City Of Sandpoint

06/25/2026

06/23/2026

After two weeks of parking permit sales the City has made the following changes to the parking program that we would like to share with the community:

1. The number of vehicle parking permits available for each household has been increased from three to four.

2. A boat trailer permit does not count towards the vehicle permit number a household may purchase. A household may now purchase up to four vehicle permits and additional boat trailer permits.

3. Handicap parking: Those with a blue placard handicap identified vehicle can park at any time in any legal parking space in any city lot or on-street, for any length of time. No parking permit is required for vehicles with handicap placards.

As a reminder, the two resident permits available are for City of Sandpoint and Bonner County residents. There have been many questions from residents of other counties and even other states about parking permits. The only parking permit available to non-locals (i.e. out of county residents) is the 24-hour downtown parking permit, which does not come with a residency requirement and provides the most access to parking in downtown Sandpoint and the waterfront lots.

Downtown employees who are not City or County residents are encouraged to either purchase a 24-hour downtown parking permit or to utilize any of the free all-day street parking spaces downtown, which include 315 parking stalls on the periphery, starting at Alder Street to the north, Fifth Avenue to the west, and Lake Street to the south.

Parking permits are on sale now at http://sandpoint.thepermitportal.com and will remain on sale throughout the year. Permits are valid for the calendar year they are purchased, and a new permit is required in the new calendar year. Beginning July 1st, non-permit holders parking at City Beach, the downtown lot, and other waterfront lots will be required to pay the hourly rate at a kiosk. All permit holders will enjoy frictionless parking at public lots (no check-in required). In the 2-hour zones, all parkers will be required to begin their 2-hour free parking session by checking in at a kiosk. No permits are valid in the 2-hour zone to encourage turnover and availability of parking spaces in front of the businesses that depend on parking availability for their customers.

Staff at City hall are available to assist residents with their parking permit purchase, so if you need assistance, feel free to stop by 1123 Lake Street and we will be happy to help! With questions about the parking permit or paid parking program, send emails to [email protected]

06/11/2026

PUBLIC NOTICE: NOXIOUS W**D CONTROL

Pursuant to Sandpoint City Code Chapter 4, Noxious W**d Control Act, all property owners, occupants, citizens, and business owners within the City of Sandpoint are hereby reminded of their responsibility to control noxious weeds on their property.

The purpose of this notice is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public by preventing the accumulation of noxious weeds and other combustible or flammable vegetation that may create a nuisance, fire hazard, or unsafe condition. Noxious weeds include plants designated as noxious by the Director of Agriculture, as well as grass, weeds, hay, straw, or similar vegetative matter when such material endangers public health, safety, welfare, or is liable to be fired.

Property owners and occupants are urged to promptly cut, remove, or otherwise control weeds and excessive vegetation on their property, including vacant lots, occupied parcels, business properties, fence lines, alleys, and areas adjacent to sidewalks or public ways.

Failure to control noxious weeds may result in enforcement action under Sandpoint City Code Chapter 4. If the City issues an individual notice and the required work is not completed within the time allowed, the City may cause the weeds to be abated and may charge the cost of abatement, plus applicable civil penalties, to the property owner. Additional penalties may apply as provided by code.

The City appreciates the cooperation of all residents and business owners in helping maintain a safe, clean, and fire-resistant community.

06/10/2026

Division Avenue Corridor Improvement Project – Phase 2 Construction to Begin.

This summer, the City of Sandpoint will be constructing improvements along the east side of Division Avenue, from Superior Street to Pine Street. This work is the second phase of the Division Avenue Corridor Improvement project to improve multimodal functionality with this corridor.

For regular updates, please visit www.sandpointidaho.gov/news

06/05/2026

UPDATE*** **This closure does not impact the vehicular bridge or vehicle traffic on US-95 across the bridge**

Heads up North Idaho ⛔ Long Bridge PEDESTRIAN PATH adjacent to US-95 near Sandpoint will fully close at 5 p.m. today following recent inspections that identified significant structural deterioration affecting critical bridge components.

We understand how important this bridge is to the Sandpoint community. For many residents, it's a daily connection to work, services, neighborhoods, and loved ones. This decision was not made lightly, but public safety must come first.

ITD is continuing to evaluate next steps, explore potential accommodations for those most affected by the closure, and work with local partners to address impacts wherever possible.

Please note that walking or biking across the adjacent US-95 vehicle bridge is not recommended due to traffic and safety concerns.

Read the full story for additional details, including information about the closure, community impacts, and how to contact ITD if you anticipate hardship as a result of the closure https://ow.ly/QEqF50Z8hu5

06/04/2026

Sandpoint Launches New Parking Permit Program June 8

The City of Sandpoint will launch its new online parking and boat launch permit portal on Monday, June 8, at 9:00 a.m., marking the next step in implementation of the City’s Downtown Parking Management Plan.

Beginning June 8, residents and visitors may purchase annual parking permits and seasonal boat launch permits online at sandpoint.thepermitportal.com.

The City’s new paid parking program will officially begin July 1 and is designed to improve parking availability in Sandpoint’s busiest downtown and waterfront areas while creating a sustainable funding source for the maintenance and improvement of public parking facilities.

Under the new system, City-owned parking lots in the downtown and waterfront areas—including the Third and Church lot, Bridge Street lot, City Beach, Dock Street Marina lot, and Pend Oreille Bay Trail lot—will require either a valid permit or payment of an hourly parking fee.

To ensure affordable access for local residents, the City is offering annual permits for just $20 for City of Sandpoint residents and $35 for Bonner County residents. Resident permit holders will receive up to eight hours of free parking per day in participating City-owned lots.

“Sandpoint taxpayers have paid to build, operate, and maintain these facilities for decades,” said Mayor Jeremy Grimm. “The reality is that many of these facilities have suffered from decades of deferred maintenance and underinvestment, while visitor use has continued to increase. This program helps ensure that the people who benefit from our parking lots, waterfront facilities, boat launches, and beaches contribute to their upkeep while keeping access affordable for local residents.”

The City emphasized that the majority of public parking in Sandpoint will remain free. Of approximately 1,500 public parking spaces downtown and along the waterfront, more than 1,000 spaces will continue to be available without permits or payment requirements.

Beginning July 1, seasonal boat launch permits will also be required for unlimited use of the City Beach and War Memorial Field boat launches. Users without permits may pay a $10 daily launch fee.

The parking management plan was developed following a parking study that identified significant parking shortages during peak periods, particularly at City Beach and in portions of downtown. The study found that many prime downtown spaces were occupied for extended periods, reducing availability for customers, residents, and visitors.

Revenue generated through the parking program will, in part, be used to maintain and improve City-owned parking facilities and related infrastructure, including future improvements at City Beach and other waterfront access areas.

“Idaho cities have been asked to do more with less,” Grimm said. “State law limits annual property tax budget growth to three percent per year, while costs for healthcare, public safety, construction materials, equipment, and infrastructure maintenance continue to rise well beyond that rate. As a result, cities are increasingly challenged to maintain the public assets residents expect. This program creates a dedicated user-supported revenue source that helps preserve critical community infrastructure without placing the full burden on local taxpayers.”

Additional information about permits, rates, maps, and frequently asked questions is available at www.sandpointidaho.gov/parking

What you need to know The City of Sandpoint will begin enforcing paid parking and parking permits at downtown and waterfront parking lots on July 1. Residents who plan to use City-owned downtown and waterfront parking lots should purchase their permits online before July 1 at: sandpoint.thepermitpor...

06/03/2026

Help Shape Sandpoint's Future Infrastructure Priorities

Recently, the publisher of a local paper offered a "Bouquet" to the City of Sandpoint after driving the newly reconstructed Pine Street. He wrote that he "smiled at that smooth glide over fresh asphalt" and was pleased to see his tax dollars invested in infrastructure and road repairs. He closed with a simple statement:

"Now do more streets!"

I couldn't agree more.

The reality is that most residents notice infrastructure only when it fails—or when it is finally repaired. Roads, sidewalks, stormwater systems, parks, parking facilities, and public buildings all require ongoing maintenance and periodic replacement. Unfortunately, the cost of construction has risen dramatically while the revenue available to cities has not kept pace.

In Sandpoint, Pine Street and the upcoming Cedar Street reconstruction project represent the only major street reconstruction projects completed or funded over the past two years. Yet our adopted Transportation Plan identifies more than $100 million in needed street and sidewalk improvements over the next twenty years. At current funding levels, we simply cannot address these needs at the pace residents would like to see.

This is not a challenge unique to Sandpoint. Communities throughout Idaho are grappling with the same reality: infrastructure built by previous generations is aging faster than current revenues can replace it.

Fortunately, Idaho law provides one potential tool. Resort cities with populations under 10,000 have the ability to ask voters whether they wish to adopt a Local Option Sales Tax (LOT) for specific purposes. Unlike property taxes, a Local Option Sales Tax captures revenue from visitors, seasonal residents, and others who use Sandpoint's roads, sidewalks, parks, beaches, parking facilities, and other public amenities.

Importantly, no final proposal has been developed and no ballot language has been adopted. Over the coming months, the Sandpoint City Council will consider whether to place a Local Option Sales Tax measure on the November ballot. If the Council chooses to move forward, they will need to determine both the specific projects that would be funded and the duration of the measure. Before those decisions are made, we want to hear directly from the people who live here.

That is why we have launched the Sandpoint 2026 Community Survey.

The survey is not simply asking whether residents support or oppose a Local Option Sales Tax. It asks residents to evaluate the condition of our streets and sidewalks, identify transportation and community priorities, rank potential projects, and share their views regarding accountability, project selection, funding duration, and other important issues.

Sandpoint voters considered a similar measure in 2024. While it received just over 50 percent support, it did not reach the 60 percent supermajority required by Idaho law. If a future proposal is to be considered, we believe it should be informed by broad community input regarding what projects matter most and how residents would like to see any measure structured.

In short, we are asking a fundamental question:
If Sandpoint has an opportunity to make long-term investments in its infrastructure and community assets, what should those investments be?

Whether you support a Local Option Sales Tax, oppose it, or remain undecided, your opinion matters. The survey is designed to help the City Council understand community priorities before making decisions regarding potential ballot language, project selection, or duration.

I encourage Sandpoint taxpayers to take a few minutes to complete the survey and share their thoughts. Good decisions begin with good information, and the more voices we hear from, the better equipped we will be to make informed choices about Sandpoint's future.

You can access the survey at:
www.sandpointidaho.gov/lot

Thank you for taking the time to participate in this important community conversation.

Jeremy Grimm
Mayor, City of Sandpoint

Be heard, collaborate, and share ideas—make meetings and classes more engaging with real conversations.

05/28/2026

⚠️ WEATHER AWARENESS NOTICE – CITY OF SANDPOINT ⚠️
The National Weather Service is forecasting the potential for strong to severe thunderstorms across the region this evening and overnight.
Current forecasts indicate storms may organize into a line capable of producing:
• Damaging wind gusts potentially reaching 60–70 mph
• Downed trees and power lines
• Localized power outages
• Areas of blowing dust and rapidly reduced visibility on roadways
• Heavy rain, lightning, and isolated hail
The strongest impacts are expected later this evening into the overnight hours, with storms potentially moving through the broader Spokane–Coeur d’Alene corridor before exiting north into Canada after midnight.
Residents are encouraged to:
• Secure loose outdoor items
• Charge phones and devices in case of outages
• Use caution while driving, especially if visibility suddenly decreases
• Stay alert for updated weather advisories or warnings from the National Weather Service
City crews and emergency personnel will continue monitoring conditions.
— Mayor Jeremy Grimm

05/20/2026

As a reminder, City Hall will be closed Monday, May 25th, in honor of Memorial Day.

Utility payments may be placed in the drop box at the front door near the mailbox, or in the drop box at the east end of the parking lot on Ella Avenue.

05/04/2026

The City of Sandpoint is currently seeking applicants to fill seats on several Citizen Advisory Boards, including: Parks and Recreation Commission and Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee.

Sandpoint's citizen advisory boards, formed to provide research, study, discussion and recommendations on specific issues or a scope of issues at the direction of the Mayor and City Council, add great value to the City's efforts to provide efficient and effective governance and provide an opportunity for citizens to actively participate in the decision-making process.

Residents who reside within Sandpoint city limits are encouraged to apply, although non-residents may also be considered. Information and a link to the application form for each board can be found on the City website here: https://sandpointid.civicpluswebopen.com/commissions-and-committees