SANDPOINT — City staff are hoping to collect the community’s feedback on two concepts for the City Beach RV Park and parking lot released Friday. 

The two concepts developed by HMH Engineering were presented to the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission last week. Both concepts have a roundabout at the entrance of the parking lot, which would divide traffic through three different paths: boat launches, parking and a turnaround area near the tennis courts. 

“The goals here were to try to minimize or eliminate conflicts wherever possible. Obviously, there's a lot of parking and boat launches and RVs and pedestrians,” project manager at HMH Engineering, Dan Tadic said. "Looking at the RV park and how we can refurbish that and continue the revenue for the city. Big picture, we're pretty happy with what we came up with.” 

The most significant difference between the two is the orientation of and entrance to the RV park. In concept A, RVs would flow through the roundabout, following the boat launch path into the RV park.  

While in concept B, RVs would make a right off Bridge Street into the RV park and leave out of the roundabout.  

“It flips the way that you back into your stalls,” Jeff Stiltz, landscape architect with Mike Terrell Landscape Architecture, said. "In a sense actually creates a small amenities area that could be allocated for a dog park or additional, like a tent camping spots.”  

The commissioners liked the idea of getting additional green space for a small dog park, which would give pet owners a dedicated space for their dogs to use the restroom. 

Another major difference is the turnaround area, which is far smaller in concept B. The pedestrian access is also slightly different in the concepts, but would provide full sidewalk access across the parking lot. 

In both concepts, the RV park features new restrooms and showers, two spots for van camping and far more green space throughout. The concepts would also add a bus stop near the entrance of the roundabout, however Averill Hospitality representative Ben McGrann said that space might conflict with the hotel development’s entrance. 

In the meeting, Planning and Community Development Director Jason Welker said that Averill Hospitality, which owns the land of the current Edgewater, is still developing the plan for its 56 Bridge Street Hotel. He said there’s likely to be “something happening” at the site in the next year. 

“They're obviously an important partner at City Beach,” Welker said. “We want to make sure that the hotel is meeting the needs of our community and how it integrates with City Beach in terms of parking and RV park, and all that is important.” 

The selected concept will be used to develop a full design for the RV park renovation project, which the City Council decided to move forward with in February. The design for the parking lot will be completed to 35%, which Welker said will help the city court grants to fully realize the project.  

Welker and members of the commission will be out at the June 27 Farmers Market, hoping to garner feedback from residents on which design they prefer. The city has also released a survey, which can be accessed at sandpointidaho.gov/citybeach, where feedback can be received. 

At the meeting, Welker said he hopes to gather as much input from the public as possible before the City Council makes a decision on the basis of design at its July 1 meeting. 

"We are trying to be fairly fast on this. I absolutely want to build this fall,” Welker said. “The grant has been extended for one year already. I don't want to extend it for another year. I want to show progress, so that we can go for another grant from the state this winter ... to do the parking lot next winter.” 

    The presented concept B plan for the City Beach RV Park and parking lot.
  

    The presented concept A for the City Beach RV Park and parking lot.