Board to visit land swap site

COOLIN — Bonner County commissioners are scheduled to conduct a site visit Tuesday as part of the board’s review of a proposed land exchange at Bishop’s Marina that is drawing opposition.

The commission is scheduled to review the site on Tuesday at 1 p.m. Members of the public are free to attend the site visit, although no testimony will be taken at that time.

The board began reviewing the land swap earlier this month, but continued the hearing so it could conduct the site visit.

Operators of the Priest Lake marina petitioned the county to abandon a portion of Slee Street in order to improve its access, parking and use of their property. In exchange, the marina would dedicate an equivalent amount of land contiguous to the county’s public boat launch, which would improve vehicle circulation at the site.

The marina would gain a 4,400-square-foot sliver of property with waterfront, while the county would gain an upland piece of equal size, which some members of the public argue is an unfair exchange.

Others, however, maintain that the land swap would ease vehicle congestion at the boat launch, although opponents also challenge that assertion, Planning Department records indicate.