SANDPOINT — In a special meeting that drew significant public interest, the Board of County Commissioners unanimously moved to deny a building location permit appeal requested by Panhandle Gravity Sports on Tuesday, Jan. 20.  

During the 45-minute hearing, commissioners Brian Domke and Ron Korn considered an appeal of a building location permit for the Panhandle Bike Ranch, owned by Panhandle Gravity Sports, after the permit was administratively denied on the grounds that the proposed “commercial nonprofit accessory structure” is not permitted on the noncommercial Sagle property.  

Commissioners upheld the denial, noting that the county’s planning director administratively denied the permit on Nov. 13, 2025, and that decision constituted the county’s final determination under Bonner County Revised Code 12-331. The code grants the planning director the authority to make a final determination based on the operational characteristics of the proposed use.  

“We’re here today to determine whether or not to appeal the building location permit. We’re not here today on the fact that they want to classify it as a park. It is classified as a recreational facility, and that cannot be appealed,” Korn said.  

According to interim Planning Director Alex Feyen, the BLP requests a commercial non-profit accessory structure, which the planning department classifies as a commercial use and is not permitted on the non-commercial property.  

“In 2024, the applicant submitted a conditional use permit proposing a system of mountain bike trails accompanied by a shuttle service. In the CUP application, the applicant identified the proposed use as a recreational facility. The Bonner County Board of County Commissioners approved the CUP for the identified recreational facility. However, the approval was subsequently vacated and remanded to the county,” Feyen said. 

According to Feyen, the applicant later requested an interpretation from the planning director, arguing that the use should be classified as a park rather than a recreational facility. The request was denied, with the planning director determining that the proposed use continues to meet the definition of a recreational facility and remains prohibited on the property. 

Feyen said the disagreement centers on how the operation is classified, with the planning department viewing the park as a recreational facility and the applicants asserting it qualifies as a park facility.  

Representing the appellant, Elizabeth Koeckeritz argued that the BLP decision should be reversed, stating that Panhandle Bike Ranch’s operations are a non-profit, non-commercial use.  

Despite public concerns and allegations, Koeckeritz said, the park operated under guidance from former planning director Jake Gabell and Feyen, who indicated that visitors could access the property on a donation-only basis and that admission could not be charged. 

"Panhandle bike ranch applied for a building location permit to build an accessory building — a welcome center and restroom — for the park use. And you can see on there the description was nonresidential or park. The permit was denied Nov. 13 because planning staff continued to maintain that the correct classification of the property was recreational facility. Writing on the denial of the commercial use this CUP has been has not been approved, therefore the commercial use is not permitted,” Koeckeritz said. “But as we’ve gone over, this is not a commercial use, and it cannot be by law.” 

Koeckeritz added that the proposed structure would provide restrooms and a welcome center that directly supports park use.