Boat Ramp Faces Decision

Pend Oreille County commissioners took more than 1-1/2 hours of testimony Monday and agreed to rule Dec. 30 on whether the U.S. Forest Service can build a boat ramp at Bead Lake.

The 720-acre lake nine miles north of Newport is one of the county’s largest and least accessible lakes. Although the public owns 85 percent of the shoreline, there is no public boat launch. Almost all the shoreline with road access is private.

Two Bead Lake cabin owners and a property owners’ organization called the Clean and Calm Waters Group are appealing the county Planning Commission’s approval of a shoreline permit for the proposed public boat launch. The appellants argued that the permit was issued improperly.

County commissioners were urged to add restrictions, including a 5 mph speed limit, if they uphold the permit.

Commissioners said they won’t take any more testimony before making their decision.

, DataTimes