A 57-lot subdivision proposed next to Montana Raceway Park north of Kalispell has raised concerns among several government entities over a number of issues ranging from access and density to developing land within white-tailed deer winter range.

Montana Raceway Subdivision — planned to be built in three phases — will be among the first projects considered by the Flathead County Planning Board in the new year. The board meets Jan. 11 and will consider both a preliminary plat application and planned-unit development overlay for the major subdivision planned on 40.6 acres within the Highway 93 North Zoning District.

Thornton Motorsports LLC wants the overlay to be able to deviate from minimum lot size requirements. The property is zoned agriculture with a 40-acre minimum lot size, but the developer wants a zone change to suburban residential with a 1-acre minimum lot size.

A planned-unit development overlay would allow Thornton Motorsports to develop the property with one dwelling unit per half-acre. All the lots would be served by individual septic systems with a common drain field. Two large water wells would serve the entire subdivision.

The Riverdale Land Use Advisory Committee met Dec. 19 to review the project and discussed at length concerns that included lack of a secondary access, density, storm-water runoff, the need for perimeter fencing between the subdivision and nearby Majestic Valley Arena, proximity to the county landfill and impacts on farming in that area.

A motion to recommend approval of the subdivision and planned-unit development overlay failed, and the land-use committee instead opted to not issue a recommendation to approve or deny. Instead the committee forwarded its list of concerns to the Planning Board.

According to the Flathead County Planning Office staff report, county Public Works Director Dave Prunty voiced concern about the subdivision access.

“We didn’t see that a second ingress/egress location was planned for the subdivision,” Prunty commented. “Also, we understand that the ‘emergency’ access is located in the northeast corner of the subdivision where McDermott Lane enters the property. The provided plat labels this as an existing 60-foot private road and utility easement. In the event of an emergency, access to the easement could be difficult if McDermott is not able to be utilized.”

Prunty said McDermott Lane was improved 20 years ago by Raceway Park, but the planned-unit development and anticipated increase in traffic loading could require further road improvements. He suggested a geotechnical analysis.

Marc Pitman with the state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Water Resources Division noted in his comments that even without lawn and garden irrigation, the estimated water use exceeds the water right permit exceptions under state law. A water right permit would be required and would need to be issued prior to approval by the state.

Jessie Coltrane, a wildlife biologist with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, weighed in, noting the subdivision property falls within white-tailed deer winter range. His agency is recommending the project be denied “to maintain the character of the area and to preserve the land value to agriculture and wildlife,” according to the planning staff report.

“If this zone change is approved, we encourage the landowner to work with FWP fish and wildlife biologists in advance of defining actual future lots so that predevelopment activities can occur with minimum impacts to fish and wildlife,” Coltrane wrote. “We also believe that FWP can help the developer reduce future fish [and] wildlife impacts through subdivision design and development of covenants that allow development, but with the least impacts to fish, wildlife, water quality and other resource values.”

The staff report concluded the proposed subdivision doesn’t appear to comply with the applicable design standards and subdivision review criteria found in state law. If the Planning Board forwards a recommendation to approve the project to the county commissioners, the planning staff suggests a list of 28 conditions be considered to address the myriad concerns already documented.

The Planning Board meets for a public hearing on the Montana Raceway Subdivision at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, in the second floor conference room of the South Campus Building, 40 11th St. W., Suite 200, in Kalispell.

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