The Flathead County Board of Adjustment unanimously approved a conditional use permit for a 33-acre gravel pit and concrete batch plant on Tuesday.

The pit, which is owned by JTL Group, will be located on the east bank of the Flathead River immediately south of Montana 35.

Three other mines, two of which are owned by JTL, abut the site to the east and the south.

The permit comes with 32 conditions dealing with such issues as hours of operation, noise abatement and shoreline protection.

Following a three-hour public hearing and discussion, the board amended the proposed conditions to address concerns raised both by JTL and by residents in the adjoining Sunrise Terrace subdivision.

However, the board was unable to find a mutually acceptable solution to one issue.

The Sunrise Terrace residents had asked that the concrete plant be relocated about 200 feet to the south, onto property that surrounds one of JTL's two other permitted gravel pits.

They said relocating the plant would lead to a much earlier reclamation of the other pit and of the new, 33-acre pit.

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality supported that proposal.

JTL said it was willing to make the switch - provided it wouldn't result in any delays. In short, the company would comply with the move, as long as the board would immediately approve a conditional use permit for the plant.

However, Planning Director Jeff Harris, as well as various attorneys at the meeting, said moving the plant would require a new permit application. Public notice requirements also would prevent the board from acting on the application immediately.

In an effort to find a middle ground, board member Scott Hollinger added a condition that requires JTL to submit a new permit application for a concrete plant on the southern site within the next year.

Neither JTL or the neighbors were particularly happy with the amendment, but the board approved it and the initial permit application on a 3-0 vote.

Reporter Bill Spence may be reached at 758-4459 or by e-mail at [email protected]