How It Works

Whether it's called keyhole, funnel, portal or corridor-development, the concept is the same. When the purchase of real estate that is 'not' located on a lake or river, provides ongoing deeded use of a separate parcel that 'is' on the waterfront, people can be funneled through the waterfront parcel (or keyhole), using it as a corridor.

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Such a real estate investment extends all normal privileges of ownership to the keyhole, including but not limited to use by those leasing the primary residence, visitors enjoying a short-term vacation rental* and owner-tenants. All have authority to utilize the waterfront lot. Keyhole rights follows the residential home deed; transferring authority to use the remote lot in perpetuity.   ..
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Keyholing allows for a larger population of users on a single shoreline parcel, and can result in greater utilization of the public waterway. It can also result in shoreline activity that exceeds what would be visited by single family residential land use. Instead of the impact of one dwelling's population per shoreline lot; instead of one set of family vehicles, and one set of family watercraft, in the case of keyhole development, the number of households sharing the keyhole is limited only by the sum of homes to which the privilege is assigned by deed.

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While keyhole lots can hold the potential for conflict between neighbors and keyhole users, the benefit to the non-waterfront homeowner with waterfront beach rights is undeniable. And to the keyhole subdivision developer, the practice of keyholing can prove more lucrative than non-waterfront land development.

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Keyholing provides a value added feature for marketing real estate.

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A keyhole entitles the purchaser to rights, parking, moorage, and recreational land use, that for those who do not own waterfront would otherwise be facilitated through a public access point, and shared with the general public.

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The potential for overburdening a shoreline, degrading riparian vegetation, or an increase in boating safety issues requires pause for responsible planning. This, so that negative consequences can be minimized.

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What's The Difference?

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It is suggested by some that 'Public Access' areas such as public boat launches are conceptually no different than keyhole development. There are a few potential differences.

• Keyhole lots may allow for long-term mooring of vessels
• Keyhole lots are only overseen by law enforcement when summoned. This versus visitation by law enforcement as part of a regular patrol
• Keyhole lots are generally 'smaller' than public accesses - the latter often located within parks
• Keyhole lots seldom have restroom facilities
• Keyhole lots often fall short of adequate parking for vehicles 
• Keyhole lot maintenance falls to those sharing use via deeded co-ownership
• Keyhole lot use is defined by community covenant and may include overnight camping, security fencing and artificial lighting
• Deeded keyhole use is seldom expanded to welcome the general public
• Keyhole lots may enjoy 24-hour use, unlike public access points with hours of operation that typically mirror daylight hours    

Below is a Google satellite image of a keyhole located between Reflections Drive North and South in the rural countryside near the small city of Ione, Washington. This finger of land has been identified by the developers for future use by (at full build-out) of all the allowed homes located on 430 acres upland of the river and well-outside the urban growth boundary of Ione. It's easy to imagine the weight of concern neighbors adjacent the keyhole might be experiencing. The 430 acres is currently low density agricultural and forestland but the owner ambition is to bring a community of users to this narrow parcel. A dock, boat launch and possibility of motorized use for the sum of homes add to the worry on this stretch of the Pend Oreille River. This is an area with clay banks prone to erosion already.

Because Keyhole lots are privately owned, sometimes even gated, the responsibility for construction & maintenance of sanitation facilities, overseeing parking, adequate lighting, and establishing specific hours of operation falls to the homeowners who share the keyhole. Seasonal moorage depends only on the number of moorage slips, and a given homeowner's association's bylaws.

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The feature that keyhole development and public access sites have in common is that a single shoreline parcel provides the corridor through which the public waterway is accessed.

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Responsible planning requires consideration of 'worst case scenarios' and the unintended consequences if regulations were to fall short of addressing keyhole development adequately. We must ask; "What would be the outcome were keyhole lots to be under-regulated on county shorelines? Are there areas where keyhole lots make sense, and other areas where they do not? Should a maximum distance from the corridor lot to residence or vacation lot be established in county regulations?"

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Because the county cannot fund a scientific carrying capacity study per watercourse, we have little choice but to move forward cautiously. Without the study, the only accurate method of determining what constitutes 'too much use' on shorelines & watercourses is too exceed it.

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The Planning Commission welcomes your input. Perhaps you have an idea to offer decision makers. Share those thoughts with the Pend Oreille County Planning Commission by emailing: mlithgow@pendoreille.org , or via post to the Planning Department at: P.O. Box 5066, Newport, WA 99156.

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Need more information? Contact Mike Lithgow, Planning Director at: 509-447-6457



*A vacation rental requires a conditional use permit and business license in Pend Oreille County

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