City floats dock plan

COEUR d’ALENE — The city of Coeur d’Alene wants to seek proposals that would see two docks constructed on the Spokane River near the Harbor Center to provide business operations for public recreation.

Parks Director Bill Greenwood said the docks could alleviate some congestion at the Third Street docks and also generate revenue for the city.

Under the proposal, businesses would build and maintain the docks and have the liability for them. They lease “riparian rights” from the city.

Each dock would lease for at least $15,000 per year.

“It’s water recreation businesses,” Greenwood recently told the General Services Committee of councilmembers Woody McEvers, Dan Gookin and Kiki Miller. “This is really about outdoor public recreation and opportunities for the public.”

While the parks and recreation committee on March 14 approved a motion to recommend that General Services approve issuance of a “Request for Proposals,” General Services declined to do so.

Miller, while calling the proposal “interesting and creative,” said she was concerned the public was unaware of the plan.

“I feel like the public really needs more of an opportunity to weigh in on what should happen there,” she said Monday.

Greenwood said it hasn’t been in front of the public yet. He said the city normally advertises for bids in the local newspaper for such projects.

“We don’t beat the bushes to get a lot of input from the public at large,” he said.

The proposal was forwarded to the City Council, but without a recommendation of approval.

That will give councilmembers Amy Evans, Dan English and Christie Wood a chance to weigh in.

“See if it goes forward or needs to spin around again,” McEvers said.

Greenwood said it’s an idea he’s considered for a few years. He said the city had docks there in the ‘90s, and cutouts for docks are there.

Each vendor would be responsible for building the gangway and docks, estimated to cost $150,000 to $200,000.

“We don’t want one vendor leasing both. We want to require or allow for two vendors,” he said.

There are many details to the proposal that were covered by parks and recreation and general services. Much of the discussions focused around what would not be allowed if the docks go in.

Greenwood said they would not be selling boats and it would not be a place where boats would be moored for the summer.

The public could not tie up boats at the site and it would not be a place where boats could be launched. Fuel would probably not be sold there, but Greenwood said it could be part of the discussion.

Because that area of the river has a strong current, and the no-wake zone starts at the nearby U.S. 95 bridge, it would probably not be appropriate for renting kayaks and paddleboards.

Greenwood said it would be up to the vendor to determine if the docks would be left on site in the off-season or removed.

Bids would go to a review committee and ultimately back to the council for consideration.

Some vendors have expressed interest in the idea.

“There are a couple larger players that have the business background and we hope they throw their hat in the ring,” Greenwood said.

Both McEvers and Miller questioned if the docks would not create more congestion in an already busy part of the river.

“It is going to impact” traffic? McEvers asked.

Greenwood did not believe so. He said it might actually help ease river congestion.

A dock located on the Spokane River would give the vendors a place to offer boats and recreation equipment so there is less need for launching at the Third Street site, which he said was “little bit overrun.”

Greenwood said the dock operations could spread out the water traffic,

“I’m trying to lighten the load there, so to speak,” he said.

Miller said she wants to be sure the public hears about the proposal.

“It’s brand new to me and I’d like to make sure the public doesn’t feel that way,” she said.