Sandpoint commission reviews draft downtown parking plan, boat-launch fees and enforcement options

City staff and the Sandpoint Parks and Recreation Commission spent the bulk of their Feb. 12 meeting discussing a draft parking management plan designed to shift demand from overcrowded off‑street lots to underused on‑street spaces, introduce resident and nonresident passes, and create a funding source for lot maintenance and future projects.

The plan, staff said, responds to a 2022 parking study showing 1,597 public stalls in the downtown study area (505 off‑street, 1,097 on‑street) and peak summer occupancy of 97% for off‑street stalls versus 51% for on‑street. “The primary purpose of the parking management plan is to solve a problem that we know exists with our parking facilities,” city staff member Jason Welker told commissioners. He added that the proposal’s secondary objective is to “provide a funding mechanism for the ongoing maintenance and development of public off‑street parking facilities.”

Commissioners and members of the public pressed staff for specifics on revenue projections, enforcement costs, how Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant terms would affect fees at City Beach and Dock Street, and how paid parking would affect local families, small businesses and boat‑slip holders. Several public speakers and business owners supported charging for premium lots if the structure protects residents and funds maintenance; others warned about access barriers and the need for clear signage and exemptions.

The plan and proposed fee structure

Staff proposed tiered annual and daily passes that favor Sandpoint residents. The draft would increase the…