Once again, Trestle Creek needs your help

By Jennifer Ekstrom
Reader Contributor

After three failed attempts to develop a marina and luxury houses at Trestle Creek on Lake Pend Oreille over the past 17 years, The Idaho Club has again applied for permits to develop this special place. This time, the proposal is to build a commercial marina for 88 boats, plus a breakwater, pedestrian bridge, parking lot and seven houses with private docks. 

The Idaho Club’s new proposal would require removing the main shoreline, a part of the existing island and parts of the interior of the peninsula for a total excavation of 12,500 cubic yards across 3.2 acres. They would remove natural vegetation and harden 3,830 feet of shoreline. 

Paddlers enjoy a quiet moment near Trestle
Creek on Lake Pend Oreille. Courtesy photo.

The completed development would welcome hordes of new boat traffic, bringing noise, garbage, and the potential for oil and gas leaks. An obvious piece missing from the plan is a restroom facility for the public to use. Similarly, there is no plan for a sewage pump-out station that would service the boats. 

The calm, cool water and wild landscape of this unique ecosystem are currently teeming with life. Fish and wildlife are abundant, including eagles, beaver and threatened bull trout. This type of intricate shoreline and quiet refuge is uncommon on Lake Pend Oreille, as the shoreline is typically steep and deep without a lot of variation that offers critical safety zones for critters and fish. 

In some years, Trestle Creek accounts for more than half of the bull trout spawning in the entire Pend Oreille Basin, making it our region’s most important bull trout spawning area. Trestle Creek is also one of the few places where families can easily observe spawning bull trout and kokanee salmon. 

Watching these bright red fish build their nests (called “redds”) to lay their eggs before they die is to witness the cycle of life unfolding before our eyes. Teachers have been bringing fifth-grade students to view the phenomenon on Trestle Creek every fall for years.

Our public agencies are obligated to protect public trust values, such as water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, aquatic life and aesthetic beauty. This special place would best serve public trust values if left intact and undisturbed.

Proposing a commercial marina rather than a community dock means The Idaho Club must offer at least 50% of the boat slips for rent or lease to the general public. According to Idaho’s Lakes Protection Act, moorage for use by the general public may not require membership in a club or organization. 

It is unclear why The Idaho Club would want to develop a marina that does not give preference to their owners and members. Although the developer claims that “boat slips and waterfront lots on Lake Pend Oreille are in high demand, with a deficit of availability to current demand,” they offer no evidence to support this claim.  

What evidence does show, however, is what Trestle Creek means to North Idahoans. 

In a remarkable show of unity and determination last year, our community rallied against a similar proposal. More than 1,300 comments from the public flooded in, and hundreds showed up at a public hearing, reflecting our community’s deep-seated disapproval of the previous proposal for a community dock and five houses. The developer still has many hurdles before they can proceed, including these required approvals: 

• Idaho Department of Lands permit for construction of a commercial marina over the lakebed, which is held in trust for the people of Idaho;

• Army Corps of Engineers permit for dredging and filling wetlands and waterways;

• U.S. Coast Guard approval for the bridge;

• Idaho Department of Environmental Quality certification that the project is compliant with the Clean Water Act;

• Panhandle Health District approval for sewage disposal plans;

• Bonner County approval of the building locations and shoreline setbacks.

Now more than ever, we must voice our concerns and demand accountability from decision makers. It’s our shared responsibility to take care of the special places that make North Idaho a great place to live — places like Trestle Creek. 

You can voice your concerns now to the Idaho Department of Lands by sending a message to [email protected]. Please note application No. L-96-S-2798A in your comments. The department plans to hold a hearing at a date that has not yet been announced. Comments will be accepted until the hearing is complete. 

Together, we can ensure that Trestle Creek remains a symbol of our community’s commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible development, and that future generations can experience the magic of Trestle Creek.

Jennifer Ekstrom is North Idaho director for the Idaho Conservation League.