City of Sandpoint Updates Downtown Parking Following City Council Meeting
During its regular meeting on July 15, the Sandpoint City Council expressed its support for suspending the use of on-street parking kiosks within the downtown two-hour parking district for further evaluation. Based on that discussion, City staff began implementing the changes immediately. Please follow all posted parking signs.
What is Changing?
Effective immediately:
- All on-street parking kiosks located within the downtown two-hour parking area are being taken offline.
- Parking signs associated with kiosk registration in these on-street areas will be removed over the coming days.
- Downtown on-street parking is returning to the same process that existed prior to July 1.
Motorists parking in the downtown two-hour on-street parking zones are no longer required to check in at a kiosk to receive free 2- hour parking.
The two-hour parking limit remains in effect as it did prior to July 1st, 2026, and will be enforced starting July 18th.
As was the case prior to July 1, parking enforcement officers will monitor occupancy, and vehicles remaining beyond the posted two-hour limit may be issued parking citations. There will not be any option to extend parking beyond the two-hour limit in these on-street spaces.
What is Not Changing?
The operational changes described above apply only to the downtown on-street parking kiosks.
Parking kiosks located in City-owned parking lots remain in service, including:
- Downtown Parking Lot
- City Beach
- Bridge Street Lot
- Jeff Jones Town Square Lot
- Pend Oreille Bay Trail Lot
Permit holders with valid monthly or annual parking permits are not required to interact with kiosks when parking in locations where their permits are valid.
Looking Ahead
The parking program was intentionally launched with a soft implementation period to educate the public, evaluate operations, and gather community feedback.
Throughout that process, the City received substantial input regarding the on-street kiosk registration process, including concerns about convenience, accessibility, the lack of a cash payment option. During its July 15 meeting, the City Council expressed support for pausing the on-street kiosk component while these and other aspects of downtown parking management are further evaluated. Discussions regarding the long-term management of on-street parking will continue over the coming weeks and months.
The City appreciates the constructive input received from residents, visitors, downtown businesses, and property owners throughout this process.
“I remain focused on administering City operations, protecting taxpayer investments, and ensuring that whatever policy direction the City Council ultimately adopts is implemented effectively and transparently” said Mayor Jeremy Grimm.
For additional parking information, please visit the City of Sandpoint website or contact City Hall at (208) 263-3158.
To access parking permits and seasonal boat launch permits online, please navigate to the Permit Portal: sandpoint.thepermitportal.com