Sandpoint commission reviews draft paid-parking plan to shift demand, fund upkeep

Sandpoint Parks and Recreation Commission members on Feb. 12 heard a city staff presentation on a draft parking-management policy that would introduce paid parking at several off‑street lots, revise annual and business passes, and create a fee schedule for boat launches and trailer parking.

City staff framed the measure as a response to what the staff called a misallocation of demand between on‑street and off‑street parking. “The primary purpose of the parking management plan is to solve a problem that we know exists with our parking facilities,” Jason Welker, city staff, told the commission, citing a 2022 parking study.

The study figures Welker cited: about 1,597 public parking stalls in the downtown area, of which 505 are off‑street and 1,097 are on‑street; during peak summer periods the off‑street stalls were about 97% occupied while on‑street stalls were about 51% occupied. Welker said planners seek an optimal occupancy rate of about 85% so that at any given time a few spaces remain available in each block.

Why it matters: commissioners and members of the public said the draft would affect residents, boaters, slipholders and downtown businesses and could create a stable funding source for maintenance and capital projects. Welker and other staff described current maintenance costs and near‑term resurfacing needs as part of the case for user fees: the commission was told the city budgeted an estimated $400,000 this year to resurface the Third and Third parking lot, and staff estimated roughly $300,000 per year in maintenance/replacement costs for off‑street facilities (figures provided by staff during the presentation).

Proposed changes and fee examples - Resident annual passes were proposed to increase modestly (Welker said the draft raised the resident annual-pass fee by $5) while expanding the time benefit in some lots (example in the draft: 3 hours at the downtown lot and 4 hours at City Beach for pass holders). Welker said a pass does not limit a visit to those hours; instead, pass holders would not pay for the first 3 or 4 hours and would be charged only for time beyond that. - Daily maximums for City Beach and Dock Street were raised in the draft to $24 per day to discourage non‑pass holders from using premium beachfront stalls. - A downtown business annual pass in the draft was raised to about $480 per year after staff said several downtown business owners told them higher rates were acceptable for guaranteed employee parking. - Slipholder passes (for people with boat slips) were described as a distinct, higher‑value pass (Welker said a $150 slipholder pass would provide all‑day parking at certain lots). - Boat launch pricing: staff discussed models used elsewhere (Coeur d’Alene charges about $10 in-state/$12 out-of-state per day with season passes of roughly $50/$100) and proposed that vehicles towing trailers (longer than 21 feet) pay double the hourly rate to reflect the space they occupy.

Enforcement and technology Staff said the preferred enforcement approach uses license‑plate readers tied to a payment system that allows several payment methods: pay at a kiosk, scan a posted QR code to pay on a phone without downloading an app, or receive a mailed invoice if no payment is made. Welker said that system would allow pass holders to enter and exit without gates and limit on‑site staffing for enforcement.

Grants, capital work and legal limits Staff discussed grant work and legal restrictions that affect pricing. The commission was shown that some lots — notably City Beach and Dock Street — had been improved with Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) dollars. State Parks staff provided language (placed in the shared drive) indicating LWCF rules can restrict how fees are set; Welker summarized that LWCF conditions likely apply to City Beach and Dock Street and to other lots where LWCF funds or similar federal grants were accepted.

Welker said the commission has applied for Waterways Improvement Fund money and described a three‑phase plan: phase 1 to resurface parts of City Beach (he said the $600,000 application would not cover the entire lot), phase 2 to improve launches and piers, and phase 3 to replace docks further west of the launch. He also said a full‑lot redesign would cost far more (in the millions) and would not be feasible without larger grants or long‑term financing.

Public comment and stakeholder concerns Several members of the public spoke. Joshua Torres, a Sandpoint resident who identified himself as affiliated with Vibe Broadband, said: “If we consider ourselves one of the best places to visit, we need to charge. As a local, it’s a bummer, but the big picture is real.”

Slipholders and boat owners raised questions about day‑use and overnight parking. A slipholder who identified himself as Bob Bienks said he pays for a slip and asked whether the slipholder pass fee would apply to both residents and nonresidents; staff replied slipholder passes would be available to any slipholder, county or city resident status notwithstanding. Commissioners and the public discussed concerns about overnight parking and whether the city would enforce existing ordinances that limit overnight parking in city lots.

Transit and equity Donna, executive director of Spotfest (a local transportation service), offered the commission a seasonal shuttle option and urged staff to include Spotfest in grant and match discussions. Commissioners and residents also asked about accessibility of app‑based payments, the potential for a scholarship or needs‑based program to preserve low‑income access to City Beach, and whether passes and rates would disadvantage local families.

Next steps Commissioners used a working session format during the meeting: they placed pros, cons, questions and suggested documents on a whiteboard for staff to collect. Staff and commissioners identified follow‑up items including: updated revenue and cost projections (staff said revenue estimates had not been recomputed since the latest draft), clearer documentation of which lots carry LWCF restrictions, counts of boat launches/launching vehicles, enforcement‑cost estimates, and additional discussions with peer cities (Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls) about lessons learned.

What the commission did not decide No formal vote on the parking policy was taken. Commissioners and staff characterized the Feb. 12 meeting as an input session to shape recommendations that city staff will present to council at a later date (dates mentioned by staff included March or April for further steps).