A decision on a zone change and planned-unit development overlay to accommodate a proposed subdivision at Montana Raceway Park was postponed last week because an easement agreement hasn’t been signed by all of the involved parties.

The commissioners will continue their discussion and consideration of the request at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 22, in the commissioner chambers on the third floor of the courthouse in Kalispell.

Thornton Motorsports LLC proposes to change the zoning on the 40-acre Raceway Park facility from agricultural to residential zoning to accommodate a 57-lot subdivision. The applicant is asking for a residential planned-unit development overlay on the entire 40.6-acre property that would allow density of one dwelling unit per half-acre.

The property currently is zoned agricultural with a 40-acre minimum lot size.

Thornton Motorsports last year asked for more time to revamp the project to offer a different design and a second access to the site. However, the applicant hadn’t supplied any further information by March 1, according to the Planning Office.

During the commissioners’ proceedings on March 1, Marc Liechti of APEC Engineering said a revision of an access across the Majestic Valley Arena property for a livestock underpass was agreed upon. Majestic Valley is asking for an animal crossing to keep two properties connected where a road would bisect the property, “and we’re OK with that,” Liechti said. But while the new easement agreement has been worked out, it has not yet been signed by all the parties, which include Montana Raceway Park, Majestic Valley Arena and the Fricke Family Trust, which owns property to the north of the project area.

The one-year review period for the zone change expired in November 2017, but because of an oversight by the Planning Office, the proposal was allowed a time extension.

If the commissioners approve the preliminary plat and adoption of resolution of intent for the zone change, a public hearing would be scheduled for May 2.

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