A Bigfork wedding facility operator pleaded guilty Tuesday in Flathead County Justice Court to a criminal misdemeanor for violating county zoning laws.

Alana Myers, who with her husband, Bill Myers, owns the Ten Arrow Ranch near Bigfork, was charged with operating a commercial wedding business at the ranch in violation of county zoning laws.

Justice of the Peace Daniel Wilson gave Myers a 12-month deferred sentence. Myers will be required to return $1,900 from a bride who paid the fee to hold her wedding at the ranch after Myers assured her the facility could legally stage weddings.

Myers was asked to shut down her wedding operation a year ago because of a zoning violation. After neighbors complained about the ongoing noise and intrusion, the county Planning Office investigated and found the property isn’t zoned to hold commercial weddings.

At that point Myers agreed to no longer accept payment for commercial use of the wedding facility and said she would hold occasional weddings for friends and family members without any fees for services.

She continued to hold weddings throughout the 30-day notice issued by the county, and a subsequent reminder period, and by then the 2013 summer wedding season was over.

Earlier this year Myers applied for a conditional-use permit to operate the ranch as a high-impact recreational facility, a use that would allow weddings for the suburban agricultural zoning of the rural property. 

Her application was pulled from the land-use advisory committee and the Flathead County Board of Adjustment agendas after she was charged with the zoning misdemeanor.

An investigation by the Planning Office revealed that Myers accepted a discounted fee of $1,900 from a bride-to-be after stating in an email that the ranch was legally able to hold weddings, even though no permit had been granted.

Planning Director BJ Grieve said the outcome of the case shows that when the county has a level of evidence that warrants a citation, his office will pursue action through the court system.

“A lot of people feel our enforcement moves too slowly,” Grieve said, adding that often it does take time to bring a zoning violation case to a close.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.