Commissioners approve housing subdivision for former racetrack

Flathead County Commissioners have approved a plan that would turn the former Montana Raceway Park property into a 28-lot residential subdivision.

The property is 40 acres in size located between Kalispell and Whitefish on the west side of U.S. 93 off McDermott Lane.

Commissioners on April 5 approved the project known as the High Country Subdivision that would create 28 single-family residential lots on the property with 4.15 acres set aside as accessible open space and 1.31 acres dedicated as parkland.

The subdivision, once constructed, is estimated to generate 280 vehicle trips per day. County subdivision regulations state that a second primary access road may be required when the proposed subdivision generates more than 200 vehicle trips per day.

Commissioners approved a variance for the subdivision that allows for a future secondary emergency access road along an existing easement that aligns with Schrade Road. The road would be gravel.

Commissioners said that while a secondary access is needed to the subdivision, an emergency road — though not constructed to full county standards — would be sufficient.

“The need, in my mind, for an access is real,” Commissioner Randy Brodehl said.

The property would be served by individual septic systems and a shared water system.

The property is zoned AG-40, but the owner is seeking a zoning map amendment to change the zoning to R-1, the staff report notes.

The property is within the Riverdale Neighborhood Plan area and is designated as mixed use, which is described as intended to provide flexibility in design to promote a mix of commercial and housing options.

Features Editor Heidi Desch may be reached at 758-4421 or hdesch@dailyinterlake.com.