RV project goes to commission
A recreational vehicle park and cabin village planned in West Glacier goes before the Flathead Commissioners at 10 a.m. Tuesday.
The commissioners are not required to hold a public hearing on the major land-use permit request, but will take public comments for 75 minutes, starting at 8:45 a.m.
Glacier Park Inc., a company that owns and operates several of Glacier National Park’s historic lodges and hotels, wants to develop a 102-space RV park and 25 rental cabins on forested land off River Bend Drive. The property is just west of the West Glacier village and is part of a larger 178-acre tract owned by GPI. The RV park would have 63 acres of open space, 67 acres of residential area, and 47 acres for the campground. The actual developed land area is about 23 acres.
The RV park would be developed in two phases to the back of the property, while the seasonal cabins would be located in a subdivision on property closest to River Bend Drive.
The property is designated as a planned community area in the Canyon Area Land Use Regulatory System, the land-use document that guides development in the West Glacier area. The proposed development appears to meet the eligibility standards for a planned community. GPI’s proposal will have its own water and sewer system, a 30-foot landscaped border and more than the required 25 percent open space. The project proposes 63 acres, or 35 percent open space.
A green-space buffer would be established around the park, and land adjacent to the Middle Fork of the Flathead River would remain undeveloped, according to planning documents. GPI also has plans to provide a shuttle service for customers, and intends to build a public path through the property so visitors can walk to West Glacier and Glacier National Park.
The county Planning Board in April recommended approval of the project on a 5-3 vote, with Sandra Nogal, Rita Hall and Dean Sirucek voting against the proposal largely because of concerns over increased traffic, noise and community impact.
The commissioners may vote on the proposal following Tuesday’s discussion, but often table their decisions to a later date if there is a lot of public comment or additional information provided in the 11th hour.
Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.