Board backs affordable housing

By WILLIAM L. SPENCET

he Daily Inter Lake

The Flathead County Planning Board continues to put its stamp on the draft growth policy, demanding on Thursday that the document place greater emphasis on affordable housing and homeownership.

During its third work session to discuss the draft, the board directed county planners to develop a new goal and several new policies specifically related to this issue.

"I think every employer in the valley who's tried to hire someone from out of the area has run into the problem of affordable housing here," said Gene Dziza, who owns an auto repair business. "The first thing people ask is what they'll get paid. The next thing they ask about is home prices."

Buying a home is the primary way most people increase their net worth, Dziza said. Half the small business loans in the Flathead are also financed with home equity, so maintaining a supply of affordable homes and rentals benefits the local economy in a number of ways.

Goal 16 in the draft growth policy addresses the housing issue, calling for "safe housing that is available, accessible and affordable for all sectors of the population."

However, Dziza and other board members felt that section needed to be beefed up. They asked the planning staff to develop a new goal to "encourage affordable housing in Flathead County."

The board proposed several policies to achieve that goal, including encouraging density bonuses for subdivisions that provide affordable housing and have access to public sewer and water services; facilitating the development of subdivisions for pre-manufactured homes; and designating areas for trailer parks.

The board was clearly aware that trailer parks and high-density subdivisions typically draw substantial opposition from the surrounding landowners.

However, they also made it clear that this was an issue they're willing to fight for.

"People have to get a start somewhere," said board president Jeff Larsen.

After a lengthy discussion regarding affordable housing, the board also debated Policy 16.6, which directs the planning office to "evaluate the feasibility of establishing a county building department."

Flathead County operated a building department beginning in July 1993, but the commissioners abandoned that effort 13 months later in the face of overwhelming opposition and threatened lynchings.

Planning board member Charles Lapp recommended eliminating Policy 16.6, largely because he didn't want a repeat of the 1993 fiasco. However, he indicated he wouldn't have a problem if the county hired some sort of subdivision inspector to make sure that developers do what they're supposed to do.

Several board members said they've heard horror stories about newcomers to the valley who think their homes are subject to some kind of inspection or building codes, but who find out otherwise when their foundation starts warping or things start falling apart.

The board seemed to want to do something to alleviate that problem, but also didn't want to return to the same type of inspection practices that infuriated residents before.

They took no action on Policy 16.6 on Thursday, agreeing to come back to the issue at a later date.

After three work sessions, the board has reviewed about 30 percent of the draft policy.

Its next work session will be Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the second-floor conference room of the Earl Bennett Building. After that, the work sessions will take place every Tuesday and Thursday in the commissioners' hearing room, 800 South Main Street in Kalispell, beginning Sept. 26 at 6 p.m.