Planning board splits vote on large Evergreen subdivision

The Daily Inter Lake

A growth policy amendment for a 103-lot subdivision along Helena Flats Road earned a positive recommendation from the Flathead County Planning Board on Wednesday.

However, the board split when it tried to assign zoning to the Cottonwood Estates proposal - thereby stalling the project, at least temporarily, for the second time in less than a year.

Both items now go to the county commissioners for a final decision.

During Wednesday's public hearing, a handful of neighbors spoke against the project, which would be located on 38 acres on the east side of Helena Flats Road, directly across from Solberg Drive.

The primary concern was the number of lots. There were also questions about the onsite sewage treatment plant that was being proposed.

"The density is horrendous," Lois Drobish said. "It's totally out of keeping with the area."

Cottonwood Estates LLC needs a growth policy amendment, zone change and preliminary plat approval to move forward with the subdivision.

The planning board unanimously recommended approval of the growth policy amendment, which would convert the land-use designation for the property from agricultural to urban residential.

"If we just look at the amendment, going from agricultural to residential is a no-brainer," said board member Charles Lapp. "Almost everything in this area is already residential."

Board member Jeff Larsen, a licensed engineer, said the onsite, "Level II" treatment facility being proposed for this project would adequately protect water quality.

"As far as sewage treatment goes, this is a good system," Larsen said. "The issue this board has to address is the density."

When it came to the zoning, though - which would have converted the property from SAG-10 suburban agricultural to R-4 two-family residential - the board split 3-3, meaning it goes to the commissioners with no recommendation.

Based on that action, the preliminary plat request was moot and the board took no action on it. Depending on what the commissioners do with the amendment and zone change, the plat could come back to the board for review in the near future.

Cottonwood Estates submitted three similar applications last year. The planning board recommended denial of the growth policy amendment; the commissioners then tabled the request, largely because of uncertainties related to sewage treatment.

In other action on Wednesday, the planning board unanimously recommended approval of:

. The preliminary plat for The Homestead at Whitefish, a 32-lot single-family subdivision on 1091 acres located at 200 Star Meadow Road, about 12 miles west of Whitefish.

Lots in the subdivision would range from 20 to 29 acres in size. The subdivision covenants prohibit fencing the property, in order to maintain wildlife corridors. The internal roads would be paved and about 300 acres would be left in open space.

. The preliminary plat for West Valley Subdivision No. 1, a four-lot residential project on 20 acres located at 1260 West Valley Road.

. The planned unit development proposal and preliminary plat for Mill Creek Estates, a 113-lot subdivision on 38 acres located at the south end of Chapman Hill Road in Bigfork.

This project was recommended for approval earlier this year. It had to be brought back before the board because the two items were inadvertently combined in a single staff report the first time around.