The Flathead County Planning Board voted 6-3 on Thursday night to continue the hearing about the Bigfork Neighborhood Plan until March 25. The plan first came before the board on April 9, 2008.

Public comment was not extensive, but opponents of the plan outlined their grievances and suggested it would open the county to legal action.

"The first time a subdivision is denied based on what's here, we're going to be facing more lawsuits," said American Dream Montana founder and well-known property rights activist Russ Crowder. "And I say this as someone who has just served the county with a lawsuit on behalf of one of our members."

Members of the Bigfork Land Use Advisory Committee and the Bigfork Steering Committee were visibly frustrated by the decision, which continues to elongate the more than four-year process.

"In good faith we made the changes you requested," said BLUAC chairperson Shelley Gonzales, referring to the board's suggested revisions after a Dec. 11, 2008 workshop. "It feels like we're being bullied."

For more on this story, see next week's Bigfork Eagle.