From the view point of someone who grew up in the area, I think the increase in recreational opportunities in the watershed is a great way for Sandpoint to promote recreational access to all user groups. I am in support of this plan. By increasing access to natural open spaces, Sandpoint is ensuring recreational access regardless of economic status and promoting inclusivity to local residents. I think the current plan has provided much detail on environmental impacts, water/stream concerns and ways to best minimize user impacts. I feel this plan does a good job increasing the number of trails along with levels of difficulty on a standard rating system with in the proximity to Sandpoint. There is a good variety of trails ranging from easy trails to more advanced flow and technical trails included in the plan.

I believe there are a few items missing and by adjusting the current plan slightly, we can be more inclusive to all user groups.
1. Include the opportunity for future trails to be added as an amendment as user groups evolve, which also helps some of the next points.
2. There needs to be a uphill directional trail starting on switchback 2 and continuing to switchback 6. By adding this hikers will see an increase in trails, not just mountain bikers. This also directs traffic to existing blue multi-directional trail which I think can lead to user conflict. Near the end of the trails around switchback 2, there is a bottleneck of trails which could also lead to user conflict. Allowing trail amendments would allow for this to be adjusted as time goes by.
3. The plan needs to have more connection options to the highpoint/crest trail around switchback 5.
4. As the mountain biking population advances, we need to have the option to build more advanced, double black trails. This also deceases the temptation for riders to build non approved trails leading to more environmental impacts to our water shed.

Missing Items:
1. Nordic skiing is poorly represented. Sandpoint needs more access to non pay nordic sking opportunities. With the increase in elevation from town, the water shed could provide numberous opportunities. These trails could also serve as handicapped accessible trails in the summber. The road off Switchback 3 could provide an excellent place to these trails. Ski trails in the valley are too low elevation and subject to a short season with unpredictable snow. Also, having some loops near switchback 5 could also be a spot.

Lastly, more parking, as the user base increases, there will be a need for additional parking and I believe it is wise to start planning for this now as we develop more trails.

I am a local resident of Sandpoint that enjoys mountain biking, hiking, cross country skiing, backcountry skiing and the occasional berry picking. I am in support of a plan to further the recreational options in the Sand Creek watershed and believe this plan will increase outdoor recreation opportunities for the Sandpoint area. The proposed plan covers mountain bike trails well, but does seem to be missing more advanced "double black" type trails and I see some potential user conflicts from different levels of trails flowing into a single pinch point to get to trailhead access points. The trails and connectors need to be reviewed with trailheads. The plan does address the need for more/larger trailheads, but current access points with user conflicts seem to be missing. As far as Nordic skiing, the plan mentions the groomed trail by the fire station round about. However, this trail will be going away once Schweitzer starts using it to access their new parking area and base village. It would be great to see a multiuse, wide trail that would allow for cross country skiing & easy fitness fat biking in the winter and possibly used as a mobility limited accessible trail in the summer months (that also may be a good foot path for berry pickers to avoid conflicts with mountain bikers). Pine Street Woods and Schweitzer both do have Nordic trails, however, none of these can be used in the evening. With the Nordic trail by the roundabout going away, I will not have a great spot to Nordic ski after work on weekdays, which I often do for exercise. This area also generally has snow more of the winter than Pine Street Woods, expanding the cross country ski season. The surveys done last fall show a high desire for cross country skiing options in the plan, but there is no firm plan for Nordic currently in the plan. I appreciate the time and effort put into this plan and hope it is able to move forward with the ability to amend it as more is known with boots on the ground and additional planning.

The Little Sand Creek Drainage is a local treasure that can be enjoyed by a diverse group of people. It would be an attraction for tourists and locals alike. The scope of the project and level of consideration is amazing and appears to throughly explore all potential impacts. I appreciate the level of cooperation between the groups and whole heartedly support thoughtful development of this area for multi use. In relation to E-Bikes I believe that only Class 1 E-bikes should be considered allowable. I would hope that well behaved dogs (voice recall) would be allowed as well.

Click here to view Appendix A - IMBA Plan.

I am a regular user of the current trails in the Little Sand Creek Watershed system and believe the new plan will be a great benefit to the community. The plan will provide greater access to the area for more user groups while assuring the care and of the land and environment. This is a great initiative to invest in the future of Sandpoint and the surrounding area.

Great idea to use the watershed property to create more walking & biking trails for local residents & guests to enjoy. Especially pleased with the care being given to the environmental features of the land & streams.

I’m thoroughly impressed by the level of detail, foresight and planning that have gone into this plan! It’s so exciting to think about the new recreational opportunities that this would bring to the area. I’m an avid mountain biker so I love the idea of new trails that I can ride. However, I am also the head coach of Sandpoint’s NICA mountain bike team (6th-12th grade) and can see what an amazing resource these trails will be for the growing community of youth riders! Even more, after browsing the plan I realized the opportunity for fat biking, Nordic skiing, and hiking that these trails would bring. Furthermore, any concerns I had about the negative impact of these trails were calmed after seeing how thorough the plan is… so many elements have been studied, considered, and addressed. Nice job everyone! I’m excited to see the next steps happen… let’s get this going!!!

Please share your thoughts, suggestions, questions and concerns below.

Q: Is it permissible for hard-copy submissions to be postmarked by March 30th at 3:00 PM, or do all materials need to be received at Sandpoint City Hall by 3:00 PM on March 30th?

A: All materials, including the electronic submission and hard copies, must be received by 3:00 PM PST on 30th.
Please refer to the Downtown Waterfront Design Competition webpage and the Competition Manual for further submission instructions.

How much in the City's FY23 budget is directly earmarked for design of downtown waterfront?
What is the rate of pay for the professional consultants on the Jury? Has the City set a limit on the total amount of money for the Jury's honorarium?