Lakes Highway District raises legal concerns about permit for Bayview docks

Lakes Highway District hit pause this week on a request from Kootenai County officials to become responsible for maintaining the dock at Bayview after it is installed for the season.

Eric Shanley, director of highways for Lakes Highway District, said he is hopeful talks will continue but felt that taking on the responsibility would put them on shaky legal ground.

“We want this resolved, but our hands are tied with funding something outside of our legal authority,” Shanley said.

Lakes Highway District officials were asked by county staff to file for a dock permit to make them the owner and responsible party for maintenance.  

The county terminated its launch lease agreement with the highway district Jan. 6. Since then, safety and maintenance concerns have emerged about sites at Bayview Fifth and Lakeside, the Spirit Lake Nautical Loop and the Twin Lakes Par 3.

"Our highways, roads and bridges tax dollar authority doesn’t extend to docks, unlike what the county can do under their Parks and Waterways Department," Shanley said in a response to the county request.

Instead, the highway district appealed to Kootenai County on behalf of the boating community to install the dock at Bayview.

Shanley said this arrangement would be similar to other procedures the county has made with other docks that Parks and Waterways owns or has installed.

The previous permit submitted for the Bayview dock followed these parameters.

Norma Knowles, president of the Bayview Chamber of Commerce, said she and others feel strongly about the public docks being kept safe for public use.

"Bayview feels like the red-haired stepchild of Kootenai County," Knowles said.

    Eric Shanley