UI planning to sell Boyer property

SANDPOINT — Discussions began this week on what is to become of the 77-acre University of Idaho property, which was donated by the Humbird Lumber Company in 1912 for the purpose of agricultural research.

"There has been a lot of discussion and even rumor about what the university is doing with the property on Boyer Avenue," said Dan Ewart, UI vice president for infrastructure. "... I wanted to come here to be clear, the university does intend to dispose of that property."

The property was originally home to the Sandpoint Research and Extension Center, which closed in 2010 due to budget cuts. The center was among 12 facilities statewide at that time targeted for closure as UI officials looked to cut $3.2 million from the school's research and extension budget. Two years prior to that, it was being proposed as a UI satellite campus, but to no avail. It has since been used by groups for recreational purposes, such as cross-country skiing and disc golf. 

Representatives from the University of Idaho, the Sandpoint Urban Renewal Agency and Planning and Zoning Commission joined city officials and council members for Wednesday's workshop-style council meeting. Ewart said the university has not taken any steps at this point to sell the property, such as listing it with a real estate company.

"Our desire is to find a way that we can dispose of this property to meet our strategic goals as an institution, and to meet our stewardship responsibilities for the assets of the university, but also find a way that we can benefit the city of Sandpoint," Ewart said. "The last thing we want to do is to have this be a detrimental impact on the city."

Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad said city staff will assess the communities "needs and desires" in respect to the property, and update city's comprehensive master plan through the process. For that purpose, public tours, meetings and workshops are scheduled over the next several months. The goal is to determine what the "best use" for the property is and ensure any future development on the property accommodates the goals of the city, Rognstad said.

Councilman Bob Camp was concerned that an investor might come along and offer enough money to UI before the city finishes its process to ensure any development of the property would be in line with its goals. If it were sold to the highest bidder, he said the process would become moot. Ewart said the university's "number-one option" is to work with the city. Rognstad said regardless of the outcome, the 2009 comprehensive plan needs to be revised anyway.

"This is something that we need to move through regardless of how it is disposed and who purchases it," Rognstad said.

The next workshop scheduled is a planning and zoning commission workshop at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 19 to provide a comprehensive plan update, focusing mainly on the UI property, but also the areas surrounding it, Rognstad said. There will also be informational boards and property data available at that meeting.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.