Board signs off on 1,100-acre zone change

The Flathead County Planning Board recommended approval Wednesday for a zone change that would involve more than 1,100 acres near Whitefish.

If approved by county commissioners, land labeled AG-40 and AG-20 (agriculture) would become SAG-10 and SAG-5 (suburban agriculture) in the Blanchard Zoning District along U.S. 93 North.

Much of the land in the request likely would become part of the Whitefish Hills Forest and Whitefish Village subdivisions. The rest of the land involves smaller landowners wishing to break up their land for family transfers, which they can't do under the current zoning.

Eric Mulcahy with Sands Surveying spoke on behalf of the applicants, stating that the zoning district was created in 1993 in spite of objections from many large landowners in the area. Mulcahy said that county commissioners back then had told the landowners that future amendments would be allowed.

County planning staff reported that the zone changes would do little to change the overall character of the area, but board chairman Gordon Cross and board member Mike Mower strongly disagreed.

"I think there is a big difference between AG-40 and SAG-10," Cross said. "I think the staff report belittles that significance when you have at least a 400 percent increase to a 1,600 percent increase. I'm not comfortable with language that this isn't a significant change when it is."

The board's objections didn't end with the staff report.

"I have a problem with zone change requests," Mower said. "I think it changes the basic character of everything out there. We're setting up islands now. We're putting SAG-10 in the middle of AG-40. That's an inappropriate thing to do."

Some land in the area also is labeled as high priority for fuel reduction efforts. Allowing increased development within the wildland urban interface raised a few eyebrows on the board.

Russell Ryan, who owns property in the zoning district, said that although Whitefish Hills Forest has been a good neighbor, he disagreed with the request.

"Personally, I don't care to see reductions in the zoning district," he said. "It was established for open agriculture and forest lands. Population increases and subdivision is going to happen, but it should be in a logical manner."

Ryan also noted that KM Ranch Road already was a dust bowl that could not support increased traffic.

In spite of the concerns, board member Gene Dziza moved to recommend approval of the zone change. There was discussion on how to amend the motion to approve only some of the zone changes, but talk stalled.

The motion carried 5-2 with Cross and Mower objecting.

The application now will be forwarded with a recommendation for approval to the county commissioners.

The commissioners will have the final say on the proposed zone change.

Reporter Michael Richeson may be reached at 758-4459 or by E-mail at mricheson@dailyinterlake.com