Board supports North Fork setback change

Prohibiting temporary structures from the setback area in the North Fork got a positive recommendation from the Flathead County Planning Board Wednesday night.

The vote was 4-3 in favor of approval.

The North Fork setback text amendments pertained to the 150-foot setback and gave a definition for a temporary structure.

Randy Kenyon, spokesman for the North Fork Land Use Advisory Committee, addressed the Planning Board. Kenyon said the text amendments were an attempt to clarify the original intent of the setbacks.

That position won the support of Gordon Cross, Marie Hickey Au’Claire, Frank Dekort and Jim Heim.

Voting no were Charles Lapp, Jeff Larsen and Bob Keenan.

They were uncomfortable with the North Fork Zoning District having a different definition for a temporary structure than the rest of the county’s zoning districts, County Planner Allison Mouch said. The North Fork definition adds more clarity, she said.

Mouch pointed out that there are several county zoning districts that have unique definitions for various uses, including Ashley Lake, Little Bitterroot Lake, the Canyon Area Land Use Regulatory System, and the LaGrant/Lindsey Lane districts.

A major land-use permit for Camp Winnakee LLC, which is commonly known as Glacier Guides Lodge, received unanimous approval for recommendation.

The lodge opened this past summer. The main issue was the number of occupants the building can hold. One of the conditions of approval is a requirement that the lodge have no more than 24 people.

A zoning change on 30 acres east of U.S. 2 south of Rose Crossing from Suburban Agricultural to Light Industrial also was recommended unanimously.

The items will now proceed to the Flathead County commissioners.