Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is moving forward with the agency’s proposal to purchase nearly 15 acres near Dayton for a new fishing access site on Flathead Lake, where public access and recreation opportunities are already limited.

According to a press release, the agency accepted public input on the proposal for 30 days this summer as part of a draft environmental assessment of the project, which is located about 1 mile east of Dayton. After the comment period ended, Jim Williams, regional supervisor for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP), signed the decision notice Sept.4 to move forward with the proposal. It will now go before the state’s Fish and Wildlife Commission for approval.

The property is currently owned by Montana’s Outdoor Legacy Foundation, which is the primary nonprofit partner of FWP that focuses on leveraging private funding for preservation and conservation projects.

The property would be developed into the Montebello Fishing Access site and would include an access road, parking area, boat launch, dock, vault latrine, signage, boundary fencing and host campsite. The site would be open for day-use only.

“Acquisition and development of the property by FWP would ensure future public access to this property as well as Flathead Lake,” the press release states.

Currently, 89% of the Flathead Lake’s shoreline, excluding islands, is in private ownership. This site would help ease pressure at other busy boat launches on the lake, including those in Bigfork and Somers, and is a prime shove-off point for Wild Horse Island — an area on the lake that is becoming more popular year after year.

The Fish and Wildlife Commission is scheduled to meet Oct. 22, but as of Wednesday, a meeting time and agenda had not yet been released.