Subdivision containing 125 homes proposed for Bigfork

The Bigfork Land Use Advisory Committee on June 29 will take a look at a plan to construct 125 single-family homes in Bigfork.

Wyoming-based Longbow Land Partners is proposing to build the Northshore Woods housing subdivision on 105 acres between Montana 35 and Bigfork Stage Road, near the intersection of the highway and Peaceful Drive. The property is vacant.

The committee meets downstairs at Bethany Lutheran Church at 4 p.m.

According to a planned unit development application filed with Flathead County Planning and Zoning March 30, the company intends to build 125 single-family units on the property and is asking the county to cut the required lot size in half to do so.

The company says the new housing development would help alleviate the pressures of the surging population boom in the area.

“The growth policy identified housing as one of the basic needs of our growing population, sets goals to promote a diverse demographic of residents and provide safe housing that is available, accessible and affordable for all sectors of the population,” the application stated. “This development helps fulfill that basic need and achieve those goals.”

The developer is seeking three requests for the property — to rezone the property from residential cluster and suburban residential to one-family limited residential, a planned unit development and a preliminary plat to create the first 51 residential lots.

The application states that the entire project would be completed in five phases over 20 years and would include more than 12 acres of designated park space “...with the goals of maintaining a wooded buffer along the perimeter to provide screening, preserve the mountain-like feel and protect trees.

While there has been some concern about the development’s impact on an already taxed water and sewer system, the application states the development will be connected to the Bigfork Water and Sewer District, and that capacity has been verified with the district.

The Bigfork Water and Sewer issued a letter included with the application saying it will serve the project.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks outlined its concerns about the proposed project in a letter filed with the county May 17 in which FWP states the 105-acre parcel holds important wildlife value, including providing winter range for whitetail deer, and is home to a variety of large mammals, including black bears, mountain lions and the occasional grizzly.

“This subdivision falls within the winter range of whitetail deer, which may have a significant impact on the population. Minimizing impacts to winter range to the extent possible, which includes keeping dogs away from wintering wildlife, is an important part of maintaining wildlife on the landscape,” the letter said. “Maintaining undeveloped areas can serve as both wildlife habitat and maintain travel routes for wildlife moving through the area. Open areas not only provide benefits to wildlife, but also to the residents of the subdivision, who can enjoy the open space and wildlife it attracts.”

The letter recommends fences around gardens should be at least 8 feet high or taller, that pets should be contained to the house or a fenced yard and that fencing of lot boundaries should be discouraged as it restricts wildlife movement and animals can become ensnared or killed by fencing.

Another concern with the new development is its impact on traffic in the area.

Vehicular access to the proposed development will be via one approach on the north side intersecting Peaceful Drive, and one approach on the east side with Bigfork Stage Road.

While a traffic impact study funded by the developer and conducted by WGM Group, Inc of Missoula found the proposed Northshore Woods development will generate new traffic, the analysis shows that the proposed site approaches will operate at a very good level of service during the peak hours.

According to the study, the site-generated traffic will not impact traffic operations during the peak morning hour at the intersection of Montana 35 and Peaceful Drive. However, additional delay during the peak evening hour is possible on the Peaceful Drive approach.

Longbow Land Partners has stated its intention to improve and pave the existing gravel roadway surface of Bigfork Stage Road along the proposed development’s frontage in an attempt to help with traffic issues.

In addition, the proposed Northshore Woods development would provide sidewalks and trails for internal walking and biking trips.

Sidewalks will be constructed adjacent to all streets within the Northshore Woods development and there is ongoing coordination to provide a trail connection on the east side of the development to the Bigfork Harrell Community Forest Trail project currently in the planning process.

Recommendations from BLUAC are forwarded to the Flathead County Planning Board.