Swan Lake subdivision gets nod from panel

The Daily Inter Lake

Following a three-hour public hearing Wednesday night, the Lake County Planning Board narrowly recommended approval of a controversial subdivision proposal.

The board voted 5-4 to support the Historic Kootenai Lodge Condominium subdivision, which would create 43 new single-family homes and four duplex units, plus renovate six homes, for a total of 57 dwelling units on 41 acres at the head of Swan Lake, on the east side of Swan River.

The property is the site of Kootenai Lodge, a former retreat for corporate executives that is one of two places in Lake County listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Despite the favorable decision, though, developer Paul Milhous and The Milhous Group still face some major hurdles, including another public meeting before the Lake County commissioners on Tuesday, a pre-emptive lawsuit that was filed earlier this week, and new opposition that could block the plans of Milhous for an off-site sewage treatment facility.

The subdivision plans initially called for collecting the sewage and transporting it almost a mile south to a 63-acre lot located in The Ridge subdivision.

The covenants for that subdivision don't clearly prohibit using lots for off-site sewage treatment facilities and public drainfields. Nevertheless, the Lake County Planning Office added a condition for the Kootenai Lodge project that requires Milhous to amend The Ridge covenants and clarify that this is a permitted use.

Landowners in The Ridge, though, submitted an amendment on Wednesday that precludes such uses.

Dave DeGrandpre with Land Solutions, a Charlo land-use planning firm that's working with The Milhous Group, said if the sewer issue can't be resolved, the project can still come back for further review with an alternative proposal.

DeGrandpre, who recently resigned as Lake County's planning director to start his own firm, said Wednesday's planning board hearing went about as well as could be expected.

"The speakers were very articulate and raised some legitimate concerns," he said. "The board made some changes to the conditions and added a few more."

For example, building heights were restricted to 30 feet. The subdivision covenants also were changed to prohibit off-site landowners from using the Kootenai Lodge property for lake access.

"I think the board was concerned about density and didn't want to overcrowd this area," DeGrandpre said.

Sue Shannon, who replaced DeGrandpre as Lake County planning director, could not be reached for comment.

The next public hearing for the Kootenai Lodge project is at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the large conference room at the Lake County Courthouse.

DeGrandpre said the commissioners could take action on the proposal then or take it under advisement. Based on the county's subdivision review criteria, a decision must be made on or before May 5.