Group puts finishing touches on land-use plan

After nearly three years of work, members of the Bigfork Land Use Advisory Committee and its steering committee approach the final stages of polishing the Bigfork Neighborhood Plan.

Called a guideline for growth, the plan reflects a community effort to update a plan written in 1993. The document provides more than 100 pages with recommendations geared to retain the character and village atmosphere of Bigfork.

Shelley Gonzales of the land-use advisory committee worked as one of the framers of the document. She said the plan grew from a community survey in 2005.

It was submitted to the county commissioners in March. In September, the county sent a letter outlining issues identified during a planning-staff review of the neighborhood plan. Gonzales called the issues regulatory in nature, relating to consistency with county and state regulations.

According to Gonzales, assistant planning director B. J. Grieve has helped make the corrections and fill gaps.

"We were missing a future land-use designation map," she said. "We're working on that and we plan on having all the changes by the end of the year."

The two committees expect to submit the document to the Planning Board in January 2008.

After the Planning Board review, the Bigfork plan moves back to the Flathead County commissioners for acceptance. Even without the final stamp of approval, the advisory committee has the survey-sourced document as a resource.

The Bigfork Land Use Advisory Committee, consisting of six elected members and one appointed member, reviews and makes recommendations on all requests made within Bigfork's planning area to county decision-making boards.

REQUESTS FOR zoning changes and subdivision approvals keep coming, even with the significant slowdown in property sales in recent months, Gonzales said. Land-use advisory committee work shows the direction of Bigfork growth.

As an example, Tuesday's agenda included two zoning changes for Saddlehorn, a new resort community progressing with step-by-step review by the committee.

Doug Averill, the landowner, describes Saddlehorn on the Internet "as a family-friendly, amenity-rich community" patterned after Flathead Lake Lodge. The Averill family also owns Flathead Lake Lodge.

As originally envisioned, the development included 320 units on 800 acres on a mountain bordered by Montana 35 and Montana 209 overlooking Bigfork village.

An advocate of area-sensitive development, Averill plans for the resort to include rustic-themed residences, an equestrian center, lodge and other amenities aimed at protecting "the viewshed" of Bigfork.

Saddlehorn's recently completed sales center, Discovery Tower, reflects the "pioneer architecture" envisioned for the high-end resort community. The group extensively remodeled the old Flathead Bank Building on Grand Avenue into a log-sided sales center with a stone tower.

Averill and others associated with Saddlehorn provide progress reports at committee meetings on the evolving project. Ralph Walton recently reported the company had submitted a preliminary plat for the second phase of development.

According to Walton, Saddlehorn is roughing out roads on the mountain and installing utility infrastructure. A trapper's cabin has been finished and three property owners stand ready to begin construction of custom homes.

Another commercial development discussed at the July meeting was a conditional-use permit application for a three-building complex to occupy one acre between Architectural Innovations and Branding Iron Station on Montana 35.

Recommended for approval by the committee, the development proposed by Randle and Roxanne Phelps would include a building with two offices and two retail structures, a six-unit vacation motel and a fellowship hall.

Plans for the structures include using all reclaimed wood with a Western theme. The fellowship hall would serve community groups such as Boy Scouts or AA.

Architectural plans are expected in May 2008. Next door, Branding Iron Station, under construction, has 14 commercial suites advertised for lease.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com