Kootenai County directs purchase of Parks and Waterways land at Coeur d'Alene Airport, opts for larger parcel

Kootenai County commissioners on Feb. 25 directed staff to pursue purchase of Parks and Waterways property at Coeur d'Alene Airport and to include an adjacent expansion parcel, after reviewing appraisal figures and fiscal capacity.

Airport Director Gaston Patterson told the board the county previously held the search and rescue property and was now considering purchase of the Parks and Waterways footprint. Patterson said the packet contained two price options: roughly $711,000 for the current Parks and Waterways footprint and about $1,044,000 to include the expansion area that the airport calls the "FAP shop," a county building for which the county owns the structure but for which the airport holds the land lease.

Commissioners discussed the fiscal trade-offs. Patterson said leasing at current market rates would mean the county would pay an amount equal to purchasing in roughly eight to nine years, "that's not including any escalations with CPI or lease market studies," he said. Commissioner Duncan said the county likely will receive a seven‑digit return to fund balance from last year and indicated that using those funds would make buying the larger parcel feasible. Finance Director Brandy told the board, "Given that you still have between $6,000,000 and $7,000,000 right now in assigned fund balance before we even consider the return to fund balance from last year, I think it's fine to go ahead and proceed with the purchase, before we have our meeting because I can't guarantee it'll happen before the twelfth."

The board noted the appraisal expires March 12 and gave staff direction to bring the larger, approximately $1.044 million option forward for a business meeting or the county's purchasing process. Commissioners requested no additional presentation from the auditor's office before proceeding. The decision was conveyed as board direction rather than a formal recorded vote.

Why this matters: Purchasing the airport land would remove a below‑market non‑aeronautical lease, secure space for Parks and Waterways and equipment storage, and reduce future uncertainty about rent increases or land availability.

Next steps: Staff will proceed with the purchase process for the larger parcel and report back to the board; the appraisal deadline was cited as a reason to act quickly.