A proposed camp and retreat center south of Whitefish has raised concerns among neighbors about access, traffic and neighborhood intrusion.

Discussion of the project will continue at the July 5 Flathead County Board of Adjustment meeting.

Carolyn Dewey has asked for a conditional-use permit in the Blanchard Lake Zoning District to create an educational silviculture and retreat center at 127 Hideaway Trail that would incorporate medicinal herb farming, farm education and art classes.

The center would be staffed by four to eight student interns and up to 12 farm-stay guests.

The Board of Adjustment held a public hearing on May 3 on the permit request but continued the hearing to have the planning staff address the neighborhood concerns. The property is zoned agricultural with a 20-acre minimum lot size.

During the May 3 hearing, Kalispell attorney Ken Kalvig, representing Steve Pleasants, one of the neighbors, told the board the proposed retreat center is out of character with the neighborhood, and that covenants placed on the property 18 years ago describe the property as a single-family residential neighborhood with limited commercial activity allowed.

Access to the property on Hideaway Trail is another neighborhood concern.

The county Planning Office addressed the various issues and created an updated planning staff report that notes Hideaway Trail is not suitable for the proposed use because it’s only 16 feet wide. A 20-foot width is required to accommodate two-way traffic and a 60-foot easement should be recorded, the staff report advised.

The proposed traffic circulation also doesn’t appear to be appropriately designed because of the road width issue, the report said.

The updated report did find, however, that there appears to be adequate usable space for the retreat center because it will use only 4,800 square feet of the 10-acre lot.

The board has four other public hearings scheduled July 5:

n A request from Steven and Cynthia Norred for a variance to yard setback requirements in the Bigfork Zoning District to allow a shop to be built in the front yard at 140 Conifer Lane.

n Collin and Treena Mitts are asking for a conditional-use permit to establish a home-based insulation storage business in a garage at 760 Labrant Road.

n BJ Grieve of WGM Group, on behalf of Carrie McPherson, is requesting a conditional-use permit to build a mini-storage facility at 5060 U.S. 93 South that would feature 349 units in six buildings.

The property is 6.7 acres and is in the Blanchard Lake Zoning District. It is zoned general business.

The storage facility would be built in two phases, with three buildings erected initially with three additional buildings and an office to be built later.

n Mark and Karol Hickcox want a conditional-use permit to establish a bed and breakfast inn at 524 Riverbend Drive in the West Glacier Zoning District.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 5, in the second-floor conference room of the Earl Bennett Building, 1035 First Ave. W., Kalispell.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at [email protected]