Partners debut Sand Creek draft plan

This story has been edited to correct an error in the potential actions listed in Sand Creek Connections Draft Action Plan. The plan does not include a public mixed-use trail through the corridor.

SANDPOINT — A water trail, a collection of boat launches and a native plant restoration initiative were among the opportunities presented when a coalition of organizations came together Monday to share potential protections and enhancements for the Sand Creek corridor. 

Six unique partners — Kaniksu Land Trust, Trust for Public Lands, the Kalispel Tribe, Kinnikinnick Native Plant Society, and the cities of Sandpoint and Ponderay — worked for more than two years to develop the Sand Creek Connections Draft Action Plan they showcased in a Feb. 24 open house at Sandpoint’s James E. Russell Sports Center. 

The plan centers on the mile-long section of Sand Creek between Popsicle Bridge and Schweitzer Cutoff Road. The corridor consists of a meandering waterway flanked by wetlands, woods and grassy fields, and is one of the last undeveloped environments in the Sandpoint area.

“There’s development happening at a rapid pace all around it, so we had this ‘aha’ moment that there really should be some formal planning around that corridor,” Regan Plumb, KLT’s conservation director, said. 

“Once we complete and polish this plan, we expect to take it to the city councils of both of the cities involved,” she added. “Our dream is that the cities will adopt this plan in some capacity, maybe as an addendum to a comprehensive plan, so that they look to it as they're making decisions about development or zoning.” 

In addition to conservation projects, the draft plan includes options for educating the public about the area’s natural history and removing invasive species to enhance native ecology. 

The partners have pursued grants and other funding sources to advance the project, and have received support from the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program, which offers consulting services local organizations would otherwise have to pay for. 

To ensure the community’s preferences are considered, the organizations involved have surveyed residents through online forms and in-person interactions with trail users at Popsicle Bridge. During Monday’s open house, stakeholders like area resident and retired hydrologist John Monks offered input on the draft plan. 

Monks expressed enthusiasm for the conservation efforts described in the plan and emphasized the importance of identifying and mitigating upstream contaminants that could harm water quality in the corridor. 

“The water has to be clean — that’s where it has to start,” he said. “We can build all sorts of beautiful stuff, but if the water itself is unattractive, what can we do?” 

Monks said he’d like to see public trails in the area but noted that the corridor’s many privately-owned parcels could inhibit their development. 

“All it takes is one person to say, ‘no,’ and that’s the answer then,” he said. 

Plumb also noted that the abundance of landowners in the area, which includes the state of Idaho, KLT, the partner cities and a collection of private individuals, is “part of the complexity of the project.” 

“We really want to honor and respect the wishes and priorities of those private landowners along the creek and at the same time develop a protective mechanism,” she said. 

Mike Lithgow, policy and outreach director for the Kalispel Tribe’s natural resources department, said the tribe was interested in preserving the area because of its unique integrity despite its urban surroundings. 

“It's a pretty special place,” he said. “Not a lot of cities have that kind of intact riparian area left.” 

Lithgow added that he believes an increase in recreation opportunities would help residents recognize the value of the land they live on: “When people get out there and use a place like this, I think they learn to appreciate it, and they want to conserve it.” 

Regardless of the initiative’s outcome, Lithgow said, he’s optimistic the joint effort is building bridges and laying the groundwork for future collaborations that will benefit the people and land of North Idaho. 

“The relationships and partnerships that have been nourished along the way — I think it’s led to lots of other opportunities too,” he said. “We’re excited to see what the next projects bring.”