Sandpoint commission advances RV‑park design and targets state grants for City Beach improvements

Sandpoint’s Parks and Recreation Commission on July 8 directed staff to move the RV‑park portion of the City Beach project toward construction readiness and to pursue state grant funding for later phases.

Staff presented a three‑phase plan: phase 1 (RV park) is fully funded and will be advanced to 100% design by October with the intent to open construction bidding by the end of October; phases 2 (boat‑launch trailer parking and trailer circulation) and 3 (City Beach parking, stormwater and pedestrian improvements) will be developed later and targeted for grant applications early next year. "This preserves 10 pull‑through boat trailer parking stalls and adds eight pull‑in stalls," a parks staff member said, describing how the preferred concept responds to users’ top concern.

The commission and staff said council reviewed three concepts and rejected a design that mixed RV circulation through the primary parking aisle; instead, council favored maintaining the current RV entrance and a counterclockwise RV traffic flow. Staff said council also requested that restrooms and any dog‑use areas be relocated to the north side of the RV park, farther from the water, to reduce contamination risk and improve access.

Staff outlined a funding strategy that pairs local revenue with state and federal grants. Commissioners were told the city would target the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation Waterways Improvement Fund for phase 2 and consider the Land and Water Conservation Fund or other grants for phase 3. Local matching sources would include the parks capital improvement fund, boat‑launch fees and paid parking revenue. "We’ve sold about 165 launch permits," the staff member said, and the City Beach paid‑parking kiosks generated roughly $8,000 over a recent weekend, figures staff described as promising for future match calculations.

Staff noted operational steps tied to the funding timeline: kiosks for paid launches and parking are being configured and are expected to be installed by the end of July so non‑permit holders can pay the $10 launch fee; the team also plans to complete the RV‑park design to bid‑ready levels by October and return to phases 2 and 3 after phase‑1 completion.

City staff also updated commissioners on a developer’s conditional‑use permit and related building permit activity. The staff member said the Averills received a one‑year CUP extension and that a prior building‑permit submittal was voided because the required permit‑review fee — identified in staff comments as roughly $220,000 — was not paid.

Next steps: staff will return to the parks commission subcommittee in late July with updated concept drawings that reflect council direction and will continue preparing the RV‑park 100% design package for an October target. The commission will revisit phases 2 and 3 after the RV‑park design is advanced.