[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6563308,"mediaKeyId","3229888-222cf2c581376700f7f03bd75a2072d0","parentId",3229888,"title","Council approves Festival at Sandpoint lease after debate over pesticide use; Duquette votes no","audioSeconds",550,"startMs",3872000,"endMs",4422000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3229888-222cf2c581376700f7f03bd75a2072d0&start=3872&end=4422","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3229888-222cf2c581376700f7f03bd75a2072d0/thumbnail_3872000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6563308/Sandpoint/Bonner-County/Idaho/Council-approves-Festival-at-Sandpoint-lease-after-debate-over-pesticide-use-Duquette-votes-no","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6563308-0db9bd66adfc6421c0cd823d501f45db/orig.mp4?Expires=1770908198&Signature=jyj2iwFp2UG8sHwSwDUqGvkKcLC-OQ8Dx1s3jRknXMcAIfl-Npt4ZDYNtRfrACR7QWCZ2DXsLr1TE6dP3YYb1CeiLUyW75wrbWafMoIeG7X94ETlooH5yWGaB07UQbjegrSZaBXw1aBwAiDD-v9DTWS9zo7ThCM5D2f4BB3FBlcO5UP5G7wrUHEyDJdZ9U5oJBCweFwBjXKXrLU6nE8YfpY2MbGEz2hD7yjFLPyhctDt6MzKwQSFXXnDJur2O3GrbPvTo5n1Z~A~wXHQ2P2tUanif5sh1IBhXAcnPDpK0mwHf9LN3vYRnl6y0n12DXZufh4Wol3s-Lzu8h8~MC5U-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Sandpoint","date","2025-05-08T15:17:17Z","article","The Sandpoint City Council approved a lease agreement with Festival at Sandpoint on May 7 after council discussion over a clause that allows pesticide treatment of festival structures and fenced areas. Councilor Pam Duquette pressed Festival staff and operators about the use of bifenthrin-containing treatments, which she said are toxic to bees and aquatic animals.

Veronica Milton, director of operations for Festival at Sandpoint, said treatments target wasps, hornets, gnats and spiders and are applied only to synthetic porous surfaces — stage infrastructure, grandstand runners, fences and banners — not to trees or natural turf. “Our application is only to synthetic porous surfaces… primarily to our stage facility, the grandstands, the press boxes…for public and staff safety consideration,” Milton told council.

Duquette said the contract requires notice 15 days before spraying and an option for the city to grant or deny applications; she asked whether that notice had been used in previous years and whether the festival had tried alternatives (fans, traps, lights). Milton said she has tried multiple non-chemical methods and that some touring acts have complained about the abundance of insects near outdoor venues.

Council discussed competing goals: public safety for staff and performers versus environmental concerns and neighborhood impacts. Mayor Jeremy Grama noted the clause was included so the festival’s pest-control contractor would respect a 50-foot separation from water and to ensure the city could review applications. After debate, the motion to approve the Festival at Sandpoint lease (agreement A-25-1970-6) passed on a roll call vote. Councilor Duquette voted no; other voting members approved the lease. City staff and festival representatives said they would continue to explore non-chemical measures and comply with notice requirements.

The council did not modify the pesticide clause in the lease; the mayor and staff said changes could be pursued with the festival or through code if the council wished to pursue a policy change later.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Sandpoint | City Council Meeting | 05/07/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Sandpoint City Council approved a lease with Festival at Sandpoint on May 7 after discussion about a clause that permits limited pesticide treatments on festival infrastructure to control wasps and other insects.","taxTitle","Sandpoint, Bonner County, Idaho","taxId",52019,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6563309,"Sandpoint staff lays out parking management plan with paid parking, passes, and in-lieu fees",2208,6860000,9068000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3229888-222cf2c581376700f7f03bd75a2072d0&start=6860&end=9068","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3229888-222cf2c581376700f7f03bd75a2072d0/thumbnail_6860000.jpg","/articles/6563309/Sandpoint/Bonner-County/Idaho/Sandpoint-staff-lays-out-parking-management-plan-with-paid-parking-passes-and-in-lieu-fees","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6563309-d5986b1652347f783397d6e281d5c515/orig.mp4?Expires=1770908198&Signature=oAXqiWfal2k30X5K2ratvUv1PR-EXXO4X1I-ZIS0lRucTOK6ko4TG1P~3iQOrHdemShdhkNUE3imyNGzq~QTPWUHxACIFnZyQZU0z5Fbgi5GRv25SJ8v~KzJQ8GplnCrh9l8MSCqfQNzRgNJBHQXA0P2QaNv3bwIDIgTze1~yIH1~6hZMgvSMY0dwL-SK3Itf-S3-3PfiJuMW4JRUFOM7HWwiqeUyldAGisheZVXJJNM3XEhqY~-lUFC8IrCiVDmAlL~kDp6T5UezEC-842~gIAqyXNbNhjjymC3iSkkmJ5P6OT7S-nHJo0x9IhRX3ceEd7xfKYqE2WzFhZfFEuAcg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City planners presented a draft parking management plan to the Sandpoint City Council on May 7 that recommends targeted paid parking at the busiest downtown block faces and waterfront lots, a local pass program for residents, employees and marina slipholders, and an in-lieu fee for residential developments to fund future parking improvements.

Director Welker described the plan as a multi-year effort informed by a 2022 parking study, recent community surveys and extensive public outreach. “Effective capacity is roughly 85% occupancy at peak,” Welker said. “Our data show on-street spaces downtown are underutilized while off-street waterfront lots regularly exceed capacity at peak summer hours.” He told the council the city has about 1,054 on‑street stalls downtown (about 600 in use at peak hour) and that waterfront and the main city lot reach 97% occupancy in the summer peak.

Key recommendations in the draft plan include: reintroducing paid curbside parking on a handful of high-demand streets; implementing paid off-street parking at City Beach, Dock Street and the downtown municipal lot; offering discounted or annual passes for city taxpayers, a higher-rate pass for non‑city taxpayers, and specialized passes for marina slipholders and downtown employees; and requiring new residential development downtown to provide one parking space per 1,000 square feet of residential floor area with a maximum of 1.5 spaces per dwelling unit or pay an in‑lieu fee (staff proposed $25,000 per space) to a parking improvement fund.

Welker estimated, using a conservative rate model and seasonal adjustments, that parking-lot revenue (excluding on-street meter revenue) could reach approximately $330,000 annually if the city adopts paid parking. He and staff stressed technology choices, enforcement mechanisms and dynamic pricing would be developed in separate steps and that council would adopt rates annually.

Several council members asked about practical details — hours, seasonality, enforcement, and whether residents should pay. Mayor Jeremy Grama and councilors discussed the use of revenues to maintain parking assets and the possibility of dedicating a portion to transit (Spot bus) and other district benefits. Staff noted federal Land and Water Conservation Fund restrictions prohibit designating or privatizing specific stalls for private use.

Public commenters including property/business owners Mike Delaney and Tim Boden praised the city’s small-business focus and urged careful design to preserve downtown character. Councilors requested further analysis and said they want a final plan returned to council for adoption in June with ordinance language for Title 9 amendments to follow in July; staff indicated paid parking could be implemented the next summer pending technology procurement and a council decision.

No formal vote was taken on May 7; the council directed staff to return with a final draft that includes rates, implementation steps, technology options, and recommended uses for revenue.","City planning staff presented a draft parking management plan calling for targeted paid parking at congested downtown blocks and waterfront lots, a local pass program, a $25,000-per-space in-lieu fee for certain residential developments, and continued study of a future parking structure.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6563310,"Sandpoint council approves smaller ‘area of impact’ map to send to Bonner County",2378,4445000,6823000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3229888-222cf2c581376700f7f03bd75a2072d0&start=4445&end=6823","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3229888-222cf2c581376700f7f03bd75a2072d0/thumbnail_4445000.jpg","/articles/6563310/Sandpoint/Bonner-County/Idaho/Sandpoint-council-approves-smaller-area-of-impact-map-to-send-to-Bonner-County","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6563310-b4d0fce07a479c3a23b28adb19b375ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1770908198&Signature=hrMTmtZjtTy~bkcfBf21NQGj~3m6VEsMP59uHCn8vpbdRTPV607Gcl~wA-LtFTy5wSwRpDy~p088j0NTwEthOjt0L3eqZe27w4kox~mVUkhCJTsdb5shxboCdP1xkoApeR-uItgzW1weYVc2iwemh6y3-dihVL87geu4-m5XssCpWeX5i2HJQoORq1q9C6vuiHEe51Tj93DRHPStMksOCLWckOzkR8zrXq1LdZOG~VJwrfAKTmgbWL7z7pBXNf0FmBrwbIAWsZDJ5lOLcMNtHdDaK9YxxdrO1ki9AY6BLMN2BUq0Cy~cwMZh5CETJyiWkSWqzmeFxaWBDhpxkne4nw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sandpoint City Council voted 6–1 on May 7 to forward a staff- and Planning & Zoning Commission–recommended adjustment to the city’s area of impact to Bonner County, cutting the area under the city’s review from about 12.3 square miles to roughly 3.4 square miles.

City Planning Director Welker told the council the state law defines an area of impact as “where growth and development are expected to occur beyond the city’s limits” and noted recent legislative language limiting an area of impact to no more than two miles beyond city limits. “What we have here is a proposal that reduces our AI by roughly 80 percent while keeping areas that could realistically be served by city utilities or are already suburban in character,” Welker said during his presentation.

The proposed boundary retains neighborhoods and small-lot subdivisions that city staff say could be feasibly served with utilities in the future, including Vadlewood and the Sweetgrass subdivision, and removes large, sparsely populated upland areas. The council packet said the revised boundary was drawn to reflect “ability to serve” rather than an intention to annex. Welker emphasized that Bonner County, not the city, has final authority for boundaries and development decisions inside the area of impact.

Council discussion focused on the legal standard in Idaho law, which refers to areas “very likely to be annexed” within a five-year horizon. Councilor Rick Howarth said that phrase is vague and called the proposed boundary “arbitrary,” then voted against the measure. Other members said the change brings Sandpoint into compliance with state law while preserving the city’s opportunity to comment on county land-use applications that affect city infrastructure or long-term planning.

Mayor Jeremy Grama said a practical benefit of the smaller boundary is that it reduces the city’s review burden while maintaining notification rights for developments that could affect future utility corridors. The council also flagged one small overlap with Dover’s proposed area that staff said would be clarified before the county hearing.

The motion to forward the planning staff and Planning & Zoning recommendation was moved by Council President Ruhl and seconded by another council member and passed in roll call 6–1 (Howarth No). The council instructed staff to deliver the revised boundary and the written comments to Bonner County for its summer review.

The county commission has final authority to set the area of impact and to decide the land-use applications within it; the city’s action creates a formal record of Sandpoint’s recommended boundary and mitigation requests.","The Sandpoint City Council voted 6–1 to forward a reduced area-of-impact boundary to Bonner County, shrinking the city’s planning footprint from about 12.3 square miles to roughly 3.4 square miles and asking the county to consider local connectivity and service issues during its review.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":46,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6563307,"Votes at a glance: Sandpoint council actions May 7, 2025",4322,100000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3229888-222cf2c581376700f7f03bd75a2072d0&start=100&end=4422","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3229888-222cf2c581376700f7f03bd75a2072d0/thumbnail_100000.jpg","/articles/6563307/Sandpoint/Bonner-County/Idaho/Votes-at-a-glance-Sandpoint-council-actions-May-7-2025","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6563307-095e276001d3e460801dd00f20dbaf10/orig.mp4?Expires=1770908198&Signature=RM3Z2W16QDZJaCZPic6Uvbd1JH8Twmj3D-IKbcWxpj8BaUYDIuV~JGsyJqG4pRNPSUC~mGdheyNYPY6wxxE37t8Z~GsCc~XCOSCgQd4FbEZi~UvbL5jQn5HZBbtH1CRXpxh6ooq680MFCIM1~~XFRfNaA8E~-LAjspjweVWrTMvfvwIf5ueXLVQNMt9iNzXdHQUMFbA4cEfCzSXxaA6rf~Fo4Ju5fyBhFtvQN8FMUrL5ObbMCW1QlQ5Sn~XHwtCDCCMAwR6Hhv4R8RdtzFF8gTRBrWVK1M5YJMfJhMzB9eWdgeIcsCUyRtFZunjSHS41B0YigizggMJ26~GqEFsVXg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sandpoint City Council took several formal actions during its May 7 regular meeting. Key votes and outcomes are summarized below.

1) Accept amended agenda (added Old Business item 13: McGee Development water service appeal). Motion passed by roll call (unanimous among voting members present).

2) Postpone reopening of the appeal of denial of the McGee Development water service application to the May 21, 2025 regular meeting. Motion moved by Schreiber, seconded by Ruhl; roll call vote passed (unanimous among voting members present at that time).

3) Approve Consent Calendar (with items 9 and 10 removed for discussion). Motion passed by roll call; the consent calendar included $1,616,939.50 in bills (regular payables $864,882.23; payroll $752,057.27).

4) Approve Festival at Sandpoint lease (Agreement A-25-1970-6) after discussion on pesticide clause. Roll call: passed 6–1 (Councilor Pam Duquette voted no).

5) Forward Planning & Zoning and staff recommendation for a reduced area-of-impact boundary to Bonner County. Motion passed 6–1 (Councilor Rick Howarth voted no).

For each vote the clerk recorded the roll call in the minutes; councilors present included Mayor Jeremy Grama, Council President Deb Ruhl, Councilors Kyle Schreiber, Pam Duquette, Rick Howarth, Justin (unnamed in transcript), Councilor Spiro/Sprow and others who participated in roll calls. The council directed staff to carry out the submissions and follow-up actions listed in the staff reports for each item.","Summary of formal actions taken by the Sandpoint City Council on May 7, including agenda amendment, postponement of a water‑service appeal, consent calendar approval, festival lease approval, and forwarding an area-of-impact recommendation to Bonner County.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council approves Festival at Sandpoint lease after debate over pesticide use; Duquette votes no

Sandpoint staff lays out parking management plan with paid parking, passes, and in-lieu fees

Sandpoint council approves smaller ‘area of impact’ map to send to Bonner County

Votes at a glance: Sandpoint council actions May 7, 2025