C.F. Council backs condo project
By NANCY KIMBALL
The Daily Inter Lake
A 16-unit condominium development in Columbia Falls finally got the go-ahead from the City Council Monday night.
Ski Grace Ann is a planned unit development on two acres fronting the Flathead River at the east end of Talbott Road. Its public hearing had been continued from the Nov. 6 council meeting for lack of a quorum.
Bill Drososki originally proposed building five four-plex units through his Skidog Construction business, but scaled it back to answer concerns of neighbors who feared it would destroy the area's quiet character and add too much traffic to the streets.
He designed more on-site parking and realigned the new proposal's four buildings to break up what could have appeared to be one solid length of building if viewed from the river.
At the request of the planning board, he also committed to extending the Talbott bike path through his property to the river.
The last two items brought comment Monday night before the council gave its unanimous approval. Council members Don Barnhart and Julie Plevel recused themselves from the discussion and vote because of business interests. Council member Mike Shepard was absent.
Council member Doug Karper asked to amend one condition, assuring that the Ski Grace Ann homeowners association would maintain the condition of the graveled path extension from the east side of the paved parking lot down to the river.
His colleague Harvey Reikofski wanted assurance that the eastern-most building complies with riverbank setback requirements. When realigning the building layout, Drososki moved that building farther north and closer to the riverbank. But his representative, surveyor Olaf Ervin, assured the planning board that it will lie at least 20 feet back from the high-water mark.
The council also approved a pair of small-business developments.
. Bernard Stiede came to the council after winning the planning board's recommendation for RisingSun Espresso, a drive-through coffee stand, along U.S. 2 East near East Wood Village on the edge of city limits.
The business would share an access road with East Wood residents immediately south of there, but would have its own access
road to the west. Service will be from windows on both sides of the 12-by-20-foot building.
Answering concerns about traffic backing up onto the highway, he agreed to move the building to the south and east. He also will straighten out a curve in the shared road to the east to avoid possible traffic problems between entering and exiting vehicles, and will widen the west access road.
. Lew Bonitz also won the planning board's recommendation for a custom gunsmithing shop on 12 acres he is in the process of buying along North Hilltop Road just north of U.S. 2.
Although it is classified as a family business, the council agreed to waive a statutory limitation of one nonfamily employee and allow up to three nonfamily members as employees. Family members who work there also must live there.
The council and planning board decisions rose from the 12 acres buffering the home and business from neighbors. Council members were concerned that the buffer could be lost if the land is subdivided later. They agreed to require that the conditions of approval - requiring the business owner to return to the planning board and council if the land is subdivided - be recorded legally so a future plat search would turn up the restriction.
City Manager Bill Shaw said Bonitz told him virtually no customers would visit the site, as most of his jobs are arranged online and over the phone. Shaw said a couple of delivery trucks a week should be the extent of traffic related to the business.
Reporter Nancy Kimball can be reached at 758-4483 or by e-mail at nkimball@dailyinterlake.com