Board votes to deny recommendation for South Fork Addition
HEIDI DESCH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 19 years, 10 months AGO
DEPUTY EDITOR, FEATURES Heidi Desch is the Deputy Editor at the Daily Inter Lake, overseeing coverage of arts, culture, lifestyle, community, and business. Desch leads reporters in developing stories that highlight the people, traditions, and events shaping Northwest Montana, guiding content across print and digital platforms. With more than 20 years of journalism experience, including serving as managing editor of the Whitefish Pilot, Desch is a graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism. She has received multiple Montana Newspaper Association awards, including part of the team leading the Daily Inter Lake to Best Daily Newspaper in Montana Award and the General Excellence Award in 2024 and 2025. IMPACT: Heidi’s work connects readers with stories that deepen the understanding of the community beyond daily news. | December 22, 2006 10:00 PM
Hungry Horse News
The Flathead County Planning Board voted to deny recommendation for the South Fork Addition to Hungry Horse Wednesday.
The vote was 8-1. Chairman Jeff Larsen was the sole vote in favor of the subdivision.
Hungry Horse Development Partners and Stephan Byrd submitted an application for the project to the county in August.
The project is set on about 90 acres of land near Canyon Elementary School, which the developers purchased from the Forest Service via online auction for $2.38 million.
It could potentially add about 900 housing units to the town. According to the 2000 census, the population of Hungry Horse was 934 residents.
The project calls for building 34 multi-family structures with 401 units in phase one. In phase two 215 units are planned in single and multi-family lots or structures. Planned for phase three is a total of 289 dwelling units.
County planning staff gave a negative endorsement of the project citing negative impacts on area schools and traffic as potential problems.
A standing room only crowd came to hear the developer's proposal Wednesday.
Residents spoke out against the plan, citing concerns over the impacts, including strain on emergency services, high density of the project and an already busy U.S. Highway 2 through Bad Rock Canyon.
The project will now go before the County Commissioners, likely in February.
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