Planning board backs two zone changes
The Daily Inter Lake
Two zone changes proposed along U.S. 93, across from the Happy Valley subdivision, earned favorable recommendations Wednesday from the Flathead County Planning Board.
The two, adjacent zone changes cover 368 acres at the northwest intersection of U.S. 93 and KM Ranch Road.
If approved by the commissioners, they'll reduce the zoning from large-lot, 10-, 20- and 40-acre designations to SAG-5, 5-acre suburban agricultural zoning.
Several Planning Board members said they preferred to see even smaller lots in this area.
Former county planner Johna Morrison, now with Schwartz Architecture and Engineering, said SAG-5 was the highest density allowed by the current growth policy.
However, Morrison said that any subdivisions proposed on this property would be clustered, meaning the homes would be grouped on smaller lots.
The county zoning regulations give developers a 50-percent density bonus for cluster subdivisions, in return for the temporary preservation of open space. The lots are required to be less than 2 acres in size, on average.
Only a half-dozen people spoke during the public hearing on these proposals, including several of the applicants.
The board recommended approval of both zone changes on 7-1 votes.
Also on Wednesday, the board:
-Recommended approval of a zone change from AG-80 agricultural to SAG-5 suburban agricultural for 16 acres north of Three Mile Drive and west of Stillwater Road.
-Tabled, at the request of the developer, the preliminary plat of Cricket Place, a six-lot single-family subdivision on 20 acres off Foothill Road, west of Rockwood Estates.
The public hearing on this item will be postponed until Dec. 21.
-Recommended approval of the preliminary plat of Bald Rock, a four-lot single-family subdivision on 20 acres at 275 Bald Rock Road, 10 miles northwest of Kalispell.
-Recommended approval of the preliminary plat of the amended plat of Lots 2 and 3 in the Golden Meadow Estates subdivision, which would create four single-family lots on 20 acres at 4630 and 4650 Farm to Market Road.