Marina plan sees little resistance

SANDPOINT - A proposal to develop a private marina on Lake Pend Oreille at Trestle Creek sailed through a public hearing Tuesday with almost no resistance.

Aside from brief presentations by various Pend Oreille Bonner Development representatives and some remarks from an Idaho Department of Fish & Game official, there was no oral testimony from the public.

The original marina plan, which proposed 126 slips and a float plane dock, raised a chorus of concerns over the prospect of reduced public access, aircraft noise and impacts to aquatic habitat.

Pend Oreille Bonner Development, however, withdrew its application to the Idaho Department of Lands and reworked the proposal, resulting in a 124-slip marina with a tighter configuration and a host of measures to improve fish habitat and passage in Trestle Creek, which is regarded by state and federal wildlife officials as one of the most important bull trout spawning habitats in North America.

"This plan is much more thoughtful and beneficial to fish habitat," said Pend Oreille Bonner co-owner Chuck Reeves.

Among the mitigation efforts is a plan to restore the north branch of Trestle Creek to its historic alignment, which is expected to improve fish passage between the creek and lake. Plans to develop a sandy beach at the marina were dropped.

The modifications were developed through input from Idaho Fish & Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The float plane dock was excised from the revised proposal, although it won't stop aircraft from accessing the marina.

The bulk of the questions raised on Tuesday came from Eric Wilson, the manager of IDL's navigable waters program, who presided over the hearing. Wilson asked a battery of questions concerning landscaping, the suitability of dredged materials for use as fill, and the benefits of dredging.

Pierre Bordenave, a member of the project's design team, said dredging existing boat basins will provide a uniform depth and increase the amount of open water.

"We have been working for a long time with the applicant and we appreciate the changes that have been made," said Mary Terra Burns of Idaho Fish & Game. "They've come up with a much better plan."

But Burns stopped short of declaring the marina proposal an overall improvement to existing conditions since the condos and marina will bring a higher amount of activity at the site, an assertion which was challenged by the developer's legal counsel.

Wilson also questioned what environmental and economic benefits the public would gain from the marina. In addition to the fish mitigation plans, Reeves said the project would provide jobs and fatten the local tax base.

The state is expected to rule on the proposal within the next 30 days.