Commissioners approve Trestle Creek resort plan

SANDPOINT - A 109-unit condominium and housing plan on Lake Pend Oreille at Trestle Creek was approved by Bonner County commissioners on Thursday.

Although decisions on the project's zone change and conditional use permit did not pass unanimously, commissioners universally praised Pend Oreille Bonner Development's proposal, which features enhanced stream setbacks, riparian improvements, safer railroad crossings and better highway access.

“This project goes above and beyond our ordinances and it doesn't have to,” said Commissioner Todd Crossett, who abstained on two of the votes after his motion to conduct a site visit before ruling was voted down.

Commissioners Joe Young and Lewis Rich said they were familiar enough with the site and comfortable with making a decision based on the record and the comprehensive presentation given by the project's design team.

The county's Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval of the project in January.

The 42-acre project is bisected by Jeb & Margaret's Trailer Haven, with the 31-acre northern portion devoted to multi-family dwellings and commercial uses and the 11-acre southern portion identified for single-family dwellings. The project would replace the North Idaho Country Resort, which provided RV spaces, cabins and tent sites.

The project's design team developed a virtually bulletproof proposal which even opponents found laudable.

The former resort's aging septic system is being replaced with a new system that will treat effluent biologically and through filtration, which is expected to reduce phosphorus loading in the lake by up to 90 percent and nitrogen loading by as much as 75 percent.

“It's probably the best thing that ever happened to Trestle Creek,” said nearby landowner Phil Dreisbach, referring to the prospect of a top-shelf sewer system.

The company is also restoring a north branch of the creek to its traditional course to remove a fish passage impediment and improve habitat for protected bull trout, which depend heavily on Trestle Creek for spawning. Cottonwood trees used by bald eagles are also being retained.

But among the chorus of praise for the plan were voices of concern over the project's density, exclusivity and overall impact to fish and wildlife habitat.

Jerry Boggs of the Selkirk Conservation Alliance complimented developers for the riparian and vegetative safeguards, but questioned how they would be monitored once the project is constructed and people start living there.

“We have a major concern about the enforceability,” Boggs said.

Members of the design team responded that homeowners' creeds, covenants and restrictions, along with the revocability of the use permit, would foster compliance with impact mitigation efforts.

“We do take this seriously and we want to be good neighbors,” said Chuck Reeves of Pend Oreille Bonner Development.

Others mourned the transformation of waterfront access that just about anybody could afford into access reserved for the well-heeled.

Commissioners deliberated for about a half an hour before rendering their decision. Young said his personal litmus test on land use projects is whether or not they make things better or worse.

“I see a huge benefit with this development,” he concluded, noting that his main areas of concern - water quality, wildlife habitat and public safety - were addressed.

In his evaluation, Commission Chairman Rich said negative aspects of the project were conspicuously absent.

“I think this is a great project,” said Rich.