BOCC continues Long Bridge Marina expansion proposal hearing to November
October 7, 2026
By Soncirey Mitchell Reader Staff
The Bonner County Board of Commissioners continued its hearing on a conditional use permit for the proposed Long Bridge Marina expansion for the third time Oct. 7, leaving interested parties to wait until Thursday, Nov. 5 at 10 a.m. for the board’s verdict.
Due to the absence of Commissioner Brian Domke, the Long Bridge Land Holding Company, LLC, represented by HMH Engineering, opted to postpone the vote until a full board could be seated.
The 45-slip marina, located at 41 Lakeshore Drive, sits on approximately two acres zoned Recreation. The property includes a single-family residence, two rental cabins, and a boat rental and “snack shack.” The proposed expansion would reorganize the existing 32-space parking lot, add 47 additional slips to the marina and relocate the snack shack to improve sightlines for cars at the intersection of Lakeshore Drive and U.S. Highway 95.
The existing Long Bridge Marina. Photo by Ben Olson
Should the commissioners approve the CUP, the marina would grow to 92 total slips; however, the Idaho Department of Lands has granted developers an encroachment permit to ultimately construct a 268-slip marina. According to HMH Engineer Dan Tadic, there is “no current plan” to expand the marina to that extent, and any future growth would require an additional CUP.
The Bonner County Zoning Commission previously sided with public opposition, denying the CUP application and arguing that increased traffic at the U.S. 95 and Lakeshore intersection could “create a hazard” and would be “dangerous to persons on or adjacent to the property.” According to the Idaho Transportation Department, the intersection has seen 11 crashes in the past five years.
The applicants subsequently worked with Bonner County Road and Bridge and ITD to conduct a traffic study and alter their application to mitigate safety concerns. During that time, ITD further installed flexible bollards at the intersection, restricting left turns off of Lakeshore and directing traffic to a median U-turn installed in 2023. Following the traffic study and safety improvements, Road and Bridge and ITD both signed off on the application.
“I concur with [HMH Engineering’s] conclusions that no additional safety or capacity improvements are necessary at this time for the current phase of the expanded use of the marina,” stated Road and Bridge Director Matt Mulder. “We will want to reevaluate for safety concerns of any future phases.”
The commissioners have heard public comment and rebuttals by the applicant, leaving only board deliberation and the final vote for the Nov. 5 hearing. Attend in-person at the Bonner County Administration Building (1500 U.S. 2, in Sandpoint) or online via Zoom or YouTube by visiting bonnercountyid.gov/meetings.
To view the complete application, visit bonnercountyid.gov/departments/Planning.
Want to support independent local journalism?
The Sandpoint Reader is our town's local, independent weekly newspaper. "Independent" means that the Reader is locally owned and operated by people who were born and raised in Sandpoint. The Reader is owned by Publisher Ben Olson, Editor-in-Chief Zach Hagadone and Senior Writer Soncirey Mitchell. Sandpoint Reader LLC is a completely independent business unit; no big newspaper group or corporate conglomerate or billionaire owner dictates our editorial policy. And we want the news, opinion and lifestyle stories we report to be freely available to all interested readers - so unlike many other newspapers and media websites, we have NO PAYWALL on our website. The Reader relies wholly on the support of our valued advertisers, as well as readers who voluntarily contribute. Want to ensure that local, independent journalism survives in our town? You can help support the Reader for as little as $1.
TIMBER WARS: Six-part series, February-November 2022. GO READ IT»
WHERE ARE THE WORKERS?: Five-part series, September-October 2021. GO READ IT»
THE AMERICAN REDOUBT: Seven-part series, November-December 2017. GO READ IT»
STANDOFF AT RUBY RIDGE: 25 Years Later. Five-part series, August-September 2017. GO READ IT»
Curious about what media the locals use? Check our 2018 Local Media Survey. GO SEE »
Sandpoint in Pictures
Filmmaker Jimmy Matlosz of the Idaho Film Company has made a series of mini documentaries about influential Sandpoint locals, including the late Dann Hall and Erik Daarstad as well as icons Diane Michaels and Dan Shook. He is currently working on a series of interviews connected to the history of the Panida Theater. Jimmy is a 30-year veteran filmmaker who's work can be seen at dpmatlosz.com.
Meet the Reader
Ever wonder who makes the Reader happen? Here's a behind-the-scenes look pieced together by summer 2017 intern McCalee Cain in which Ben, Cameron and Lyndsie explain what exactly about the Reader keeps them coming back to their shabby (but well-loved) office each week.
