[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6650888,"mediaKeyId","2501652-f6ca47e18303ef779c02ea790c8a1ccd","parentId",2501652,"title","Commission recommends code changes to let short plats defer frontage improvements until building permit or pay in-lieu fee","audioSeconds",935,"startMs",5900000,"endMs",6835000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2501652-f6ca47e18303ef779c02ea790c8a1ccd&start=5900&end=6835","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2501652-f6ca47e18303ef779c02ea790c8a1ccd/thumbnail_5900000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6650888/Sandpoint/Bonner-County/Idaho/Commission-recommends-code-changes-to-let-short-plats-defer-frontage-improvements-until-building-permit-or-pay-in-lieu-fee","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6650888-2f7dfbf3a4f906a347b7d47eeb702856/orig.mp4?Expires=1770430656&Signature=DjDyE2-zNSWhjzn1PFUIR1500g-3DdbyEA5VOKKgU5j2gkiCNPj6WLohFA6v4Po-9QUB0CPPiMxVK3TkdJoVywyEIRhYTTfsPGcbqZcEkTdlUwjHZJwcLZGmaoFT~au7R7syyEeRyeW0zpSdJ5o~gIMQMsFPMesODm8B6aQ7xcGQaFdCV7XbTx2EElgCsp~~ZTbOhKi~Emcd9ascI3GXp9w7PaqvJGTeSj3W9LJWQIi~0cmWFpOkW~XxlyxkuXR8x1sDWxi0KKBfOxzuuMCi1DWz2W2GoGjB3WnDaJYuch40iQc8QDAKgs8aEmSlQb0DorH9QSBM~hLNXRQ78PVtOw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Sandpoint","date","2025-03-05T16:11:38.597Z","article","The Sandpoint Planning and Zoning Commission voted March 4 to recommend city council adopt amendments to two Sandpoint City Code sections that change when developers must construct frontage improvements for short plats.

City engineer Brandon Staglin explained the amendments are city-initiated and would allow owners creating large lots through a short plat to defer curb and sidewalk construction along public street frontages until the future building-permit stage, or alternatively to pay a sidewalk in-lieu fee under the same conditions the city already applies to building permits.

Staglin said a short plat (a subdivision of four or fewer standard lots or six or fewer townhouse lots that does not include a public right-of-way) currently requires frontage improvements before final plat or bonding to guarantee completion. The proposed change would let a short-plat applicant either post an agreement guaranteeing future construction at building permit or pay into the sidewalk-in-lieu fund; both approaches are intended to secure the public infrastructure while reducing delays in property transactions and avoiding building improvements that future development would later need to rework.

The commission asked technical questions about how the in-lieu program would be applied to larger lots and whether in-lieu payments could lead to a sidewalk not being built at a particular frontage if the city decides the funds are better applied elsewhere in the neighborhood. Staglin and staff responded that the change would allow short plats to participate under the same conditions already in the in-lieu code and that staff discretion remains in determining whether in-lieu payment or direct construction is most appropriate for the public benefit.

Dan Rucker, a local property owner who said he is reserving a one-acre parcel from a five-acre site, spoke in favor of the amendment and described a scenario where the flexibility avoids requiring the current owner to build sidewalks up front on a large parcel that is likely to be redeveloped later.

After public testimony the commission voted to recommend council adopt the amendments as drafted in the staff report. The changes will be forwarded to city council for final action. If council adopts them, future short-plat applicants and property owners will have an additional option for meeting frontage requirements: construct improvements prior to final plat, enter an agreement deferring construction until building permit, or pay an in-lieu fee subject to city discretion and program rules.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Sandpoint | Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting | 03/04/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The commission recommended council adopt city-initiated amendments allowing large lots created by short plats to defer frontage (curb/sidewalk) construction until building permit stage or to participate in the city's sidewalk in-lieu fee program, with staff control over when in-lieu payments are appropriate.","taxTitle","Sandpoint, Bonner County, Idaho","taxId",52019,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6650892,"Sandpoint planning commission recommends approval of Ridley Village Court PUD with conditions",235,733000,968000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2501652-f6ca47e18303ef779c02ea790c8a1ccd&start=733&end=968","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2501652-f6ca47e18303ef779c02ea790c8a1ccd/thumbnail_733000.jpg","/articles/6650892/Sandpoint/Bonner-County/Idaho/Sandpoint-planning-commission-recommends-approval-of-Ridley-Village-Court-PUD-with-conditions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6650892-dbe59c1dda4ddc770ef03ff26087ea15/orig.mp4?Expires=1770430656&Signature=NGnNz0n5ybC-4hPPpsnDb-PTXaFBoYlYd1uJwF8EUHS5cwsuptcVgwlmK4v2jL3a~hWQCmSJTPoynNjpLJwAOkT67WWfYg12FubzcHsh-4W76ss9IoLpvRvhu1sCAwzbgWppwbEUiOTPawRArjOUNei4kVltLs7HshTfnXmuBaO6oYyAxuFBy2uIGGDZB9nm2Ru0iMYEUg13fHfYGD-f2y5dC2-9qraZVZZqmjLd0yBQIdR3ocKmxomWAugyAXf~N4jmxpXLi~wfc262wLoZmYDfVuhNwew6N7mXNuxQWEUOyDbjOr~7tmbdMkZ1d7dz1hfvfokPXh935HpH9N47sw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sandpoint Planning and Zoning Commission on March 4 recommended city council approve a preliminary planned unit development for Ridley Village Court, a proposal for 57 fee-simple townhomes on about 4.1 acres of a five-acre parcel south of Highway 2 between Ridley Village Road and South Madison Avenue.

The development drew extended staff analysis, presentations from the applicant and more than a dozen public comments focusing on driveway and street connectivity, perimeter setbacks and effects on adjacent neighborhoods. The commission’s recommendation included conditions intended to address utility easements, street connections and a relocated open-space buffer along the eastern property line.

Bill Dean, Sandpoint city planner, told commissioners the application proposes 57 townhomes in 14 buildings on roughly 4.1 acres of the 5-acre site and that “each of the 57 townhomes that are proposed does have a garage.” Dean said the applicant’s materials report more than the 10% minimum open-space requirement and that the project proposes six connections at the property perimeter, including two pedestrian connections and four for vehicles. He also flagged requested deviations from standard zoning: front setbacks reduced from 15 feet to as little as zero in places, rear setbacks of about 5.5 feet instead of 15 feet, and perimeter PUD setbacks reduced in places from the 25-foot default to 0 feet.

Staff recommended several changes for the commission to consider: extending both River Rock Road and Autumn Lane into the development to improve east–west connectivity; requiring utility easements of at least 30 feet with utilities located at least 10 feet from buildings; and increasing setbacks along Maplewood by relocating open space to create a 25-foot buffer from the adjacent neighborhood.

Aaron Qualls of SCJ Alliance presented the applicant’s plan and introduced Kirk (Kurt) Krechter of Affinity Real Estate Management, who described the developer’s intent to build what he termed “high quality, well designed” attached single-family homes with plans for roughly 28,000 square feet of common open space, walking paths, and amenities. Krechter and project team members emphasized that the proposal is intentionally lower-density than what current multifamily zoning could allow and that they view the project as providing “attainable homeownership opportunities.”

City engineer Brandon Staglin addressed utilities and right-of-way questions in technical detail, confirming water and sewer stubs exist on Autumn Lane and River Rock Road and noting that utility mains together generally require at least a 30-foot easement. He and staff also identified outstanding engineering refinements that would be resolved at final plan review, including pavement widths, alley cross-sections, stormwater routing and hydrant placement.

Public comments were mixed. Mary Jensen, executive director of Forest Bridge Charter School, supported the project overall but urged Autumn Lane not be extended as a vehicle street directly adjacent to school outdoor activity areas, recommending a pedestrian-only connection. Multiple residents of the adjacent Maplewood neighborhood expressed concerns about traffic increases on local streets and about reduced setbacks along the eastern edge adjacent to existing single-family lots. Opponents asked the commission to preserve a 25-foot perimeter buffer and raised potential traffic, stormwater and wetland concerns.

In deliberations commissioners discussed the PUD’s requested deviations, the city’s desire for a more gridded street pattern in the area, the need for adequate right-of-way for utilities, and the trade-offs of narrower streets and smaller setbacks in order to provide the housing type proposed. After debate the commission voted to recommend approval to city council with conditions. The conditions in the commission’s recommendation included: requiring River Rock Road and Autumn Lane be extended between Madison Avenue and Ridley Village Road with required water and sewer main extensions; showing water and sewer either in public right-of-way or within public utility easements of at least 20 feet for a single pipe and 30 feet for two parallel pipes with mains at least 10 feet from buildings; relocating a driveway at the Ridley/River Rock intersection at least 35 feet from the curb line; installing streetlights at two intersections; relocating open space to the eastern property edge to enable a 25-foot setback along that edge; installing a fence along the property line adjacent to Forest Bridge Charter School where Autumn Lane abuts the school; and working with staff to develop traffic-calming measures to limit cut-through impacts to Maplewood.

Commissioners noted that the PUD preliminary approval is a step in a multi-stage process: final engineering, stormwater, utility and any refined street sections will be reviewed and must meet city standards before construction. The commission’s action was a recommendation to city council; city council will consider the preliminary PUD and any additional conditions or modifications.

The commission’s recommendation and the staff report will be part of the record forwarded to Sandpoint City Council for final action.","The Sandpoint Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend city council approve a preliminary planned unit development for Ridley Village Court, a proposal for 57 townhomes on a roughly 5-acre parcel, subject to conditions addressing setbacks, utilities, connectivity and traffic-calming measures.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission recommends code changes to let short plats defer frontage improvements until building permit or pay in-lieu fee

Sandpoint planning commission recommends approval of Ridley Village Court PUD with conditions