MARINE: Lake services needed

The hearing for North Idaho Marine’s application to rezone a property on the lakeshore from Restricted Residential to Commercial was standing room only. Area residents and environmental groups were strongly opposed while those who rely on the commercial services supplied by NIM were in favor of allowing NIM to build a commercial lake access facility on Highway 97 in scenic Wolf Lodge Bay.

The question nobody asked was, “Where has NIM been for the last 100 years?”

North Idaho Marine has been servicing the commercial needs of our lake since 1919. Owner John Condon, by all accounts, runs a tight ship and provides vital services to local area residents, municipalities, and state and local agencies. Just as every big building has a loading dock and freight elevator for activities you don’t want coming in the front door, our lake needs commercial access other than a public boat ramp. For decades that access had been the Atlas Mill site on the Spokane River just west of Riverstone.

Logistically, this was the perfect site to launch and recover large loads, with good highway access via Seltice Way. So what changed?

The city of Coeur d’Alene bought the Atlas Mill site (with our tax dollars) and apparently the ability to provide commercial access to the lake is “Not in the city’s plans.” Well, why the heck not?

Apparently bike paths, low income housing, high maintenance landscaping and controversial public art ARE in the plan, but providing a basic commercial need is not. It would be like the city saying, “We’re not going to collect garbage anymore. Enjoy your sculpture.” Not providing for commercial access is a failure of city planning.

It would not be unreasonable for all parties to demand the city have the vision to provide this essential, and historically located, commercial access and make it available for lease to well-established and experienced companies like North Idaho Marine.

BRENT REGAN

Coeur d’Alene