Marina will be a plus for Lakeside

People could argue endlessly about the appropriate size of a marina for Lakeside. But there can be little dispute about the need for improved boating facilities on Flathead Lake.

From Woods Bay to Bigfork, from Somers to Lakeside, and at points around Polson, dilapidated docks are common, and usable boating facilities are few and far between. It's a maritime version of the weathered old homesteads that can be found across Montana's landscape.

One of the worst examples (or best, if one prefers rustic) is at Lakeside, where the current marina docks are in sore need of removal or replacement.

Lakeside is a substantial community that should have a better marina, and not just for the benefit of a handful of people who rent boat slips. Far more boaters make use of marinas for gas and groceries.

Montana Eagle Development's marina plan raised some valid concerns, primarily related to the proposed facility's size. The company wanted to extend dock lengths up to 314 feet beyond the current "footprint," which would create a dock system extending up to 664 feet into Flathead Lake.

That plan was arguably excessive. So what is the appropriate size? Those who contended that the new marina should be confined to the boundaries of the old one were disregarding the economic feasibility of the project. The developers needed a facility large enough to justify the expense.

So a compromise was in order, and that's what the Flathead County commissioners rightly resorted to.

The commissioners reduced the dock space by more than 100 feet and 22 boat slips. That's surely not enough for folks who insist the marina should be confined to its current footprint on the water. Indeed, some opponents raised the point that public waters should not be used for private profit at all.

But that doesn't hold water, considering that huge swaths of national forest land produce profits for the Blacktail and Big Mountain ski areas while at the same time providing a recreational benefit. Besides, who would build marinas if they were not profitable?

Flathead Lake needs marina improvements, and Lakeside is bound to benefit from this one.