Setback workshop is tonight

The Daily Inter Lake

Residents hoping to weigh in on the setback debate in Flathead County will have one more opportunity tonight.

The Flathead County Planning Board will meet for a second public workshop on the proposed setback standards for the county's subdivision regulations.

The first workshop, held two weeks ago, drew about 100 members of the public to the county fairgrounds. Comments at the workshop were split fairly evenly between the property rights and water quality protection camps.

There were many comments questioning how much scientific research had been conducted to come up with the setback distances. Many people also expressed concern that a "one size fits all" for each river was too broad and that each property's need for setbacks should be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

The county's proposed setbacks require no building within 250 feet from the county's major waterways including the Flathead, Stillwater, Swan and Whitefish rivers; 200 feet from other rivers including Ashley Creek (from Smith Lake to the Flathead River) and Pleasant Valley-Fisher River; and 100 feet from all other perennial streams.

In areas where the 100-year floodplain is wider than the riparian setback on either or

both sides of the stream, the riparian setback shall be extended to the outer edge of the 100 years floodplain.

Proposed subdivisions in areas with municipal sewer service are exempt from setback requirements.

A number of uses and structures would be allowed within the proposed setbacks, including recreational structures such as docks, boat ramps, pathways and picnic areas, revegetation or reforestation to stabilize a flood zone, and hydro-electric facilities.

Under the proposed requirements, variances could be granted by the county commissioners.

The Planning Board will hear a report from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks prior to opening tonight's meeting to public comment.

The public workshop will be held at 6 p.m. in the second-floor conference room of the Earl Bennett Building,1035 1st Ave. W.