Sandpoint commission approves Samuelson Avenue multifamily conditional‑use permit, grants two waivers

The Sandpoint Planning and Zoning Commission on April 15 approved a conditional‑use permit for a multifamily development at the terminus of Samuelson Avenue and granted two waiver requests allowing reduced bicycle parking and a smaller building‑to‑parking landscape buffer.

The vote, taken after a staff presentation, an applicant presentation and public comment, was unanimous (Commissioners Benner, Weber, Mitchell, Torpey and Chair Moe Dunkel voted yes). The motion recorded in the meeting minutes identifies the application as PCUP24‑0004 and says the approval was for 56 units in four buildings on a roughly 6.53‑acre parcel; however, staff and the applicant repeatedly described the project materials as a 156‑unit proposal earlier in the public hearing and in submitted documents. The commission’s motion as read and adopted uses the number “56.” The discrepancy appears in the public record and is noted here rather than resolved by this article.

Why this matters: the project would extend Samuelson Road, add a new apartment complex adjacent to existing multifamily and near the fairgrounds and airport, and includes requests to relax two development standards that apply to the site.

Darren Fluke, the city’s consulting planner, summarized the staff report and the standards the commission must find to grant a conditional‑use permit and waivers. Fluke said the property is zoned RM (residential multifamily) and described the site layout as four buildings arranged around a central motor court, a 5,300‑square‑foot clubhouse, a pool, and a maintenance building. Fluke noted the application requests (in the staff report) are for a conditional‑use permit and two waivers from the zoning ordinance.

Applicant representatives described the project and justification for the waivers. Norris D. Boyd of Boyd Wilson Company said his firm has built multifamily projects since 1985 and plans to remain the owner‑operator. Nicole Costello of Clearwater Engineering highlighted site details, including an extension of Samuelson Road of approximately 816 feet and two access points off the extended roadway. The applicants told commissioners they propose 196 car parking spaces and 237 bicycle parking spaces, with 80 of those bike spaces located in secure indoor rooms (20 per building).

The commission approved both waivers: (1) a 25% reduction in required bike parking (the applicant argued the city code’s 2 spaces per unit requirement would yield 312 spaces for a 156‑unit buildout and that indoor secure storage and the site layout justify fewer rack spaces); and (2) a reduction of the required 15‑foot landscape buffer between buildings and parking to 10 feet, to allow medians and mail kiosk locations to remain and to accommodate an existing 20‑foot drainage easement that constrains the parcel. Commissioners discussed flexibility in how the 15 feet is apportioned between landscape and sidewalk as part of building‑permit review.

Commissioners and staff questioned several technical items during deliberations: snow storage locations, dimensions of drive aisles and parking stalls relative to the city’s 23‑foot maneuvering requirement, whether the north entrance can serve as a hammerhead fire turnaround under the International Fire Code, and whether an official traffic impact study (TIS) would be required. Staff and the applicant said a TIS will be performed as part of later reviews as required by the city and that the northern entrance is intended to serve as a hammerhead turnaround meeting fire apparatus dimensions; staff said any private property element that would serve as a public turnaround should be protected by easement or similar mechanism so a future owner could not block it.

Public comment during the hearing was brief. Donna Griffin, executive director of Selkirk Pend Oreille Transit, urged the commission and applicant to consider transit access and vehicle size in design, noting the agency currently provides paratransit and curb‑to‑curb service to nearby complexes and that bus ingress/egress should be considered. Griffin said, “we get called to provide our most expensive service,” and asked the commission to account for transit access in planning.

The commission approved the conditional‑use permit and both waivers by roll call. After the vote, staff noted the commission will receive a written decision at a later meeting that will contain the findings and the conditions of approval.

Project components and conditions recorded in the public record: extension of Samuelson Road ~816 feet; four residential buildings with a central clubhouse and pool; 196 vehicle parking spaces (applicant‑stated); 237 bicycle parking spaces proposed (80 enclosed indoors); proposed mechanical underground stormwater treatment system (applicant cited proprietary treatment units such as “Storm Scepter”/ConTek‑style systems); an existing 20‑foot drainage easement on the western edge of the property that constrained setback/landscape layouts; and a requirement that any private property element used for fire turnaround be protected so it cannot be obstructed in the future. Final engineering details, a TIS if required by staff, and building‑permit level revisions will be handled during subsequent city reviews.

The commission’s vote was recorded as: Wayne Benner — yes; Reed Weber — yes; Will Mitchell — yes; Scott Torpey — yes; Chair Moe Dunkel — yes. The minutes show the motion was moved and seconded, and commissioners instructed staff to prepare a written decision consistent with the hearing record.

What’s next: staff will finalize the written decision and conditions of approval and post them in the public record. Any site plan or building permit submittal must meet the city’s code standards, the conditions adopted by the commission and the required technical reviews (stormwater design, fire access, TIS if required).

(Reporting note: the meeting record contains inconsistent references to the total unit count for the approved application — the staff and applicant materials repeatedly referenced 156 units, while the motion read into the record and adopted by the commission refers to 56 units. That inconsistency appears in the public record and should be clarified in the written decision.)