Sewer impasse may stop subdivision
The Daily Inter Lake
Commissioners OK Cottonwood Estates
A major subdivision along Helena Flats Road won preliminary approval from the Flathead County commissioners on Tuesday.
However, one of the conditions imposed on the project could prevent it from moving forward any time soon.
Cottonwood Estates would have 91 single-family lots on 38 acres about a half-mile north of Montana 35, directly east of Solberg Drive.
The commissioners approved a resolution of intent on Tuesday, indicating their willingness to change the zoning on the property from SAG-10 suburban agricultural to R-3 residential.
The move kicks off a formal, 30-day protest period.
The commissioners also approved the preliminary subdivision plat on a 2-1 vote, with Commissioner Joe Brenneman voting in opposition and Commissioner Bob Watne voting in support via telephone from his home in Arizona.
Commissioner Gary Hall also voted for the project.
One of the conditions for final plat approval is that the subdivision must receive public sewer service from either Kalispell or Evergreen.
The property is immediately adjacent to the Evergreen sewer district in an area that may have issues with high groundwater.
Consequently, the commissioners felt public sewer service was essential. They removed an option that would have allowed for an onsite treatment system.
Cottonwood can't connect to Evergreen's sewer lines, though, without approval from Kalispell and Evergreen.
(Kalispell has a say in the matter because it provides sewage treatment service to the Evergreen district.)
Both Kalispell and Evergreen have indicated their willingness to serve Cottonwood and other projects like it. However, each has certain conditions that must be met prior to connection - and to date, these conditions have been mutually exclusive, meaning Cottonwood can't satisfy both sides at the same time.
There has been some recent effort to resolve this impasse. Barring a legal challenge, though, Cottonwood will remain in limbo until a solution can be found.