Councilman seeks return to area's roots

It only took six minutes to pass the new commercial zoning code this last June. It was a record meeting. The six minutes reflected more than six months of work. Without a doubt, this new commercial code will decide our future. I hope that it returns us to our past.

Early 20th century cities in Idaho didn’t have complicated zoning regulations. Everyone just understood how to build a city. There was a main street where people would stroll and shops were built right to the sidewalk. The lot sizes were small and the buildings were compact. The commercial areas were flexible, allowing people to live, work and play in the same area. This is the way Sandpoint was in the 1950s.

In a lot of ways, I hope that Sandpoint’s new zoning commercial code will return us to those roots. It should do this by (1) adopting concepts from First Avenue; (2) rewarding parking and mixed use housing; and (3) developing appealing buildings.

The City’s old zoning code was largely based upon controlling a building’s use, i.e. hotel, restaurant, etc. The new zoning code focuses more on the outside form of the building and less on its internal use. Essentially, we wanted to create commercial areas with the look and feel of First Avenue. The single biggest change is actually quite simple - buildings must front the sidewalk. This may seem like a small thing but it is actually very important in creating a vibrant downtown. Since this is a fairly new requirement, we’ve provided relief valves. For example, there is greater flexibility in placing buildings back from the sidewalk if the building incorporates awnings, sidewalk cafes, fountains or public art.

Second, we’ve taken steps to protect the traditional downtown feel by limiting building heights to 35 feet (two to three floors). However, you can go higher if you incorporate parking or housing into the building. These higher buildings must step back their upper floors to preserve view corridors and sunlight. These height bonuses aim to help with parking and bring back residences.

Third, we took more inspiration from First Avenue and required certain design considerations that people inherently enjoy. These are features such as large windows, awnings, sitting spaces and varied storefronts. This avoids flat, cement, windowless walls.  

The new commercial code is not perfect but it is a document that was carefully and thoughtfully created. There were months of meetings and hours of debate. The efforts of the Planning and Zoning Commission were stupendous. It is my hope that the new commercial code builds a future downtown that is convenient, busy and interesting. I hope that it does this by applying some very simple lessons from our past.

n Stephen Snedden is an attorney in Sandpoint and a member of the Sandpoint City Council. The opinions expressed above are his own. He can be reached by e-mail at stephen@SandpointLaw.com.