Sanders Beach Construction Ban Won’t Be Contested

A judge’s decision stopping construction on Sanders Beach will not be challenged.

After a lengthy executive session Tuesday night, the Coeur d’Alene City Council voted 4-1 not to appeal Judge Gary Haman’s ruling in October. Joe Chapman, who obtained a foundation permit for a house on the beach, was not involved in the suit and therefore cannot appeal the ruling.

Councilman Kevin Packard was not at the meeting. The lone dissenting vote came from Dixie Reid, who once worked for Chapman. Reid could not be reached for comment.

Chapman, meanwhile, has presented the city with a letter that is rumored to ask for revocation of the ordinances that prohibit his planned home or a sum of cash. Chapman couldn’t be reached for comment.

City officials acknowledge they have received a letter but are not yet prepared to make it public. Mayor Al Hassell says the letter “asks for changes in ordinances … and does put values on things.

“There are some numbers presented and some possible solutions presented,” Hassell said. “I’m not sure if they are viable options.”

The controversy over Sanders Beach is unlikely to go away, no matter what the city decides. The 4-1/2 block strip of sand has been popular with the public for a century.

Ordinances dating to the 1920s prohibit construction on the beach. The ground, however, is the property of homeowners along East Lakeshore Drive, and tempers have flashed in recent years between those homeowners and a few members of the public.

In September, Chapman obtained a footings and foundation permit for a house right on the beach. The Sanders Beach Preservation Association sued the city, arguing the permit was illegal.

Last month, Haman agreed and ordered the city to revoke the permit. Since the City Council voted not to appeal the decision, the city building division will now rescind the permit.

In other business the council:

Made small modifications to the hours Tubs Cafe can have outdoor blues concerts next summer but renewed a loudspeaker permit for the shows. The cafe, meanwhile, will continue indoor shows through the winter.

Raised the price of dog licenses but also raised concerns about having an ordinance that isn’t enforced. City staff were told to draft a plan to enforce the ordinances. Licenses for neutered or spayed dogs now will cost $7. Animals that haven’t been spayed for neutered will cost $15 a year to license.

Received a fact-finder report on a salary and contract dispute with city police officers. The council took no action on the report but is expected to address the issue in December.

, DataTimes