Majestic Valley zone change OK'd
The Flathead County commissioners on Wednesday gave a green light to future commercial development south of Majestic Valley Arena.
A zone change to allow a hotel, restaurant and other businesses — plus more signs to advertise the arena north of Kalispell — won unanimous approval from the commissioners. It affects 37.6 acres at the northwest corner of the intersection of Church Drive and U.S. 93 by changing the zoning from suburban agricultural with a 5-acre lot size to B-3 business zoning that allows congregated community shopping areas.
Majestic Valley Arena owners Bob and Jan Parker for some time have wanted a way to develop complementary businesses they say will be a convenience for people using the arena.
“Their mantra is to have a place to eat, sleep and compete,” Erica Wirtala of Sands Surveying, the owner’s representative, told the commissioners during an April 20 public hearing.
Competitors bringing in valuable reining and cutting horses worth tens of thousands of dollars have to leave their horses at the facility while they travel either to Kalispell or Whitefish to stay overnight, she pointed out.
The commercial zoning is a starting point for the Parkers to be able to market the property, Wirtala added. The couple plan to retire and want to advertise the property as a development-ready site.
Jan Parker told the commissioners they envision a hotel with 60 to 70 rooms.
“The property is not currently on the market, nor is the sole goal to sell the lower 40 acres,” Parker said. “Most hoteliers want you to build a hotel and they brand it. It’s a lease, not a sale. We have control over the design or how big.
“It can be serviced very nicely by all the shows along with Raceway Park,” she said. “I think we provide a huge service to this community.”
The use of Majestic Valley Arena has grown well beyond horse shows and competitions to include wedding expositions, arts and crafts shows, concerts, graduation ceremonies and large church services.
The Riverdale Land Use Advisory Committee and Flathead County Planning Board both recommended approval of the zone change.
Opposition to the project has come largely from Citizens for a Better Flathead, which maintains the commercial development should be addressed with a planned-unit development overlay, not a blanket zone for the property.
Some of the discussion regarding the zone change focused on whether the Parkers’ property would be able to connect to Kalispell sewer and water. Kalispell city limits border Church Drive.
The Kalispell City Council five years ago denied a request to annex the arena property, but in January this year the Kalispell Planning Department indicated that perhaps an annexation district could be developed where the property could hook up to city utilities without being fully annexed.
The Kalispell Planning Office told the City Council earlier this year that a county B-3 zone would not comply with the city’s growth policy if the Parkers were to request annexation, and added that “this type of speculative zoning pits the city against the county in a bidding war for zoning.”
Commissioner Gary Krueger said whether or not the Parkers want to sell their property is not relevant to the zone change.
“They’re going through a process the county does to make a zone change,” Krueger said. “It’s not my deal to worry about their bargaining chip.”
Krueger further stated he believes the matter of a planned-unit development overlay is separate from the zone change request.
Commissioner Pam Holmquist said the zone change will facilitate what she sees as a good project.
“It’s a first step forward in a long process. There will be plenty of review down the road,” she said.
Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.