Posted: Feb 12, 2004  14:27

In a public Planning and Zoning hearing February 5, local residents vehemently opposed a conditional use permit for a private boarding school near Fighting Creek in Kootenai County.

The Idaho Statesman reported that one resident, Jeanine Elias, said “my fear is they are going to break into our homes. I would have to protect myself, and I certainly don’t want to kill a child.”

In his application to P&Z, George Ullrich, a psychiatrist with North Idaho Behavioral Health in Coeur d’Alene, proposed to offer an alternative for students between the ages of 13-17 who struggled to succeed in previous educational settings because of various learning disabilities.

Ullrich’s proposal said the private school would utilize a holistic approach with four phases of development and implementation to build on life skills, education and care for the environment.

With an initial enrollment of six students, the facility would hold a maximum of 65 students and 20 staff members.

Although Ullrich is a consulting psychiatrist for CEDU Schools, CEDU is not a partner in this project. An earlier version of this story erroneously indicated otherwise.

Hearing Examiner Freeman Duncan is expected make his recommendation to the Building and Planning Department by Thursday, February 19.

Once that recommendation is received, the application and recommendation will go before the Board of Commissioners, probably the following week. At that time, the Board will either accept Duncan’s recommendation or decide to hold another public hearing.