Board considers Lower Valley event venue
The Flathead County Board of Adjustment will consider tonight a request to operate an event venue south of Kalispell, and separately an appeal from neighbors regarding a previously approved short-term rental near Whitefish.
The board meets at 6 p.m. in the second floor conference room of the South Campus Building, 40 11th Street W, in Kalispell.
Regarding the recreational-use facility, Suny and Melissa Cheff, of Mountain Traveler Ranch LLC, are seeking a conditional-use permit to operate a facility allowing for an event venue for various activities at 1220 Lower Valley Road near Kalispell.
The property is zoned SAG-10 and the total acreage involved in the request is about 10 acres. The SAG-10 zoning is intended to provide and preserve agricultural functions and provide a buffer between urban and unlimited agricultural uses while encouraging the separation of such uses in areas where potential conflict of uses will be minimized.
Access to the property is planned from Somers Stage Road and secondary access from Lower Valley Road.
The property is expected to hold events that are booked for three to four days at a time, according to the application, and music will have a courtesy stopping time for surrounding neighbors before midnight.
The property is currently developed with a single-family dwelling, detached garage, barn and multiple accessory structures. The remainder of the property appears to be agricultural as there are horses on a portion of the property, according to the planning department staff report.
The property is adjacent on all sides with property zoned AG-20, AG-80 and SAG-10.
IN A separate item, a trio of neighbors are appealing a decision by the zoning administrator for the approval of an administrative conditional-use permit for short-term rental housing located at 1661 Whitefish Hills Drive in Whitefish. The property is about 20 acres and was granted approval for short-term rental permit on Dec. 16, 2021.
However, neighbors of the property Andrew Paslawsky, Kim Sands and Jon Heberling are appealing that decision to the board of adjustment claiming that the zoning administrator made several errors in approving the permit.
The short-term rental property in October 2021 applied for a conditional-use permit to allow for operation. During the public comment period, it was discovered that the property was already being operated as a vacation rental and the owners were given the opportunity to pay an after-the-fact permit and then approval for the permit was issued on Dec. 16, 2021.
The neighbors claim the zoning administrator erred in finding that the vacation rental would not be detrimental to surrounding neighbors and erred in omitting conditions for the permit that the owner is responsible for adhering to all covenants and conditions of the neighborhood.
The neighbors also claim that an error was made in determining that the site is suitable for a vacation rental by omitting that the cabin on the property and its septic field were allegedly built on a wetland.
For more information, visit https://flathead.mt.gov/planning_zoning/boardofadjustment.php
Features Editor Heidi Desch can be reached at 758-4421 or hedesch@dailyinterlake.com