Sandpoint council approves CDBG application for downtown Phase 3 lighting and amenities
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Summary
The council voted to submit an Idaho Community Development Block Grant application seeking up to $650,000 to fund street lighting and streetscape amenities for downtown revitalization Phase 3. The application follows the same split funding approach used in earlier downtown phases: urban renewal for infrastructure and CDBG for lighting/amenities.
The Sandpoint City Council voted Nov. 5 to submit an Idaho Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application to help fund Phase 3 of the downtown revitalization project. Staff said the city would request up to $650,000 from CDBG to pay for lighting and site amenities (benches, bike racks, trash/recycling receptacles and similar furnishings) in the Phase 3B area of downtown.
Phase 3A — the sidewalks, utilities and pavement work — will be managed and funded primarily through Sandpoint Urban Renewal Agency (SIRRA) funds and other local sources; the CDBG request would fund above-grade site amenities that complement the infrastructure work. The city proposed to keep the design-phase work for Phase 3A and Phase 3B separate to avoid federalizing the entire project (which would trigger additional requirements such as Davis–Bacon prevailing wages across the full contract).
Staff explained that the CDBG program is competitive and administered by the Idaho Department of Commerce; award decisions are expected in fiscal 2026. The city must complete a public hearing on the grant application before submission; staff said additional public engagement is planned as the Phase 3 design advances. The council approved the CDBG submittal resolution and directed staff to proceed with application steps.
