BOCC approves Panhandle Bike Ranch CUP appeal, denies reversal appeal

SAGLE — Bonner County commissioners voted Monday to deny an appeal to reverse a conditional use permit for the Panhandle Bike Ranch and, instead, approved an appeal to relax the conditions of that permit, albeit with modifications.

The first appeal came from nearly 40 county residents who were against the creation of the park. Residents voiced concerns about the park not fitting into the zoned area, which would render the CUP useless. Issues with potential litter, traffic, noise, and fire hazards were also points of contention brought up in opposing public comments.

The second appeal was filed by the applicants themselves, who requested more leniency on the restrictions surrounding the park. Among the conditions given that the applicants wanted changed were the days of use, times of use, number of daily riders, number of events that could be held each year, and land surveys required to be taken prior to opening.

The commissioners’ decision came after a six-and-a-half-hour-long hearing, where both sides — those for and those opposed to the park — took nearly two hours each to give public comment regarding the issue. 

After over nearly an hour and a half of deliberation following both side’s closing rebuttals, the board voted 2-1 to approve the CUP, striking the last lines of conditions A4 and A5, which discuss the ban of fireworks and firearms as well as the strict hours of operation.

With this decision, the bike park will have increased hours of operation as well as a longer overall operation period of May through Oct. 15, as opposed to the end of September. Additionally, the park will be allowed to host four events throughout the year as opposed to two. The park’s capacity was also approved to be increased from 65 riders a day to 150.

The commissioners also voted to strike the requirement of a stormwater/grading/erosion environmental study to be done on existing roadways on the property that will now be used as shuttle routes.