Sandpoint council rejects Avril Hospitality sale/lease and moves to public workshop on City Beach alternatives

The Sandpoint City Council voted on Nov. 5 to decline pursuing sale or lease negotiations with Avril Hospitality for the City Beach RV Park and directed staff to hold a public workshop with Avril and community representatives to explore alternatives for the site.

The decision followed a staff briefing and extensive public comment. Mayor Jeremy Grama told the audience he would not support selling any of the City Beach property but said he was open to exploring options that could increase City revenue while preserving public access. Avril Hospitality representatives said their aim was to partner with the city to improve the park’s infrastructure — adding parking, public restrooms, secure storage for paddleboards and kayaks, and improved circulation — and that they did not intend to privatize waterfront access.

More than a dozen residents and public speakers urged the council to keep the RV park in public ownership and maintain public waterfront access. Speakers cited the park as an affordable way for visitors and some locals to access the beach, warned against perceived privatization, and asked the council to require binding protections if any private partner were involved. Several speakers said Avril’s earlier letters had a coercive tone that had damaged trust.

Council deliberations focused on three staff options: proceed with the city’s planned RV park design (using an existing grant and city resources), deny sale or lease of the parcel, or accept Avril’s request to partner and ask for a formal proposal. Council ultimately adopted a motion to decline sale/lease negotiations with Avril Hospitality but amended the motion to direct city staff to hold a public workshop that includes Avril and the public to explore alternative uses and potential partnership terms.

The council’s motion was introduced by Councilor Pam Duquette and amended to include the workshop; a roll-call vote recorded council support for declining a sale/lease and for proceeding with the public workshop.

Council directed staff to schedule the workshop and to return to the council with a public process and any formal proposal received. Mayor Grama and staff emphasized the city’s interest in maintaining public waterfront access and in finding solutions that are revenue-positive for the city without relinquishing control of the property.

The council’s action preserves the city’s authority over the City Beach parcel pending the workshop and any future, formal proposals that might come back to the council for decision.