Columbia Falls board supports subdivision

The Daily Inter Lake

After the developer promised to address traffic concerns, a 182-home development near Meadow Lake Resort won unanimous approval from the Columbia Falls Planning Board on Monday.

Meadow Lake Northwest is one of the city's largest subdivision proposals since Meadow Lake Resort was planned in the early 1980s.

Earlier this month, the board tabled decisions on zoning and subdivision approval after a five-hour hearing left questions about density, access and traffic.

Representatives from Aspen-Columbia Falls, a subsidiary of the Arizona-based development company The Aspen Group, met with neighbors Monday afternoon to work out traffic-flow remedies.

A key issue was traffic on Meadow Lake Drive; the proposed subdivision would add up to 1,500 more vehicle trips a day to the road.

"The board was pleased with the efforts the developer is making to work with adjacent neighbors on traffic-calming methods," Columbia Falls planner Lisa Horowitz said.

The Aspen Group became involved with Meadow Lake in fall 2005 when it bought 72 acres from Peter Tracy, who laid out Meadow Lake's 12-phase plan and has been developing what has now become 13 or 14 phases along with a hotel, restaurant, bar, pro shop and 18-hole golf course.