County saves $10,000 in payments to developers

Flathead County will reduce by $10,000 the amount it must pay two developers by paying three months earlier.

County commissioners agreed to modify the $2.25 million settlement with Kleinhans Farm Estates developers Keith Simon and Sean Averill of Whitefish related to a development near Somers.

The agreement called for the county to pay $1.1 million by Dec. 1, 2011, $125,000 by Feb. 1, 2012, and the final $1 million by Dec. 1, 2012. The first two payments were made on their due dates.

The county now will make a final $990,000 payment by Sept. 1.

Last August, a revised amendment to the settlement agreement was approved by the two parties following a Feb. 5, 2011, agreement that resolved a lawsuit filed by the developers against the county.

Originally, the county agreed to pay the developers $1 million and to construct an internal road network for the subdivision and two turn lanes on Montana 82.

But, after obtaining an estimate of the cost to build those interior roads, county commissioners determined it would be less expensive to increase the settlement amount.

Kleinhans Farm Estates had proposed a 286-lot subdivision, North Shore Ranch.

On April 23, 2008, county commissioners declined to approve the subdivision, citing flood easements on the property and the development’s proximity to a waterfowl production area.

The developers sued the county over the denial, leading eventually to the settlement agreement.

Reporter Shelley Ridenour may be reached at 758-4439 or sridenour@dailyinterlake.com.