Idaho officials approve auctions for remaining cottage sites

Idaho officials have approved auctioning 128 residential lake lots in northern Idaho and west-central Idaho over the next six years as the state aims to wrap up efforts to get out of the residential-leasing business.

The Idaho Land Board on Tuesday approved the auctions for 102 lots on Priest Lake and 26 on Payette Lake. The state owns the land while lessees own the cabins and improvements.

The Land Board also approved auctioning 14 new lots at Payette Lake created about 10 years ago through land planning changes.

The state started auctioning off the cottage sites in 2011 and so far has sold 342 cottage sites on the two lakes for more than $152 million.

The auctions began amid concerns the state wasn’t getting fair-market value for the leases.