Dear Editor,
I am writing to express my deep concerns regarding recent action taken by Washington County and the apparent lack of due diligence on the part of our newly elected prosecuting attorney. For those who may not be aware, the County, on behalf of the prosecuting attorney, purchased a property in 2024 that is zoned as Low Density – Single Family for residential use only. The request for a special use permit was denied by the Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council on the basis that the zoning code, as written in Chapter 7 Section 10-7-1: Uses Permitted, states: “A professional office of a surgeon, physician, dentist, lawyer, clergyman or other professional person using his residence for the consultation, emergency treatment or performance of religious rites only, and not for the general practice of a profession.”
Since whoever occupies such residences and provides services must live there, it appears that was not the intent for the new attorney. Instead of acknowledging the lack of due diligence, the County perhaps might decide to double down and attempt to occupy this residence in some form using the verbiage five lines down that states: “Parks, playgrounds, libraries, community centers and similar uses owned and operated by a governmental agency, including police, fire and postal substations.” Upon initial review of this sentence, it appears this might be allowed. However, the zoning commission and city rightly should discern that this isn’t for the operation of these agencies, but rather it allows them to use these zonings for the specific utilization of parks, playgrounds, libraries, community centers, and similar uses that are owned by those agencies, not for those agencies to conduct their business from said residences.
Despite all of this, there are now obvious efforts to occupy this property for special business use, disregarding existing zoning laws and regulations. In summary, the County and new prosecuting attorney, before ever practicing here, have already indicated their disregard for zoning laws and appear to portray an attitude of negligence in conducting their due diligence prior to engagements. Is this the example we want to set for Weiser? Consider this as these are elected positions representing your votes and potentially prosecuting with this as their culture.
Zoning laws exist to protect the integrity and character of our neighborhoods, and it is unacceptable for any public official to bypass these regulations for personal or county gains. The failure to adhere to proper due diligence before making such a purchase not only undermines public trust but also sets a dangerous precedent for future actions.
As residents of this county, we rely on our officials to act in our best interests and uphold the laws that govern us. The current actions taken by the prosecuting attorney and the county are a clear violation of this trust. I urge the county and all involved parties to reconsider their actions and to respect the zoning laws that are in place.
I hope that bringing this issue to light will prompt a thorough review and correction of this oversight. Our community deserves transparency, accountability, and adherence to the law from those who represent us.
Sincerely,
Joseph Vaughn
