SANDPOINT — The Sandpoint Planning and Zoning Committee approved an updated version of the city's historic preservation code earlier this month, and it now goes to the Sandpoint City Council on Dec. 2. 

Sandpoint City Planner Bill Dean said that protecting Sandpoint, including preserving its historic aspects, has long been a priority. 

"I just wanted to share with you; this wasn't an assignment I jumped right into," Dean said. "I wanted to get to know this community." 

Dean drafted the revised code last fall before presenting it to the committee in January. What followed were 10 committee meetings in which commissioners evaluated the draft code, which covers everything from design to building heights. 

The revised code consolidates 15 previous chapters into 13 and also addresses flaws in the zoning ordinance. 

"We had land use tables buried in multiple different zone districts. It was confusing to figure out whether you're a member of the public, or a staff member, or a commissioner — what's actually allowed to occur on any given piece of property," Dean said. 

Dean noted that the code lacked a clear explanation of how the development process worked. 

To increase public understanding, Dean said the zoning administration chapter was rewritten to answer common questions. 

"That's your flashlight into the development process. That's the instructions for staff, the community developers, city council, everybody to say, 'This is how we're going to administer this awesome tool, private property zoning,'" Dean said. 

Building heights emerged in committee discussion, as the revised code proposes a maximum building height of 45 feet in the downtown core and 40 feet in the historic preservation overlay, a smaller area within the downtown core. 

"I think the real big take-home here is that we are not trying to invite development that is inconsistent with the community's character as we have fussed over the last year," Dean said. 

Just 45 minutes away in Coeur d'Alene, Dean said buildings tower up to 200 feet. 

"That could have been the exercise here, but through this process, we realized that that's exactly not what we're hoping to see," said Dean. 

However, after gathering public feedback at a community hall workshop, Dean said he realized that retaining buildings in the downtown core to 40 feet might be too limiting. Property owners said a 5-foot difference would allow three viable floors. 

"You could get more if you went a little higher. Even a couple of feet would enable you to get four stories out of that," said Dean. "I think it worth, you know, making sure we've listened enough on that." 

Commissioner William Mitchell cast the lone opposing vote, saying the allowable building heights in the revised code drove his decision. 

Dean emphasized the dynamics of cities, saying that although the community should be discerning, it shouldn't be afraid to change the code in the future. 

"This has really been a continuation of a community conversation for a long time," said Dean. "I bet this place is pretty tired of the planning exercises. They've been going on for a long time and now we actually have the bricks and mortar code in front of us to evaluate."