State of Idaho
Department of Lands

Lot Solutions Process

Department of Lands Contact: Kate Langford or Roger Titmus, Strategic Business Unit, Director's Office, Boise, tele (208) 334-0200 or email CottageSitePlan@idl.idaho.gov

Updates

IDL’s Lot Solutions Project has been making significant progress since the completion of the survey field work in the fall of 2011. The information below provides both some insight into the massive amount of data and evaluation work being accomplished by this project and the status of the project overall.

1. Original timeline for completion of Lot Solutions that was provided to Land Board members and lessees in November 2010 was 18-24 months [24 month milestone will occur in November 2012]. February 2012 marks month 15 in this process with approximately 70% of the entire project complete.


2. Inventory survey field work was completed in September 2011. Inventory surveys are highly detailed surveys showing the existing conditions and locations of all improvements, travel ways, easements, etc. The time and effort required to complete these surveys is significantly more than that required for a boundary survey.
   1. Once survey field work was completed all the data gathered in the field had to be plotted [drawn] and thousands of documents [~ 80 years of activity] were reviewed to ensure that all existing encumbrances are included in the survey documents.
   2. By December 2011 the plotting [translating all the data into drawings] of all of the surveys at both Payette and Priest Lakes had been accomplished.


3. Title Considerations and Preparation of Draft Plats have been the areas of focus since December 2011.
1. Extensive review of issues impacting Endowment lands include but are not limited to: on-going management needs of the Endowment lands [leased cottage sites and adjacent working lands], encroachments, easements - both existing and needed, access issues, water rights, and navigable waters requirements for each neighborhood as part of the platting process.
2. Comments received from cottage site lessees were gathered at the outset of the Lot Solutions Project and are reviewed on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis during this phase of the project.
3. Plat packets for the 25+ different neighborhoods at Payette and Priest Lakes will be completed on a rolling [or staggered] schedule, meaning that there are multiple plats in various stages of completion at any one time.
4. A road user/common area association will be needed to address maintenance issues of access roads and any common areas where necessary. Common areas examples would include, but not be limited to, lake access areas or off-site drainfields with multiple users.
5. Draft plat packets will be sent to each lessee and followed up with a neighborhood meeting to answer questions.
6. Final plats will be prepared after the neighborhood meeting[s] and recordation of documents will take place.
7. Lessees will be notified, in writing, when recordation of the plat has been completed.


4. Schedule – as noted in 3.c above, multiple plats are in various stages of completion at any one time. This rolling schedule allows for continuous progress to be made on the plats at both Payette and Priest Lakes.
   
   IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE AMOUNT OF TIME NEEDED TO DEVELOP PLATS CAN VARY SIGNIFICANTLY FROM ONE NEIGHBORHOOD TO ANOTHER DEPENDENT UPON THE NUMBER OF LOTS INCLUDED IN A PLAT AND THE COMPLEXITY OF TITLE CONSIDERATIONS TO BE ADDRESSED.
   
   

Below is a listing of state subdivision names for each lake. To date draft plat packets have been sent to lessees in Canoe Point and Huckleberry Bay at Priest Lake. Draft plats for Dead Horse Creek, Rocky Point, Point of Rocks and Cougar Island at Payette Lake are nearing completion.

State Subdivision Names

What is the Lot Solutions Process?

The Lot Solutions Process begins with the analysis of existing conditions on State Trust Land managed in the cottage site program. The analysis that has been completed will allows for a proactive approach to be taken in addressing access situations, delineating roles and responsibilities for common/reserve areas and subdivision platting. All of these actions are in the best interest of all the stakeholders involved —  the beneficiaries, the lessees and deeded property owners. The preservation of the long-term value of the State Trust Lands, as well as the continued use and enjoyment of both leased and deeded cottage sites are positive outcomes of this approach. IDL seeks to work closely with cottage site lessees throughout this process so that a common understanding of the uses, rights and responsibilities is established.

What are the next steps in the Lot Solutions Process?

1. Field Work: Survey property boundaries, roads, utilities and easements associated with the leased cottage sites at both lakes. Field work will be completed during the summer of 2011.
   
   
2. Identify potential areas of encroachment with regard to property boundaries and roadways.
   
   
3. Work directly with lessees and deeded lot owners to resolve access, boundary and common area use.
   
   
4. Create and/or adjust and record State Trust Land boundaries, plats, access easements and/or utility easements.
   
   
5. Amend and record any state-issued deeds as needed during the Lot Solutions Process.

Questions

› What is this going to cost me?  IDL does not anticipate any costs for field work being passed on to the lessees or deeded lot owners.

› How long will this take?  Much depends upon the location of the cottage site. Cottage site locations will be addressed in the following order: 1) Pilgrim Cove; 2) remainder of Payette Lake; and 3) Priest Lake. It is anticipated that it will take approximately 18-24 months to address all the locations.

› Is there any information needed from me? At this point it would be most helpful for you to relate any situations that occur in the area of the deeded cottage site that might be helpful to this process. Watch for periodic updates from IDL.