Hayden eyes cut to commercial fees at Honeysuckle ramp

HAYDEN — Businesses using Honeysuckle Beach to launch into Hayden Lake next year might get a bit of a break in their pocketbooks.

At tonight’s meeting, the Hayden City Council will debate whether or not to cut the costs of boat ramp fees for commercial use. Under the proposal, the annual boat pass fee would be trimmed from $150 for the first two vehicles to $80.

Under both the status quo and new proposal, each additional vehicle would add $40 to the price tag.

Similarly, a day pass for commercial watercraft would drop from $15 to $10. The reduction, if passed, would satisfy language in already-received grants for improvements in and around the area.

“When we received these land and conservation grants years ago, part of the language in those grants dealt with reducing fees,” city clerk Abbi Sanchez said. "This would [satisfy] that language.”

The City Council has informally discussed impact fees to stem use of Honeysuckle. Council members in August and September talked at the end of council meetings about how heavy traffic from Washington and Montana crippled locals’ ability to park at Honeysuckle Beach.

But Sanchez stressed that the proposed cuts to commercial passes are more of a formality to satisfy a grant, rather than a debate over who should receive priority access to one of Hayden’s key attractions.

“Commercial is different,” she said. “With commercial, it’s not like a non-resident-versus-resident situation. There are businesses both in Hayden limits and outside Hayden that would see this reduction, as well.”

The council meeting begins at 5 p.m.