Improvement district requirement stalls subdivision

A decision on the next 12 phases of The Glades subdivision on Big Mountain was postponed Thursday until all county commissioners can decide whether to keep a special improvement district in the project.

Discussion over the next 181 units of The Glades stalled when Tom Sands, technical assistant for the subdivision, said he had "a real problem" with an overall improvement district as a condition of county approval.

Commissioner Gary Hall was absent from the meeting, and since the remaining commissioners were split on the improvement district they opted to continue the discussion until 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

At issue is how specific the special improvement district should be. All lot owners will have to sign waivers of protest forcing them to participate in the cost of any improvements.

"An SID needs to specified for roads," Sands said. "You can't leave it as a blanket SID."

With an improvement district showing up on title reports, it would make it difficult to sell the lots, he said.

Acting county administrator Myrt Webb disagreed, saying it makes sense for the county to make such a district as broad as possible in anticipation of future needs.

Winter Sports Chief Executive Officer Fred Jones pointed out that Big Mountain already has sewer and water systems and a fire district in place and asked what needs other than roads could warrant an improvement district.

"I don't know how we can possibly live with this condition," Jones said.

Commissioner Joe Brenneman said leaving the district as a condition of approval would be consistent with what the county has done with other subdivisions.

Sands responded, saying "I wouldn't worry about being consistent. I'd worry about getting on the right track."

Phases 2 through 13 of The Glades include 24 homes, 135 townhomes and 22 cabins on 55.7 acres in the vicinity of the Outpost.

Another project condition in question was a requirement for a secondary fire-access road easement.

The Whitefish City-County Planning Board, which approved the project Jan. 20, said Winter Sports needs to get an easement from the state and construct the road to minimum subdivision standards for emergency access roads.

Planner Johna Morrison said the number of lots created in The Glades may have triggered the number needed to warrant a secondary access road. But when Brenneman asked what the trigger number is, Morrison said no one seems to know.

"Everyone believes they've passed a trigger number, but there's no concrete proof," she said.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com