County planners buried by surge of subdivisions

In apparent imitation of recent weather patterns, the Flathead County Planning Office has been hit with a deluge all its own.

Over the past few weeks, the office has received almost two dozen major subdivision proposals.

This month alone, it will present 10 subdivision applications involving a total of 443 single-family and townhouse lots to the Flathead County Planning Board for its recommendation.

Thats more than a third the number of lots that received preliminary county approval during all of 2004.

Eleven more subdivisions are scheduled to go before the planning board in December.

I have no idea whats going on, Assistant Planning Director BJ Grieve said.

But its an ungodly number of lots and I just got a call this morning from someone whos bringing in another 150-lot project.

The November applications also include a 150-lot project, Buffalo Mountain, proposed on 491 acres at 617 Smith Lake Road.

The planning board will hold a public hearing on that application on Nov. 16 one of three meetings the board has scheduled this month.

Other sizable projects that will be presented this month include:

-Spur Wing, a 75-lot subdivision on 35 acres located off Bower Road in Lakeside; scheduled for the Nov. 16 planning board meeting.

-Whitefish River Ranch South, a 62-lot subdivision on 79 acres at 1328 Trumble Creek Road, north of Kalispell; scheduled for Nov. 9.

-Whisper Ridge, a 59-lot subdivision and planned unit development on 14 acres off Montana 35 in Bigfork; scheduled for Nov. 16.

After the planning board makes its recommendation on these proposals, the commissioners will take action on them.

Most of the projects also face regulatory hurdles related to water wells and septic systems.

This recent work load presents yet another challenge for the planning office, which has been down two planners for most of the year and which is trying to update the county growth policy.

However, the office hired one new planner last week and is currently re-advertising for an open Planner III position.

Its unclear whether more planners will be added beyond that.

At a recent meeting related to the subdivision regulations, several local surveyors questioned why additional planners werent being hired particularly since the planning office just raised its application fees, almost doubling the amount of revenue it brings in.

Reporter Bill Spence may be reached at 758-4459 or by e-mail at bspence@dailyinterlake.com