County OKs Marion-area subdivision

The Daily Inter Lake

The Flathead County commissioners on Monday lauded a cooperative effort between Little Bitterroot Lake property owners and Plum Creek Land Co. before unanimously approving the Haskell's Pass subdivision north of Marion.

The 70-lot development - planned by Plum Creek real estate investment trust Township 110 Land Co. - covers nearly 800 acres of Plum Creek land along Pleasant Valley Road and north of Little Bitterroot Lake. Contrary to earlier reports, the subdivision will not be gated.

Lots range in size from 3 to just under 102 acres.

A similar 72-lot Plum Creek project was approved more than a year ago and then was withdrawn when neighbors filed a lawsuit against it over environmental concerns.

Since then, applicant Peter Strelinger, director of development for Plum Creek, has been working with the Little Bitterroot Lake Land Use Advisory Committee to find common ground on issues such as the steamside protection of Herrig Creek.

"This proves that cooperation between landowners and developers can work," Commissioner Dale Lauman said.

Commissioner Joe Brenneman agreed.

"I've been somewhat less than fully supportive" of Plum Creek's development efforts, "but lo and behold, this is one I can support," Brenneman said of Haskell's Pass.

Outgoing Commissioner Gary Hall said he was happy to be able to approve the last preliminary plat on the agenda before leaving office at the end of the year.

Hall was particularly pleased that a condition about access rights put back in the project, even though the county Planning Board had deleted it.

That condition directs Plum Creek to make sure legal access rights granted to Flathead County across state trust land on the site will be used as general public right of way.

"Plum Creek said to put it back in, and personally, that's a monumental right thing to do," Hall said. "Plum Creek went over and above to mitigate impacts."

Plum Creek will pave nearly one mile of Pleasant Valley Road.

A 150-foot stream buffer will be placed on both sides of Herrig Creek.

The developer also will apply for annexation into the Marion Fire District.