Developer gets 30 more days

By WILLIAM L. SPENCE

Commissioners give Greywolf project extra time for revisions

The Daily Inter Lake

The Flathead County commissioners took no action Tuesday on a controversial subdivision proposed near Kila.

The Greywolf project calls for 17 single-family home lots on 90 acres along Spring Hill Road, south of Kila. The lots would range from 5.0 to 6.75 acres in size. The initial application indicated that they would be served by individual water wells and septic systems.

During the commissioners' general public comment period, neighbors raised a number of objections about the proposal, including the potential impacts on water availability, the poor condition of Spring Hill Road and the fire hazard in the area.

"For 30 years, it's been an unabridged struggle to find enough water there," said Keith Bassett, an adjacent property owner. "There's just not an adequate amount of water available."

Valerie Kurtzhaus noted that half the wells surrounding the proposed subdivision yield less than three gallons per minute. She also pointed out that Spring Hill Road is the only access to this area.

In the event of a forest fire, "we're all going to be bottlenecked," Kurtzhaus said. "This is a perfect example of how growth shouldn't occur."

Commissioner Gary Hall noted that the some of the concerns about the subdivision could be mitigated with conditions. For example, the developer would be required to improve and pave a portion of Spring Hill Road. The county planning office and planning board also recommended that a public water system be required, to ensure adequate water availability and to minimize the possible effects on neighboring wells.

Even with those conditions, though, Hall said he wasn't ready to recommend approval.

Commissioner Bob Watne didn't offer an opinion on the subdivision. Commissioner Joe Brenneman said he was opposed.

"It's a risk to public safety and the public welfare," he said. "I can't support it. I think it has potential, but it's coming to us with lots of unanswered questions."

Rather than reject the subdivision outright, however, commissioners Hall and Watne voted to continue the item for 30 days, to give the developer and the planning office an opportunity to refine some of the proposed conditions.

Brenneman voted against the continuance.