Bigfork distillery requests permit to move business

Whistling Andy distillery is looking to move its operation to a new location in Bigfork.

The owner of the distillery has applied for a conditional use permit with Flathead County to allow the business to operate at 8030 Montana 35 in a warehouse building that formerly housed a car museum.

The request goes before the county board of adjustment Tuesday, June 7. The board meets at 6 p.m. at the Flathead County Fairgrounds in the 4-H Building, 265 N Meridian Rd. in Kalispell.

Brian Anderson, a founder of the distillery, is requesting the permit that would allow the distillery and restaurant to operate on the property that is zoned as general business district. County zoning regulations consider the business to be a tavern, which requires a conditional use permit to operate in that zoning.

The property is 1.84 acres in size and includes a 25,000-square-foot building. The craft house restaurant features 3,500 square feet of interior dining space, bar seating, restrooms and a commercial kitchen, according to application. It includes 3,300 square feet of exterior dining space.

A total of 40 parking spaces are proposed for the tavern with 10 designated for employees. This exceeds county requirements for parking, which requires 29 spaces based upon the planned 84 seats for patrons and the expected six to eight employees on premises at one time.

Hours of operation are expected to be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The distillery and restaurant is expected to create about 55 vehicle trips per day with access to Montana 35. The traffic increase is considered negligible on the state highway, according to the planning staff report.

ALSO ON the agenda, the board will consider a request from C Holdings, LLC for an after-the-fact zoning variance. The property is zoned business service and is located at 3905 Montana 40 near Columbia Falls.

The applicant is requesting a variance to the front setback requirements for an existing structure. The zone requires a front yard setback of 30 feet for all structures. According to the submitted site plan, an office building was constructed within 17 feet of the edge of the Lily Lane easement.

The board will also consider a request from Joseph and Katherine Jimenez for an after-the-fact variance to zoning regulations to the setback requirements and lot coverage for a property located at 22 Terry Road within the Evergreen zoning district. The property is zoned R-5.

A duplex was constructed on the property and the applicant is requesting a variance to the rear setback requirement because the building is about 7 feet from the rear property boundary line while the requirement is 20 feet.

Also requested is a variance to the lot coverage requirement because the duplex has a lot coverage amount that equals about 47% and the maximum lot coverage in that zone is 40%.

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