FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

Community Resource Officers, employed by Sandpoint Police Department, will continue to handle parking violations under the new system.

No.

Downtown employees have several parking options available to them.

For example, many employees who live in Sandpoint or Bonner County may choose to purchase a City or County resident permit, which allows them to park in designated City parking lots for up to eight hours.

There are also ~350 free all-day street parking spaces outside the downtown core, starting on Alder Street between Third and Fourth Avenues on the north, Lake Street to the south, and Fifth Avenue to the west, including 115 free all-day stalls at the ITD parking lot near the old Army Surplus site on Fifth Avenue.

These options allow individuals to choose the permit that best fits their parking needs.

No. You may leave your vehicle in any of the eight 20-minute stalls downtown for up to 20 minutes without checking in at a kiosk. If you need to park for more than 20 minutes you must move your vehicle to a regular 2-hour stall and check in at a kiosk or via mobile app, or move your vehicle to a 3- or 4-hour parking stall outside the downtown core.

No.

Drivers will have several options for starting a parking session, including:

• Using a parking kiosk (where payment can be made with credit card, Google Pay, Apple Pay, etc...)

• Sending a text message

• Using the ParkSmarter mobile app

The app is optional but provides added convenience such as extending parking sessions remotely.

A permit is for one calendar year.

IPS Group receives $0.60 per transaction processed at an off-street parking lot (no fee is collected when a 2-hour free session is initiated by a parker for on-street parking). IPS Group also handles all permit processing; each permit (City or County resident, Street parking permit, or Marina Permit) processed includes administrative fees (including printing and mailing of the physical permit) and address verification, services which total $19.50 per permit sold. This is what the $20 resident permit pays for; in other words, the City keeps little or no of the money from the purchase of resident parking permits.

Drivers without a permit can start a parking session using:

• Parking kiosks located in the lot

• The ParkSmarter mobile app

• Text-to-pay options

The system operates using pay-by-plate technology, meaning drivers simply enter their vehicle’s license plate number when starting their parking session.

In all City-owned lots and in the 2-hour street zone, parking enforcement officers will use handheld devices to verify parking sessions electronically using vehicle license plate numbers.

This allows the City to enforce parking rules more consistently and fairly while making it easier for drivers to comply with parking time limits.

In the 3- and 4-hour street zones enforcement officers will use traditional methods for monitoriing vehicle dwell times and issue citations when overstays are confirmed.

Unpaid citations are handled by a third party collections agency, with the collections agency retaining a percentage of the amount ultimately collected.

With three options for payment (pay by text, pay by app, and pay by kiosk), there are two backup options in the instance where a kiosk malfunctions. Additionally, in off-street lots, multiple kiosks will be provided within easy walking distance of all parking stalls. There will be two kiosks per block in the 2-hour zones so if one is malfunctioning, another one should be located within a short walk. Should an individual kiosk malfunction, there will be nearby kiosks for those who are unable to pay by text or pay by app to use.

Delivery drivers doing pick-ups or drop-offs in the 2-hour zone are required to use a designated loading zone, or to utilize a 2-hour stall for no more than 10-minutes. Stays of longer than ten minutes require checking in at a kiosk for a free 2-hour session. This ten minute grace period does not apply to non delivery drivers. Regular users of 2-hour street parking stalls are required to check in at a kiosk to begin their free 2-hour session immediately after parking.

Absolutely not. Regular parking enforcement takes place from 9am - 5pm. The no overnight parking restriction is in place only to prevent abuse by downtown residents who do not have off-street parking spaces and may be inclined to park their vehicles on the street night after night without getting the required Type B 24-hour street parking permit. A bargoer or bar employee who leaves the bar after midnight need not worry about getting a ticket, even if their vehicle is left on the street overnight. If, on the other hand, the same vehicle appears on the street several night in a row a patrol officer MAY flag that vehicle for a violation.

Never drive home drunk because you are worried about a parking ticket. Be advised, however, that parking enforcement may resume at 9am the next morning, so if a car is left on the street downtown the owner may wish to move it the next morning or begin a parking session to avoid a violation.

Parking violation citations are adopted as part of the City's annual fee schedule. The current citation amounts are $50 for the first offense, $100 for the second, and $150 for the third parking violation. 

Hourly parking rates will be set by the Sandpoint City Council and may vary by location and season.

The goal of these rates is not simply to generate revenue, but to ensure parking availability in the busiest areas, especially during peak tourism periods.

Residents with City or County permits will be able to park in designated City lots without paying hourly parking fees, meaning hourly rates will primarily apply to visitors and others who do not have local permits.

Those with a blue placard handicap identified vehicle can park at any time in any legal parking space in any city lot or on-street, for any length of time. No parking permit is required for vehicles with handicap placards.

Paid parking will apply only in specific City-owned parking lots located in high-demand areas  downtown businesses and the waterfront.

A map on this page shows the locations of the City parking lots where:

• Resident permits allow free parking

• Hourly rates apply to non-permit holders

• Parking kiosks and other parking technology will be installed

City resident permits are priced lower because City residents already contribute directly to the maintenance of public parking through their City taxes.

County residents who live outside the city limits do not pay those same City taxes but still benefit from access to downtown and waterfront parking. The slightly higher County resident permit helps balance that difference while still providing an affordable parking option.

Both permits remain very low-cost compared to hourly parking rates, ensuring that local residents have convenient and affordable access to downtown.

Checking in allows the City to enforce time limits more fairly and consistently.

Instead of using older methods like chalking tires, parking enforcement officers will be able to verify parking sessions electronically using license plate numbers.

This system helps ensure that parking spaces turn over regularly so they remain available for customers and visitors.

Building additional parking infrastructure is extremely expensive. A structured parking garage can cost $25,000–$40,000 per parking space to build, not including land costs or ongoing maintenance.

The Downtown Parking Study found that many existing parking areas are underutilized, while the most convenient spaces remain full because vehicles stay parked for long periods.

The parking management plan focuses on better use of existing parking, improving turnover in high-demand areas while directing longer-term parking to nearby lots.

This approach helps ensure that customers can find parking near downtown businesses without requiring taxpayers to fund expensive new parking structures.

City Beach and the waterfront area experience extremely high parking demand during the summer months, especially from visitors and tourists.

The parking management plan ensures that local residents continue to have affordable access to these public spaces through low-cost resident permits that allow free parking in City lots.

Hourly parking fees paid by visitors help cover the cost of maintaining parking facilities, parks, waterfront infrastructure, and related services.

This approach helps ensure that the people who benefit from Sandpoint’s waterfront amenities also contribute to their upkeep, while preserving affordable access for local residents.

Sandpoint’s downtown and waterfront areas experience very high parking demand, especially during the summer and peak tourism seasons.

The parking management plan helps ensure that:

• Downtown customers can find parking near businesses

• Residents continue to have affordable parking options

• Visitors contribute to maintaining public parking facilities

• Parking spaces turn over regularly so more people can access downtown

The goal is to create a balanced system that works for residents, businesses, employees, and visitors alike.

The City Beach boat launch is only usable seasonally, when the lake is near or at its summer pool level. Boat launch fees will apply whenever the boat launch is accessible and usable.

Since all street parking remains free, there is nothing to validate. The City lot will increasingly be occupied by downtown employees, leaving free street parking to customers of the downtown businesses.

Yes. Downtown on-street parking will remain free.

Drivers parking in 2-hour zones will simply check in by entering their license plate number at a nearby kiosk, by text message, or through the ParkSmarter mobile app.

The first two hours of parking remain free.

If drivers need additional time beyond the free two hours, they will have the option to extend their parking session and pay the hourly rate established by City Council.

Of the 1,000 or so free downtown street parking stalls, around 730 of them provide 3 or 4 hours of free parking. Parking in these areas will not require beginning a free session at a kiosk or via your phone. 

No. City Beach and Windbag Marina slip leasees are not required to purchase the marina parking permit. A $15 or $30 annual City or County resident permit provides all-day (8-hour) parking at City Beach and Dock St parking facilities. The marina permit is only required for boaters who regularly leave their vehicles parked at the waterfront lots for more than one night (since an 8-hour session started after 9am would technically be valid until 8am the next morning due to enforcement of time limits ending at 5pm). 

The intent is to discourage multi-day parking at the waterfront lots and encourage boaters to park their vehicles either at home or on 24-hour street stalls away from the busy waterfront areas when they require multi-day parking, but to give those that require premium waterfront parking the opportunity to have it for a modest $100 annual fee.

Possibly. Council will establish hourly parking rates as part of their annual City-wide fee schedule. Council may decide to establish peak-season and off-peak season rates.

No.

City of Sandpoint and Bonner County residents can park in designated City parking lots without paying hourly parking fees by purchasing a low-cost annual resident permit.

Resident permits are priced at or near the City’s cost of administering the permit program, meaning they are not intended to generate revenue from local residents.

Hourly parking fees primarily apply to visitors and others who do not have a resident permit.

No. The parking management plan is designed to be financially self-supporting over time.

Hourly parking fees paid primarily by visitors and non-permit holders will cover the cost of operating and maintaining the system, including equipment, technology, enforcement, and maintenance of public parking facilities.

Resident permits are intentionally priced near the City’s administrative cost so that local residents can continue to access downtown parking affordably. Revenue from hourly parking paid by visitors helps ensure that the parking system can be maintained without placing additional burden on local taxpayers.

City Council members suggested a phased rollout of the parking plan might make it easier for the community to adjust to the program. Phase 1 is procuring the hardware and signage to allow for Phase 2, which may involve a rollout of paid off-street parking at one or two locations before implementing it at all locations. Street parking will continue to be regulated via time limits (100% free) with kiosks used in the 2-hour zones only to streamline enforcement of existing time limits (remove need to chalk tires).

Time limits on street parking are enforced only until 5pm. A free 2-hour session beginning at or after 3pm would therefore essentially be valid until 8am the next morning. Paid parking in City lots will be enforced until 5pm. The City's wishes to encourage night life and dining downtown, when the City usually empties out after 5pm. Keeping all parking free after 5pm reduces the barrier to people coming into town to enjoy a meal out or drinks with friends.

Yes. IPS Group charges a $0.35 per transaction fee for parking transactions processed via the ParkSmarter mobile app, text-to-pay, and their MSX Multi-space Kiosks.

Boat launch fees do not include vehicle and trailer parking. However, City and County resident permit holders may apply a permit to a vehicle trailer in addition to a tow vehicle, which could then both be kept at the City Beach parking lot for up to 8 hours after launching a boat. Non-permit holders will pay the hourly rate for their vehicle and for their trailer if they wish to leave their rigs in the City Beach parking lot.