Survey focuses on Honeysuckle Beach congestion

The city of Hayden launched a survey on its website Monday as the first step in a new attempt to tackle the growth problems that have crept onto the shores of Honeysuckle Beach.

The survey debuted on cityofhaydenid.us, although the SurveyMonkey questionnaire has already been digitally distributed through QR codes on flyers circulating around town since Friday.

The 13-question survey is part of a five-month strategy to address the escalating number of visitors — both local and from abroad — who travel to the popular public shoreline destination.

“What the study’s goal is, how do we best accommodate the boat launch users and beach users,” said Melissa Cleveland, community development director for the city of Hayden. “This survey is just the first part of that.”

The survey asks its takers how often they use the Hayden lakeside space, what facilities they use, and what reasons prevent users from enjoying Honeysuckle more.

The survey also asks people to rank, in order of importance, the challenges they face when visiting the park and launch, and it asks to rank potential solutions, which could include park-and-ride shuttles, designated drop-off areas, and day-use fees.

Cleveland said a group has been brainstorming the issue. That group includes representatives from Kootenai County, Idaho Fish and Game, the Corps of Engineers, the Department of Lands, and, of course, the city of Hayden.

“Everybody’s trying to look at this from a global perspective,” Cleveland said. “If it were easy, it would have been done already. There might not be too many easy solutions.”

Honeysuckle Beach is easily Hayden’s most popular public outdoor attraction, as backed up by studies woven into the city’s Park and Comprehensive plans. Passenger vehicle parking has been an issue at Honeysuckle Beach for more than a decade, as cars often stretch up East Honeysuckle Avenue for upward of a half-mile during summer weekends.

Concerns over those issues have run neck-and-neck with boat launch traffic. The increased number of boaters — combined with the often-busy pedestrian traffic that can swirl around the lone boat launch — can make for some cramped shared public space.

“Safety is a big challenge,” Cleveland said. “You’ve got boats getting pulled through the parking lot, boats backing up, kids walking around. We’re just trying to come up with some solutions.”

The survey is the first step in a five-month process designed to identify residents’ priorities with Honeysuckle Beach, workshop solutions, and narrow down the city’s options before presenting to the City Council for consideration in September.

The survey closes April 30.