State lands plan earned favorable recommendation

The Daily Inter Lake

A 13,000-acre state land neighborhood plan earned a unanimous recommendation for approval from the Flathead County Planning Board on Wednesday.

The board had almost no comments or discussion of the plan, which was submitted by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

The document outlines various ways in which the agency hopes to increase revenue from the school trust lands by allowing limited residential and commercial development in some areas, while still protecting public access and recreational uses on the bulk of the property.

The plan now goes to the county commissioners for final action. If approved, it would be incorporated into the county growth policy.

Given that some of the trust lands are located in areas covered by the Whitefish growth policy, the Whitefish City Council also has to approve the proposal. The Whitefish City-County Planning Board recommended approval of the plan last week.

In other action on Wednesday, the planning board:

. Unanimously recommended approval of a zone change from R-2 limited residential to B-2 general business for property located at 2150 Montana 35 East. Montana Pack & Saddlery is currently located on the lot.

. Unanimously recommended approval of the preliminary plat for Stillwater at Whitefish, a 12-lot subdivision proposed on 131 acres next to the Stillwater River, 11 miles west of Whitefish, at 7254 Farm to Market Road.

. Voted 4-3 to recommend denial of the preliminary plat for East Meadows, a six-lot subdivision on eight acres located at 79 Sky Ridge Lane near Columbia Falls. Some board members felt the smaller lots were inconsistent with the area. There were also concerns about high ground water.

These items will now go to the commissioners for final action.