The Sandpoint Planning and Zoning Commission on July 22 approved a one-year extension of a conditional use permit and a variance for a proposed Bridge Street hotel-restaurant so the project team can finish work needed for a building permit.

City Planner Bill Dean told commissioners the applicants had filed the extension application before the permits expired in early July and have been working with city staff and the property owner’s team for months. "The request before you this evening is not to evaluate any potential change … It's simply to keep this permit alive so they can finish that exercise and move on to building permit," Dean said.

The permits at issue were the conditional use permit PCUP 23-0004 and a variance identified in the packet as PVAR 24-000156. Dean said both permits had a one-year lifespan when approved last June and that the applicants had filed timely for an extension. He told the commission there had been no building permit submittal yet but that the project team had communicated they were close to doing so.

Vice Chair Wayne Benner presided over the special meeting. Commissioners present who voted in favor were Commissioner Ivan Reimer, Commissioner Mitch Mitchell, Commissioner Grant Simmons and Commissioner Scott Torpey. The commission made the decision by roll call at the special meeting; all commissioners present voted yes and the motion passed.

The commission did not open a public hearing or solicit public testimony for the extension request; staff characterized the agenda item as a staff-requested administrative extension rather than a new land-use review. After the vote, the commission concluded the brief special meeting.

Next steps identified in the discussion are procedural: the extension takes effect from the date of the commission’s action and leaves the previously approved land-use permits active while the applicants complete their building permit preparations. No building permit has been submitted to the city as of the meeting.