Mile High Marina’s application to expand is floating forward after earning approval from the McCall Planning and Zoning Commission.
The project would expand the existing marina to the west, replace the log boom breakwater with a wave attenuator, which is more efficient and environmentally friendly, and add over 1,000 feet of boardwalk for public use. The plans also create the room to add about 90 boat slips — depending on boat size.
The wave attenuator would be made with steel plates that would hang below the dock structure.
More details and demand
Steve Millemann, who is representing Mile High Marina, said they are working to ensure the boardwalk remains pedestrian-friendly.
“The plan is to not put mooring cleats on the outside of this,” Millemann said. “And that’s a conscious plan out of a desire that the boardwalk be a pedestrian-friendly amenity and not a place for people to pull boats up that aren’t supervised and party from the boats.”
The northwest corner of the boardwalk and the south end would have shade structures with benches and tables. Millemann said those structures would be the most likely place for public art to be installed — something staff requested.
Milemann talked to the commission about the demand for additional boat slips, saying that there is a waiting list with many more people than the planned 90 slips.
The commission was generally in favor of the project, but when it came down to deliberation, commissioners showed some concern surrounding the assumption that additional slips meant less traffic.
“I’m a little bit skeptical on the fact that increasing the number of boat slips is going to reduce the number of traffic on the boat ramp…Often you increase the size of a road because we have too much traffic and it just quickly gets filled up with more cars so I kinda think that is what’s going to happen here,” Commissioner Ryan Kinzer said.
One of the conditions from the commission was that there be at least 25 bike parking spaces. The hope is it will encourage bike use and reduce traffic on the ramp.
The project is being worked on with the McCall Parks and Recreation Department. The department director, Kurt Wolf was at the meeting to show support.
“It’s unlikely we’re going to gain additional public shoreline on Payette Lake, and so this applicant’s theoretically building over 1,000 feet of it,” Wolf said. “I think that, in turn, is also going to alleviate congestion and wear and tear on some of our other public waterfronts.”
The project still needs to get approval from the McCall City Council before construction can commence.
