Lakesidesubdivision approved

Flathead County commissioners approved a subdivision proposal Tuesday morning that eventually could add 821 more housing units to the Lakeside area.

Phases 5-9 of Eagle's Crest were approved by a 2-1 vote.

This was the second time the 739-lot, 821-unit phased subdivision, located one mile south of Lakeside, was brought before the commissioners.

In June, commissioners sent the subdivision back to the County Planning Board for further review.

In September, the planning board voted 5-4 to recommend approval. The Planning Board added two major conditions about access roads and guest houses - but both were removed Tuesday by the commissioners.

The Montana Department of Transportation approved Eagle's Crest's two accesses onto U.S. 93 through phase five of the development. But with each phase after that the developer would be required to submit transportation studies.

The planning staff and the Planning Board both wanted the developer to create a third access road that would travel north up to Blackail Road. The planning staff said it would not support the subdivision if the condition creating the third access was removed.

Eagle's Crest developer Trevor Schaefer said he would do what the Department of Transportation told him to do, but that he did not think the third access was necessary.

Commissioner Dale Lauman agreed. Lauman and Commissioner Hall voted to remove the requirement for a third access.

Lauman, Hall and Commissioner Joe Brenneman voted to remove a condition that would prohibit guest houses. The Planning Board and planning staff were concerned about the additional hookups to the Lakeside sewer that guest houses might require. But Brenneman said he didn't see how such a condition could be enforced.

After two hours of discussion, Hall and Lauman voted to approve the subdivision while Brenneman voted no.

Hall later said that although he doesn't like big multiple-phase projects, he felt Eagle's Crest would be a nice retirement-type community.

Lauman said he was glad the commissioners had sent the proposal back to the Planning Board this summer because Eagle's Crest came back a better project the second time around.

"I'm happy with it," he said.

Brenneman, however, said because so many of the findings in the planning staff report appeared to be negative, he didn't feel they supported its passage.

With the approval of Phases 5-9, the Eagle's Crest subdivision could have more than 1,000 homes in the next 30 to 40 years.

Reporter Amy May may be reached at 758-4459 or by e-mail at amay@dailyinterlake.com