PRIEST RIVER — What Two Rivers Park could look like is slowly taking shape with the latest ideas and possibilities shared at the Priest River City Council’s mid-December meeting.

While much of the effort is preliminary, the latest steps forward include work on a shoreline permit and an environmental covenant, Priest River Urban Renewal Agency consultant Jim Martin said.

Work is moving forward on a preliminary site plan, which was presented to the council by Nelson Erickson of StanCraft. A workshop on the park and possible options is expected in January.

“Tonight’s more of, ‘This is kind of the direction we’re headed so that if there’s any major heartburn over any of the components, we can let them know,’” Martin told the council.

The goal of the December visit was to meet with the council and talk through elements of the site, Erickson said.

Erickson said he’s been talking with Bonner County officials about how Two Rivers would connect with the adjacent Bonner Park West, both in terms of parking and marina operations.

Telling the council the plan is very much a work in progress, Erickson walked the council through an option of what the Two Rivers Park could look like. Among the options are RV campsites, parking, marina and maintenance facilities, a small store, a cantina, an outdoor food and beverage spot, and possible food truck spaces.

The park facility would be completed in phases, with current discussions on possible dock layouts, with fixed pier docks likely in the initial phase. Later, a floating element could be added as the park is built out.

Among the recent changes is an internal beach structure to go along with a secondary beach, Erickson said.

“Our thinking is this becomes a bit of a safe zone, probably for smaller children to be able to swim. It’s something a little more protected, so boat wakes and that kind of stuff aren’t touching kids,” he said.

After the marina, tentative design plans include a multi-use flex park space, likely located near the beach area to give parents a chance to keep an eye on kids in multiple areas, Erickson said. The rough plan calls for RV spots along the site’s north side, a trail system for hiking and biking, and a possible amphitheater for live music. Additional options include pickleball and frisbee golf, Erickson said.

Once built out, Erickson said the marina would have an estimated 192 moorage spots.

“It seems to be moving forward,” he told the council. “It’s kind of fun with these projects when you see elements just seem like they fit into place and they seem to kind of work there. To me those are always a sign that it’s working right and we’re starting to kind of get a flow going.”

While some of the ideas are starting to coalesce, Martin told the council a lot of conversation is still taking place on what to include and where it should go on the 38-acre park site.

The idea behind the Dec. 15 meeting was to bring the council up to speed on where things stand and touch base to ensure what the council envisioned is making it into the initial proposals.

Other updates related to the park included information on a shoreline permit and an environmental covenant.

A shoreline permit for Two Rivers Park was expected to be submitted to reviewing agencies prior to the holidays. Martin told the council he expected a decision on the permit within several months. That puts the city in line to conduct shoreline work for the park in spring.

Also progressing forward is an environmental covenant connected to the site, with changes sought by Department of Environmental Quality officials and the Idaho attorney general’s office completed. Those items are now being reviewed by Priest River officials, which should be completed within the next few months.

“What that’s doing is taking the environmental restrictions off all of the property except that two-acre piece,” Martin told the council. “The only restriction that will be left on the rest of the property is groundwater extraction.”