SANDPOINT — Downtown Sandpoint’s skyline could be in for a change. 

On March 6, Oz Development, a Lindon, Utah-based builder, submitted a site plan application for "Farmin Flats" — a proposed four-story mixed-use building at 413 Church St. that would include commercial space and 48 studio or one-bedroom apartments.

The city issued a public notice of the application March 31; since then, Sandpoint has received 82 comments regarding the proposed project, an overwhelming majority of which expressed concern about potential adverse impacts to the neighborhood and community at large. 

Almost all of the commenters, who mainly identified themselves as area residents or local business owners, criticized the project’s exclusion of dedicated parking infrastructure. The proposed plan includes zero new parking spaces; the developer suggested that nearby on-street parking stalls and public parking lots would be sufficient to accommodate residents’ vehicles. 

“A zero-parking plan doesn’t reflect how people actually live here and will create long-term infrastructure challenges for our downtown core,” commenter Meg Skibitsky wrote in a letter to city staff. 

“Growth is essential, but it must be managed in a way that benefits all residents and preserves the unique character of our town,” wrote Theresa Lindholm. “We must prioritize necessary infrastructure improvements — such as parking — before approving new developments that strain our already overloaded systems.” 

Numerous commenters also voiced concerns that the building’s size and aesthetic would cause it to clash with the existing structures in downtown Sandpoint. 

In a project narrative submitted to city staff, a representative of Oz Development said the company had worked to create a design that “respects the town’s unique character” by examining Sandpoint buildings, including Cedar Street Bridge and 301 Cedar St. 

The representative also stated that the project stands to offer housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents. 

Regarding the lack of dedicated parking infrastructure, the representative noted that the property lies within an area exempt from parking requirements and wrote that the project “embraces a transit-oriented and pedestrian-friendly approach that promotes environmental responsibility, affordability and land use.” 

When approached by The Daily Bee, the representative noted that the project’s name would soon be changing, but otherwise declined to provide commentary beyond that included in the narrative. 

The Farmin Flats project evolved earlier this week when Oz Development submitted a second site plan review application April 22 for an additional adjacent building. 

The developer is under contract to purchase 417 Church St. and is proposing to develop a similar four-story building that would include 2,000 square feet of commercial space, 41 apartment units and three new parking stalls. 

According to city staff, Sandpoint’s planning and zoning commissioners will examine the Farmin Flats project in a public hearing during their 5:30 p.m., May 20, meeting.

    The proposed four-story building — which features a design the developer says aims to respect Sandpoint's unique character — would include commercial space and studio and one-bedroom apartments.