for a trial within six months.

The prosecutor will only "plea bargain" if this results in a "bargain" for the victim and the citizens. For instance, the prosecutor may dismiss one criminal count if the defendant pleads guilty to another similar count. This may occur if the punishment will be the same whether the defendant pleads to one count or multiple counts. A plea bargain often means the victim will not need to testify. It also means a speedier disposition of the case. Generally, the prosecutor is reluctant to plea bargain cases which involve children, violence, and repeat offenders. The victim will always be consulted prior to a plea bargain. The sad reality is that many cases are forced to be plea bargained because there are insufficient judges, courtrooms, prosecutors, defense counsel and money to take thousands of criminal cases to trial annually. In 2004, over 1200 felony cases and over 3000 misdemeanor cases were filed.

If your case enters the criminal justice system, the prosecutor can ask the judge that the defendant have no contact with the victim and other persons. Victims of personal acquaintance and family violence can also go to the criminal clerk in the courthouse to obtain a "No Contact Order". No lawyer is needed to obtain this order.

You should contact the Victim-Witness Coordinator or the Domestic Violence Advocate at the Kootenai County Prosecutor's Office at 446-1800, if you need assistance in obtaining a No Contact Order. Generally, you will be asked to state the reasons under oath that you need protection.

Click here for the Adobe Acrobate File regarding this question.

A transfer station is a facility where refuse is separated and processed for either recycling or shipment to a landfill.

The transfer station is open to the general public seven days a week. The entry gate opens at 8:00 a.m. and closes at 4:55 p.m. We request that everyone have their vehicles unloaded and out of the facility by 5:00 p.m. daily.

The transfer station is located at 3650 N. Ramsey Road in Coeur d'Alene. The closest cross streets are Appleway (to the South) and Kathleen Avenue (to the North). Watch for the signs in the center median on Ramsey Road.

No. Kootenai County only provides transfer station and landfill services. You must contact a private hauler to pick up your garbage at your home or business.

The following companies provides garbage collection services in Kootenai County.

Waste Management of Idaho -- 765-4968
City of Worley (within city limits only)
Lenz Sanitation -- 765-5233
Southlake Services -- 686-9262
Harrison Sanitation -- 689-3215
Coeur d'Alene Garbage/Post Falls Sanitation -- 457-1820

No. The facility at Ramsey Road is simply a transfer station. Garbage is no longer buried at this site. All garbage is put into trailers and hauled to the landfill at Fighting Creek on Highway 95, south of Coeur d'Alene.

Residents of Kootenai County pay an annual fee that is included in their tax statement. Upon payment of the annual fee, residents are permitted to dispose of up to 2000 lbs. of household waste and yard debris associated with their residential property for free (Note: Roofing materials and tires on rims are charged to everyone). There may be additional fees for disposal of certain items. Please refer to the Fee Structure Page for more details.

No. The landfill is not designed to handle traffic from the general public. All garbage is unloaded from the transfer trailers directly into the landfill area. All access is designed for heavy equipment and semi-trucks.

The county operates a rural collection system for general household garbage. There are 16 different locations throughout the county which have refuse containers for the use and convenience of our rural residents. For limitations on what is accepted at these rural sites, please refer to the Rural Collection Section of this web site.

The Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection site is located at the Ramsey Transfer Station. Collection days are Wednesday and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please wait for a technician to assist you at the facility. Do not leave your materials outside the gates. No hazardous waste can be collected at any other time. This service is for residential customers only. There is a 5-gallon liquid limit per collection day.

Certainly there are more materials capable of being recycled than what is collected through the Kootenai County recycling programs. However, the key to successful programs is locating markets first, then establishing collections.

Idaho, unlike Washington or Oregon, does not mandate recycling. These other states have mandated requirements of waste reduction and recycling which have attracted both large and small processors and end users to their areas. These companies are assured a flow of materials due to the state mandates and taxpayer subsidies. Idaho does not have any such mandates or industries at this time. We ship our materials to distant markets and are therefore subject to the high costs of shipping.

As local markets open and become available, our collection will continue to expand.

The disposal of Asbestos is governed by the EPA. There are specific requirements that must be met before the disposal of Asbestos can take place. There are specific forms that must accompany each and every load that is brought for disposal. Please see the section on Asbestos for further details.

The Solid Waste Department provides guided tours of the Landfill and Transfer Station facilities. Please contact the Administration office at (208) 446-1430 to make arrangements for tours.

The intent of the residential solid waste fee is for normal household waste, created by day to day residential living. The fee is based on a residential lifestyle that creates normal waste not to exceed three (3) thiry-two (32) gallon cans per week.

Waste such as vehicle tires, vehicle batteries, roofing materials, construction or demolition materials, appliances, furniture, carpet, large bulky items, wood or wood products, and hazardous materials are not covered under the residential solid waste fee. These wastes and others materials may be subject to additional charges.

Property taxes are due December 20th and June 20th of each year. The first half is due and payable in December with the balance due the following June.

Personal property taxes are due on the same dates as stated above. However, if a payment deadline is missed, the entire tax becomes due and payable along with any accrued late charge and interest.

We accept payment for less than the amount due. However, late charge and interest will be applied to the unpaid balance.

Late charge is 2% of the unpaid balance and is applied on December 21. Interest is accrued beginning January 1 and the rate as directed by State Code is 1% per month. If the full tax is not paid by June 20, interest on the unpaid tax will accrue from January 1. If less than half the tax is received by December 20 interest will be applied to the unpaid balance beginning January 1.