Kootenai Lodge plan cut back
Developer Paul Milhous has announced that he intends to reduce the home density and make other changes in his plans for the historic Kootenai Lodge on Swan Lake.
In a full-page advertisement in Thursday's Inter Lake, Milhous acknowledged that the changes were prompted in part by the "heartfelt concerns" of community members regarding his development project.
"Most were worried about density," he wrote in the open letter. "And because their feelings are important to us, we made a major decision. We will reduce the number of homes on the Kootenai property from 57 to 42 single-family residences."
Milhous went on to say that revised plans also call for less paving, preserving more trees and implementing different architecture to "reflect the authentic look and style of the original buildings."
Located at the foot of Swan Lake, the Kootenai Lodge was a popular getaway for the rich and famous in the early part of the last century, accommodating the likes of Charles Lindbergh and Charlie Russell.
There was instant controversy when the Milhous Group, a development company based out of Boca Raton, Fla., announced its initial development plans last spring.
It prompted the formation of the Swan Lakers, a community group that has opposed the project mainly out of concern over the density of homes, docks and boat slips planned for the 41-acre property.
Denny Kellogg, the group's secretary, said the revised plans by Milhous have yet to be discussed by the Swan Lakers Board of Directors.
"It sort of came as a surprise," he said Friday. "I would just say that it's a move in the right direction. We would welcome the opportunity to participate in the continuing planning of the project."
In his letter, Milhous reiterated previous statements that the project is largely aimed at restoring original buildings on the property, an effort that involves considerable expense.
"We began the Kootenai project with one goal - to find a way that was financially viable to allow us to preserve the legacy of the Kootenai. Even with these major changes, we feel that we will still be able to reach this goal. We want to do this right and we will do it right."
David DeGrandpre, a planning consultant for the Milhous Group, described the other proposed changes in documents submitted Thursday to the Lake County Planning Office.
The new plans involve a redesigned road network with narrower one-way streets. That will result in a 35,421-square-foot reduction in paved surface on the property, allowing for 43 trees at least 10 inches in diameter to be retained.
"We decided we would like to retain as many of those as possible," DeGrandpre said.
Another significant change in plans is to maintain the main Kootenai Lodge building as a "common area for gatherings," rather than converting it to a residence, DeGrandpre said.
In plans for an off-site sewage treatment plant, DeGrandpre said the plant will be designed to handle a 26 percent increase above the needs of the development project, rather than 10 percent as originally proposed. That would allow 11 additional neighboring homes to hook up to the system.
Milhous originally proposed piping sewage down the lakeshore to a treatment plant that would be located in The Ridge subdivision, but those plans were stymied by a change in subdivision covenants.
As an alternative, the Milhous Group has developed plans that involve piping sewage across Montana 83 to a site on Broken Leg Road.
The Lake County Planning Board must approve those plans for the development to receive final plat approval. In addition to having a public review of the sewer plans, there will be a review of the overall changes in the development proposals.
DeGrandpre said the planning office has indicated that a meeting for those issues will probably be held in the next couple of months.
Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com