COMMUNITY UPDATE - 24 August 2025

🚫 Public Hearing – CUP0002-24 for Panhandle Bike Ranch NOT YET SCHEDULED 🚫

Panhandle Bike Ranch's CUP was vacated and remanded on June 2nd. It is now late August and Bonner County has still not scheduled a new hearing. Meanwhile PBR continues to operate without a valid permit and against Judge Simmons' order. 

#StillWaiting #StopTheSagleBikePark

COMMUNITY UPDATE - 6 June 2025

Recent events circulating on social media—including both reckless driving and reported trespassing—are concerning and disappointing. We want to be clear: our group does not condone illegal or threatening behavior of any kind, from anyone, on any side of this issue.

Our focus remains where it belongs: ensuring that land use decisions in Bonner County follow the law, protect our neighborhoods, and uphold the public trust.

We urge all members of our community to remain respectful, lawful, and peaceful as this process continues.

#StopTheSagleBikePark

🚨 STATUS UPDATE - 2 June 2025

Court Vacates CUP Approval for Panhandle Bike Ranch

We are pleased to share that the District Court has vacated and remanded Bonner County’s approval of the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for Panhandle Bike Ranch. This means the County’s decision has been nullified and sent back for further proceedings.

The Court found that the County failed to:

1. Provide a reasoned explanation for classifying the project as a “Recreational Facility” (a required step under Idaho law and Bonner County code), and

2. Demonstrate adequate water supply for fire suppression, as required by BCRC § 12-333, Note 8.

These findings affirm our concerns about the process and the impacts this project could have on our rural community.

🙏 We sincerely thank all of our neighbors, supporters, and community members who submitted comments, attended hearings, and stood up for due process and responsible land use. Your voices mattered—and made a difference.

We will continue to monitor next steps closely as the County revisits this matter. Stay tuned for updates and future opportunities to stay engaged.

#StopTheSagleBikePark

STATUS UPDATE - 24 April 2025

Our attorney, Norm Semanko, presented our appeal to the district court on Thursday 4/24. Norm did a fantastic job representing us and presenting the facts in this case! The judge has 30 days to review the record and make her decision, so now we wait. Thank you to all who have supported our cause and appeal!

STATUS UPDATE - 24 March 2025

Our appeal will be presented to the Kootenai County District Court on April 24th. We will ask the court to remand the decision back to Bonner County to review the CUP again and hold a new public hearing and new vote (with two new commissioners). A rural residential neighborhood is no place for a commercial bike park! You can help by donating to our legal fees. 

STATUS UPDATE - 4 November 2024

The status conference with the judge occurred today with Norm representing us, Bill Wilson representing Bonner County and Panhandle Gravity Sports' lawyer.  It was a short hearing where Wilson indicated that the transcripts should be done any day now.  The judge will follow up in 30 days.  Norm acknowledged that there was a lot to transcribe, but notified all that we would follow the legal schedule in Idaho law after the transcripts are submitted.

Feel free to let others that are opposed to the bike park know about this minor update. Hoping to have a favorable judgment and new commissioners vote by April 2025.

UPDATE after 6/24/2024 Appeal Hearing

We are disappointed in the outcome of the hearing, but it was not unexpected.  We have seen many recent commercial projects being approved in areas not zoned for commercial use, only to be later overturned by the courts.

We are not opposed to an additional downhill mountain biking resort in Bonner County. We are opposed to locating it in a rural residential neighborhood because of the negative impact it will have on existing residents, especially since Commissioners Omodt and Bradshaw voted to lift all conditions and restrictions placed on the bike park at the original public hearing in April 2024.

We encourage members of the community to check for updates here.