Panel supports Marion subdivision

By JOHN STANG/Daily inter Lake

A proposed subdivision on almost 800 acres of Plum Creek land received a conditional thumbs-up Monday from the Little Bitterroot Lake Land Use Advisory Committee

The proposal goes to the Flathead County Planning Board at 6 p.m. today. The Planning Board is being asked to make a recommendation for a preliminary plat for the site northwest of Marion.

Township 110 Land Co., a real estate investment trust owned by Plum Creek Timber Co., wants to create the 70-lot Haskell's Pass subdivision, with lots ranging from 3 acres to just under 102 acres.

The investment trust would put in roads, utilities and other development features, and then hopes to sell the lots in about two years. Buyers then would build their own homes.

The advisory committee voted 3-0 to recommend approval of a preliminary plat with some conditions attached. One board member was absent and another abstained because he works for Plum Creek.

The committee and the Township 110 Land Co. reached agreement on many of their differences.

A major committee recommendation is to make certain provisions in the site's covenants more enforceable, chairman Jeff Ellingson said.

The committee also is trying to nail down provisions to ensure that the construction does not dominate the ridge line, he said.

Township 110 Land Co. proposes one looped access road off Pleasant Valley Road to reach several cul-de-sacs off that loop to serve 70 home sites spread across 798 acres of forested creek-bottom and steep land with rocky cliffs. There's also an 11-acre community park and two more acres in scattered locations, plus hiking and biking trails.

Public access to the trails depends on whether the county accepts the deed to some land along Pleasant Valley Road and Bonneville Power transmission lines that would connect with a public trail system along a railroad easement to the northeast.

Developers propose on-site individual wells and septic systems, a central solid waste pickup site, 100-foot native growth protection easements, a 150-foot setback from Herrig Creek and other homeowner covenants that establish higher standards than county minimums.

The Marion Fire District and Township 110 have agreed for the district to annex Haskell's Pass into its territory.