C.F. plan boundary may shrink

The Daily Inter Lake

Flathead County commissioners are proposing a change to the county's interlocal agreement with Columbia Falls that could set the stage for ending the city's planning jurisdiction at its city limits.

Columbia Falls City Council members will get their first look at the proposed amendment during tonight's council meeting.

In 2004, county commissioners initiated a change to the then-existing planning agreement among the county and cities. In January 2005, Columbia Falls adopted that revised interlocal agreement giving the city authority, and assigning related costs, for planning and subdivision review within a mile of city limits.

The relationship has worked well for both the county and Columbia Falls.

But a subsequent flap over planning in the planning "doughnut" area around Whitefish prompted a District Court opinion that the county had no right under Montana law to cede its planning authority to another jurisdiction.

As a result, Whitefish is losing any planning jurisdiction beyond its city limits and is appealing the ruling to the state Supreme Court.

The amendment could result in a similar revocation of planning jurisdiction in Columbia Falls. Currently the agreement can be terminated only by mutual consent. The amendment gives authority for either party to end the agreement with six months' written notice.

In other business tonight:

. The council also will consider awarding a $420,000 contract to Swank Enterprises for upgrades to the pretreatment building at the city's wastewater treatment plant. It's the first phase of a $3.9 million improvement project at the plant.

. Columbia Falls could have an ice skating rink if the council accepts a donation from the Community Foundation of Bigfork. Bigfork cannot use it, so offered to give the 90-by-70-foot, 400-pound membrane that holds 30,000 gallons of water. The city is investigating locations for it.

. Hold a public hearing, and consider a resolution, on abandoning a short stretch of Ninth Avenue West between Sixth Street and Fifth Street, behind Columbia Arms apartments off Truck Route. Habitat for Humanity wants to build there and is asking the city to abandon plans to build a road there in the future.

. Waive preliminary plat and grant final plat approval for Steele Estates, a proposed three-lot subdivision off 12th Avenue West and Talbott Road, just east of Wildcat Estates.

. Give second reading to a law against leaving dangerous and decaying structures in place.

. Appoint directors and designate the Dec. 5 Night of Lights celebration an official city activity.

. Give notice of a Dec. 15 hearing for a city code text amendment to consider the size of all existing reader boards for schools, churches and other public buildings as conforming.

The council meeting starts at 7 p.m. in City Hall.