Pursuit builds parking lot in West Glacier; mini golf also planned
This patch of land was recently cleared of trees by Pursuit to make way for a 90 vehicle parking lot.
Trees have been cleared and land has been leveled for a 90-car parking lot off Old River Bridge Road in West Glacier. A miniature golf course is also planned behind the gas station. That was approved in January, but clearing for the project just began this fall.
The property is owned by Pursuit Collection, formerly Glacier Park Inc.
Despite repeated inquiries, the company did not return calls seeking comment on the projects.
The land clearing was done a few weeks ago. The parking lot was completed under a minor land-use permit from Flathead County and adheres to the regulations of the county’s Canyon Area Land Use Regulatory System, noted Rachel Ezell, a planner with the Flathead County Planning Office. The golf course, which appears to be 18 holes based on preliminary plans submitted to the county, was permitted under a minor land-use permit as well.
The course is required to have at least 22 parking spaces under the county permit.
The parking lot will not be paved to avoid runoff into the Middle Fork of the Flathead River, which is part of the Wild and Scenic River System. The parking lot is close to the river, but there is a buffer of trees between the lot and the river bank. The county permit required a stormwater runoff plan.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, the Wild and Scenic River Act is not a zoning document. Zoning, even in the Wild and Scenic River corridor, comes under state and local control.
“Although many [wild and scenic] rivers include private lands within the boundaries of the designated river area, management restrictions would apply only to federal lands. The federal government has no power to regulate or zone private lands under the Act; however, administering agencies may highlight the need for amendment to local zoning [where state and local zoning occurs],” according to a frequently asked question publication on the Act provided by the Forest Service.
Neighbors who contacted the Hungry Horse News aren’t happy about the added development to the small town that is the main entrance to Glacier National Park. They worry about traffic on a stretch of road that used to be fairly quiet, even in the summer months.
“I’m not sure how I’ll get out of my driveway,” said one neighbor, who asked not to be identified.
Since Pursuit bought the land from the Lundgren family a few years ago, they’ve made significant changes to the properties the Lundgrens once held. The largest was a development on River Bend Drive that was once a wooded lot. Pursuit built a 102-unit RV park there and a host of rental cabins, which has added to the congestion of the small town that hosts the busiest entrance to Glacier National Park.
The cabins, for two adults in July, rent for $269 per night. After taxes, they’re almost $300. The RV spots in July rent for $90 to $100 a night, according to the company’s website.
The company also converted a former photography shop into an ice cream stand, added a food truck in the summer, added outside seating in front of the West Glacier Restaurant, added a big red chair for people to take photos in and added a big bear sculpture.