Land Development

Protecting community and environment.

Two things are critical when approving land development projects: Proper development of land and how waste is managed and disposed of. Panhandle Health District has a regulatory responsibility to review all new subdivisions to ensure that the land is suitable for disposing of wastes in order to protect the public’s health and the environment. It is recommended that the developer meet with Environmental Health staff before any site work or surveying has been started. The purpose will be to discuss platting requirements and determine potential limitations. There is a fee associated with review of all subdivisions.

Panhandle Health District provides the following services:

• Administer the Idaho Sanitary Restriction Law (Idaho Code 50-1326) for all subdivisions.
• Re-impose sanitary restrictions on subdivisions where water and sewer systems have been disapproved.
• Attend public meetings related to planning, zoning, and development.
• Provide consultation with developers, real estate agencies, engineers, and public agencies.
• Review of proposed subdivisions.

Subdivisions

Panhandle Health District works in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality by releasing sanitary restrictions on a wide variety of platted subdivisions.

For subdivisions utilizing individual wells and individual subsurface sewage disposal systems, the Application for Subdivision/Land Development Review, the Subdivision Evaluation Report Checklist, and applicable fee must be submitted to Panhandle Health District for review.

Mortgage Survey

Mortgage surveys are a research and education service of the Panhandle Health District (PHD).

Here’s how they work:

• A buyer finds a home to purchase. It’s on a septic system and private well. The buyer wants to know the septic system and the private well are safe and in good working order.
• The buyer or a representative of the lending institution contacts PHD for a Mortgage Survey.
• A PHD representative researches records on the septic system for a copy of the permit. The PHD representative also visits the desired home to find out from the owner when the septic tank was last pumped and document that the system is in good working order.
• The PHD representative takes a sample from the private well and sends it to a lab for tests.
• The buyer receives a full report with information about how to address any problems found.

Environmental Health

Kootenai Co.: (208) 415-5220
Benewah Co.: (208) 245-4556
Bonner Co.: (208) 265-6384
Boundary Co.: (208) 267-5558
Shoshone Co.: (208) 783-0707
Hours: 8:00am – 4:30pm

Email: EHApplications@phd1.idaho.gov
Address: 8500 N. Atlas Rd. Hayden, ID 83835