[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6503270,"mediaKeyId","5585253-0dd6927a94aa08bcd72d1e37f5af9e98","parentId",5585253,"title","Rotary member and neighbors propose cleanup, ADA access and tribal interpretation for Pend Oreille Bay Trail parcel","audioSeconds",2110,"startMs",2190000,"endMs",4300000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5585253-0dd6927a94aa08bcd72d1e37f5af9e98&start=2190&end=4300","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5585253-0dd6927a94aa08bcd72d1e37f5af9e98/thumbnail_2190000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6503270/Sandpoint/Bonner-County/Idaho/Rotary-member-and-neighbors-propose-cleanup-ADA-access-and-tribal-interpretation-for-Pend-Oreille-Bay-Trail-parcel","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6503270-42867c678bdaa4e0c252fa1131121080/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168736&Signature=GRj2vMvvCX1yx~qngjrC2H~GqCKkVCCe3DtcdaPUhq7dt1BGsQFkhI20~z7GO~or~CbpdZuttxsuK-fxOucvGlVcDhp4bFTV6rlDs5grJ4ntwI1NHnMS-J2NjW0cHQkc0lGfeZ6ObeKCchByz0eonz1HvLH4VvFgh~abkBJzvAE9XZcJxLWA09S2s8l1EZLffuwNtcUBtaUedTghA2D~hcvc1dmarzqegOWt7ydEXEG0Z3cYSYankqGOy57SkDaajbd0GQ7SKj0frVPWIfGWYDxHtjRJHcle~lUgKQ7MznuFXJAkxIAM3jHJvvo6C59zgEdrXdmLouDTRHsH9141Lg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Sandpoint","date","2025-08-14T16:24:35Z","article","A community member and Rotary representative asked the Sandpoint Parks and Recreation Commission on Aug. 13 for authorization to clear vegetative overgrowth on a small city-owned parcel adjacent to the Pend Oreille Bay Trail and to pursue improved, ADA-compliant access from the trail to the shoreline.

Ross Hall described a long family history with the shoreline parcel and said he and volunteers could undertake a modest cleanup of undergrowth and debris; he also said he has discussed interpretive elements with tribal representatives and the local historical museum. Hall asked for city permission to perform a short-term cleanup and for staff assistance identifying potential ADA funding sources and permitting steps.

Parks staff and commission members described related, multi-agency work under way in the area, including mitigation and restoration tied to Black Rock work the commission was told could involve heavy equipment and that may create near-term opportunities for funding and coordination. Staff said the Army Corps and state agencies have been involved in earlier work and that the city could be a partner in restoration, including future grant funding and coordination with the Pend Oreille Bay Trail master plan.

Commissioners and the public discussed potential amenities that could be considered if funding is available, including a nonmotorized boat launch or fishing pier, improved parking and a possible roundabout or bus drop-off as part of a larger parking-lot redesign. Staff noted that engineering and design work for shoreline access and nonmotorized launches is typically more complex and may require tens of thousands of dollars before construction could proceed.

Commissioners asked staff to contact agency partners, including Steve Gill (project lead mentioned in discussion), the Department of Environmental Quality and the Idaho Department of Lands, to confirm timelines and available mitigation funding; staff said they will follow up and aim to report back at a future meeting. Ross Hall told the commission, \"It's a trail of romance,\" when describing the site's significance and local history, and commissioners expressed broad support for further study and coordination.

Ending: Staff and commission members agreed to follow up with agency contacts and to consider the parcel for higher-priority placement in the parks CIP if external mitigation funds and clear engineering scopes are identified. The commission asked staff to schedule an update once agency timelines and a preliminary scope are available.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Sandpoint | Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting | 08/13/2025","oneSentenceSummary","A community member and Rotary representative asked the Sandpoint Parks and Recreation Commission on Aug. 13 for permission to clear and improve a small city-owned parcel on the Pend Oreille Bay Trail and to pursue ADA access to the shoreline.","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},6503275,"Sandpoint staff weigh using $100,000 in CIP funds to buy design-ready parking-lot plans after WIF offer declined",190,610000,800000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5585253-0dd6927a94aa08bcd72d1e37f5af9e98&start=610&end=800","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5585253-0dd6927a94aa08bcd72d1e37f5af9e98/thumbnail_610000.jpg","/articles/6503275/Sandpoint/Bonner-County/Idaho/Sandpoint-staff-weigh-using-100000-in-CIP-funds-to-buy-design-ready-parking-lot-plans-after-WIF-offer-declined","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6503275-b87b6090e90a2fdf3a40cf9075e33aa6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168736&Signature=aYujN3xNKBSkHYLx6JA7NhqjbOxRZNr0QT0elHoqDUJsCV0Ohke6oFj15yPMea~14fbc~LIuuEJMjmZ-~QtqwOnCTDhs2O9xSfsCK3NXbik3VNlY9BEwEtc~cYQ7vU3FBd~0Q6P0TrCbSdntdwYlRKTtAXwvojOZSMj5cVBTdRBSFTDco-Bi9fsWfFMKyKn-aHpp5wYnwVmG-y4g4ml7tvywSgxg5IryV6-IjLBQZHGrJv0nR0TY2kXRJkNRHRHYS6DnniJkp1JfpeohpDhA-wFQ3oZUoOqxZTqC5V0L4hT4zPfFOrclStnvqzHT1BGSy5eyZwg4UgZDbBQSdm1k3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Parks staff told commissioners Aug. 13 that City Council has accepted a $950,000 RB fund grant for City Beach and that the parks department declined a separate Waterways Improvement Fund (WIF) offer because the WIF award would have required a $100,000 local match.

Staff proposed using $100,000 currently in the parks capital improvement fund as match money to pay for design and engineering for the existing City Beach parking lot and to combine that scope with planned design work for the RV park. Staff said the combined design contract would produce bid-ready documents for both projects, making future grant applications and contractor procurement faster and more competitive.

Staff explained that the WIF reviewer declined the city’s larger WIF application because reviewers concluded the parking lot did not primarily serve boaters; the state offered roughly $105,000 instead. Parks staff said they rejected that offer because it carried an approximate $100,000 local match requirement and because the city lacked the conceptual renderings the WIF reviewer wanted to see.

Commission discussion focused on scope and cost. Staff and commissioners gave cost examples: basic resurfacing and restriping might require $15,000–$30,000 for engineering and survey work, while a fuller redesign that addresses stormwater treatment, lighting, landscaping, bus turnarounds and circulation for boat trailers could reach or exceed $100,000 in professional fees. Staff said their intent is to seek a single design and engineering firm to cover both the RV park and parking-lot scopes to generate synergy and avoid duplicate costs.

Staff also told the commission that a nearby hotel application could produce in-lieu parking fees — depending on final permit timing and a recently announced fee increase — of roughly $400,000 to $1,000,000 that could supply later construction funding for parking. Staff said council is motivated to use paid-parking revenue and parking in-lieu fees to fund construction of parking improvements.

Commissioners and members of the public suggested coordination with prior conceptual drawings — including a roundabout concept discussed by a waterfront design team — and emphasized that bid-ready engineering will improve competitiveness for state grants that target boat ramps, docks and boat parking.

No commission vote was taken at the Aug. 13 meeting; staff asked commissioners for feedback and proposed bringing a follow-up update in a future meeting after consulting state agency timelines and potential external funding partners.

Ending: Staff said they will pursue more detailed scope and cost estimates, coordinate with state agencies and stakeholders, and return to the commission with updates and grant-strategy recommendations. The commission asked staff to circulate conceptual materials and to contact state agency project leads before the next meeting.","Parks staff told commissioners Aug. 13 that City Council accepted a $950,000 RB fund grant for City Beach and that staff propose reallocating $100,000 in capital improvement funds to produce bid-ready engineering for the City Beach parking lot and the RV park.",{"_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},6503279,"Sandpoint parks staff set Oct. 4 grand opening for Traverse sports center; batting cages, picnic shelter and noise fixes underway",1797,108000,1905000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5585253-0dd6927a94aa08bcd72d1e37f5af9e98&start=108&end=1905","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5585253-0dd6927a94aa08bcd72d1e37f5af9e98/thumbnail_108000.jpg","/articles/6503279/Sandpoint/Bonner-County/Idaho/Sandpoint-parks-staff-set-Oct-4-grand-opening-for-Traverse-sports-center-batting-cages-picnic-shelter-and-noise-fixes-underway","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6503279-00e54e13f53b8b0c44ea12a1a3a400f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168736&Signature=CK03lxd5HFqPtuZ~suGD375wkqQMvjO0SgSJrY2pozQXjTVyYFM6HMOa1ANxxoLDKosqVMSfTAl-WSmOezRfTahudA81-lv2VYJFf4qR~Agd0H9xN4dGOiPBe6KymQyyXV~3WdEu5pxIm1mX~-UQW~U8ZKEZow~JiY0XFlVelaGmc9ROX0LdvJKZgwMZiPDYOfhBuevv1qorXWiQzra6Cr1~1PPqv4TFQAKASesBHtd2kn80y7MpPKHEo9z--YGQDfHTHZWmFf03zf1tKU6gv~TMfHISYo8bYIP8Z7mt1vlnPOpTQ7ETBAKLyGl75xcIn16IhTpa6ltw5tyiCu924g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City parks staff told the Sandpoint Parks and Recreation Commission on Aug. 13 that work at the new Traverse sports center and Trappers Park is largely complete and that a ribbon-cutting and grand-opening celebration is planned for Oct. 4.

Staff said the center’s HVAC and air-pressure problems that caused interior doors to be forced open have been corrected. Parks staff also reported an ongoing, localized noise issue from an exterior HVAC unit that disturbs a neighboring residence early in the morning; staff said they plan to enlarge a fence around the unit and add sound attenuation to reduce the impact.

The commission heard that two state-of-the-art batting cages, including 70-foot rolls of turf and a pulley/tunnel system, have been delivered and are being staged in a storage shed; contractors are scheduled to pour footings within a month so the batting tunnels will be “in the ground ready to use,” staff said. Parks staff also said they have selected a licensed concrete contractor to pour the foundation pad for a prefabricated timber picnic shelter; engineering calculations for the shelter are required before a building permit will be issued.

Vanessa Vazquez of the Sandpoint library board has arranged a $5,000 sponsorship from the East Bonner County Library board to install a Born Learning Trail — an interpretive, early-learning loop of signs and interactive games around the playground — which staff said will cost the city nothing to install. Staff said that feature is expected to be installed in September.

Parks staff also updated commissioners on operations inside the sports center: a new court-cover mat system is arriving, volunteer coordinator interviews are under way, and programming for tennis, pickleball and community events has strong early demand. Staff said a new membership profile and an app-based reservation system will eliminate daily entry fees for members and simplify payments; staff noted they are considering limiting cash handling in the facility.

Commissioners pressed staff for calendar invites and more notice about the Oct. 4 event so commissioners can attend; staff agreed to circulate details when they are finalized. No formal commission vote was taken on the items reported.

The commission also received a summary of fee changes that staff said city council is reviewing; staff described a roughly 20% increase in field reservations and a revised ticketed-event reporting process for high-school football that moves attendance estimates to the time of reservation.

Looking ahead, staff said the remaining Trappers Park pieces that might not be installed by Oct. 4 include the 15-by-30-foot custom-painted shade structure for the skate park, which is being manufactured off-site and may not arrive until after October. Staff said they would likely install that shade structure in spring if it does not arrive in time.

Commissioners asked for monthly utilization and revenue reporting once the new reservation software is live; staff said the system will provide daily data and that staff can provide access for commissioners to review utilization and revenue reports.

Ending: Parks staff said work at Traverse and Trappers Park will continue through the fall with the goal of a public grand opening Oct. 4, and commissioners asked staff to circulate event details and implementation timelines as permits and deliveries are finalized.","City parks staff reported progress at the new Traverse sports center and Trappers Park, including HVAC fixes, installation of turf batting cages, selection of a contractor for a picnic shelter pad and a $5,000 United Way sponsorship for a Born Learning Trail. Staff said they expect an Oct. 4 grand-opening event.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Rotary member and neighbors propose cleanup, ADA access and tribal interpretation for Pend Oreille Bay Trail parcel

Sandpoint staff weigh using $100,000 in CIP funds to buy design-ready parking-lot plans after WIF offer declined

Sandpoint parks staff set Oct. 4 grand opening for Traverse sports center; batting cages, picnic shelter and noise fixes underway