Letter: Why We Fear ULUC

John Boothe of Cataldo wrote this letter to the Coeur d’Alene Press:

I believe everyone who attended the prematurely adjourned ULUC hearing Monday, June 17 probably walked away with a somewhat sour taste in their mouths. What I witnessed as a rural property owner and current non-participant in the county political system was a strong desire of other rural property owners to express themselves at a “functional meeting” which wasn’t designed for that purpose. Of the opinions that managed to get expressed, the content was varied, but I believe the theme behind each message was common. We, Kootenai County residents, are scared. We fear the imposed regulation of a document that we can’t understand. I’m sure the authors of this code, and perhaps the planning commission, can understand the structure and verbiage just fine, and their intentions are honorable. However, we, the common folk, can’t grasp the content. I personally have tried and failed. More here.

Question: Should a planning document be as complicated as, say, the federal tax code?