Bonner County, ID Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Who must apply
- Any person, corporation or association
- Trigger
- Commercial activity soliciting crowds at the park
- Permit issued by
- Board of County Commissioners
- Garfield Bay approval
- Parks director and Board of County Commissioners
- Penalty at Bonner Park West
- Misdemeanor: up to $300, six months jail, or both
Summary
In unincorporated Bonner County, Idaho, anyone who wants to run a commercial activity soliciting crowds at Bonner Park West must first apply for and obtain a permit from the Board of County Commissioners. Violations are misdemeanors carrying a fine up to $300, up to six months in jail, or both.
H. Any person, corporation or association wishing to conduct any commercial activity soliciting crowds at the park shall first apply for and obtain a permit for such activity from the board of county commissioners. ... Any violation of this chapter and the regulations herein is declared to be a misdemeanor and punishable by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars ($300.00) or by imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Full Breakdown
Section 5-202(H) of the Bonner County Revised Code controls commercial gatherings at Bonner Park West, the parcel described in Ordinance 414, effective September 1, 2001. Any person, corporation or association wishing to conduct any commercial activity soliciting crowds at the park shall first apply for and obtain a permit for such activity from the board of county commissioners. The word first matters: the permit comes before the activity, not after a complaint.
The decision-maker is the three-member Board of County Commissioners itself, not a staff office. The code prints no application form, fee, deadline or approval criteria for this permit in Title 5, Chapter 2, so applicants deal directly with the Board.
The permit rule is aimed at commercial activity that draws crowds. It does not print a reservation system for private picnics or family gatherings at Bonner Park West.
The Garfield Bay Recreation Area chapter has a parallel rule. Section 5-330(A)(3) says commercial activity can only be conducted with approval by the parks director and the board of county commissioners, so approval at Garfield Bay takes two steps. That chapter also lets visitors use the day use area free, with campground reservations made with the parks department or the camp host under section 5-380.
Other Bonner Park West rules still apply to an event: the park closes from sunset to sunrise, glass containers are prohibited outside a motor vehicle, animals must be leashed or restrained, and the discharge of fireworks is limited to the beach area under Idaho Code. These county rules cover county parks only, and city parks in Sandpoint and other incorporated cities follow city rules.
Violations & Fines
Under section 5-210, any violation of the Bonner Park West chapter is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $300, by imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed six months, or by both. At Garfield Bay, section 5-390 makes a violation an infraction with a penalty not to exceed $300.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues the permit for commercial activity at Bonner Park West?
Does the permit rule apply at Garfield Bay?
Does the code print a fee or application form?
What is the penalty for running a commercial event without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bonner County
Compare Bonner County to another location·View the Idaho special events & permits overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.