Semitool seeks expansion of industrial land-use status
The Daily Inter Lake
The Flathead County Planning Board will hold public hearings tonight on a growth policy amendment and two large subdivision proposals.
The growth policy amendment is being requested by Semitool Inc. Its intended to clean up an oversight from several years ago and to facilitate a potential expansion of the companys manufacturing facility.
If approved, the amendment would change the land-use designation from agricultural to industrial for the 70 acres immediately surrounding and north of the Semitool manufacturing plant on West Reserve Drive.
A portion of the property about 30 acres is zoned SAG-10 suburban agricultural; the remainder was zoned light industrial several years ago, without changing the growth policy.
This proposed amendment would correct the resulting discrepancy between the growth policy and zoning regulations. According to the planning staff report, it also would facilitate a potential future expansion of the Semitool plant.
Semitool has reportedly acquired the old Costco building on U.S. 2 to expand its manufacturing capabilities.
Other items on tonights agenda include:
-The preliminary plat for Whitefish River Ranch South, a 62-lot residential subdivision on 79 acres located off Trumble Creek Road, adjacent to the Whitefish River.
This property was part of the massive Two Rivers Neighborhood Plan, which was approved earlier this year by the county commissioners and which is currently being litigated.
The area is unzoned.
The subdivision application calls for 47 single-family home lots plus 15 townhouse units and 22 acres of open space, most of which is located in the 100-year flood zone along the river.
A multi-user sewer and community water system also is proposed. The planning staff is asking that dry sewer lines be installed as well so that the project can easily connect to Evergreen or Kalispell sewer lines in the future.
-The preliminary plat for Fox Hill Estates Phase 4, a 32-lot single-family subdivision on 66 acres in Creston just off Mennonite Church Road.
Most of the proposed lots are 0.3 to 0.4 acres; two large lots of 20 and 21 acres would remain in agricultural production for an unspecified amount of time.
The application proposes a multi-user sewer and water system.
The project is located along gravel roads in an area where numerous dust complaints have been received. Consequently, Flathead County Road Superintendent Charlie Johnson suggested that its time to create a special improvement district for Mennonite Church Road and possibly Creston Road.
The district would issue bonds to pay for paving the county roads; homeowners in the area would pay an annual assessment to cover the cost of the bonds.
Since January, the county commissioners have required new subdivisions, as a condition of approval, to waive the right to protest the creation of special improvement districts.
Johnson said several subdivisions near Fox Hill Estates have signed such waivers.
-The preliminary plat for the resubdivision of Lot 1 of Bonnie Acres, which would create two single-family lots on 5 acres at 1680 Conn Road.
Tonights planning board meeting will be held in the second-floor conference room of the Earl Bennett Building in Kalispell, beginning at 6 p.m.