The Flathead County Planning Board on Wednesday will consider a request to create a 105-lot residential subdivision in West Valley.

The Johnson Ranch Subdivision is proposed to be developed in four phases on 123 acres located at 1096 Stillwater Road outside of Kalispell. 

The county Planning Board meets at 6 p.m. in the South Campus Building at 40 11th St. W. in Kalispell. Recommendations from the board regarding the requests are forwarded to the Flathead County commissioners for final consideration.

The property planned for Johnson Ranch Subdivision is zoned R-1 suburban residential and is under agricultural production with a residential structure and a few accessory structures on the southwestern portion of the property. The 80 acres of properties to the west had historically been in agricultural production and have undergone multiple subdivisions, which have resulted in 11 lots ranging in size from 5 acres to 28 acres. 

The proposal would create lots ranging in size from 1 to 1.83 acres. The properties would be served by individual septic and water.

No common areas or open spaces are planned as part of the subdivision. The developer has indicated that they would provide cash-in-lieu of parkland dedication. 

A series of new internal subdivision roads would provide access to lots within the subdivision via Stillwater Road. The traffic impact study shows that at full build-out the subdivision would generate 991 daily trips.

The planning staff report notes that the proposal will impact area roads, however, that may be mitigated through conditions. 

The subdivision is expected to generate 36 school-age children. It’s an impact to the West Valley School District, the staff report notes, because the school is already overcrowded. 

ALSO BEFORE the Planning Board is a major lakeshore variance permit as requested by  Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to allow for work on the gravel beach at Somers Beach State Park on Flathead Lake. The variance would allow for the application of 1,812 cubic yards of various rock fill to enhance a previously approved dynamic equilibrium beach, one designed to prevent shoreline erosion and help restore habitat. 

The variance is being requested because the proposal exceeds the limit of 1 cubic yard of fill per 16 lineal feet of shoreline, below the average high water mark and is greater than 6 inches in depth. 

The request is aimed at protecting the property, restoring critical wetland habitats and enhancing the recreational swim beach at the state park. 

According to the applicant, the objective is to create a beach that could fully accommodate wave breaking and swash runup during full pool lake levels and be wide enough so that visitors could sit on a log at the beach. Additionally, the applicant says the work would protect a valuable wetland on the property and stop the continued loss of land being caused by strong wave action. 

The board will hold two other public hearings. 

Farm Industrial, Inc., is requesting preliminary plat approval of Miller Industrial to create 22 commercial/industrial lots and one residential lot on 208 acres at 480 White Basin Road, Kalispell. The applicant is requesting to allow the existing 30-foot wide easement for White Basin Road to serve the subdivision. 

Bryce Dayley is requesting preliminary plat approval of Mountain View Meadows Subdivision, a proposal to create four residential lots on 20.45 acres located at 51 Glacier Flats Road, Kalispell. 

Features Editor Heidi Desch may be reached at 758-4421 or [email protected].