Plans for a proposed 1,700-acre luxury resort near Lakeside earned the Flathead County Planning Board’s recommendation in a 5-1 vote Wednesday.  

It was standing room only on Aug. 13 as Lakeside residents waited to hear whether board members would send the Flathead Lake Club subdivision with their endorsement to the Flathead County commissioners. At a Planning Board meeting held in July that featured public comment, residents largely opposed the project. 

Arizona-based Discovery Land Company is behind the proposed subdivision west of U.S. 93 near Blacktail Mountain. When finished, it is expected to feature two golf courses, a fitness center, spa, restaurants and 359 residential lots. 

Board member Greg Stevens prefaced his vote by saying that the application was the most complete and professional he had seen in nearly 30 years. He said the board takes public comment seriously, but it is not the sole determinant in their recommendation to the county — a sentiment echoed by several of his colleagues. 

Every subdivision is going to have an impact, said Chair Jeff Larsen.  

Conditions of approval are put in place to mitigate those impacts, he said. If those conditions and other regulations are met, then the project has earned his backing, Larsen said. 

“We're a representative republic in this country ... it doesn't matter if a million people are opposed to it,” he said. “If you are in compliance with everything, and we can mitigate the impacts, then you have a right to develop your property.” 

Discovery Land Company operates three other resorts in Montana — Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, Crazy Mountain Ranch in Shields Valley and Iron Horse in Whitefish. Board member Sandra Nogal described Iron Horse as a great benefit to the Whitefish community. 

Property owners in Iron Horse are seasonal, make little impact on public services and pay their taxes, Nogal said. In addition, they’ve made philanthropic and charitable contributions to the community.  

“I don't think anybody in Whitefish is going to complain that they're here,” Nogal said. “They go to the [Great Northern Bar and Grill]. They’re not snobs, they love it here.” 

Board member William “Buck” Breckenridge did not participate in the vote due to a declared conflict of interest. The sole no vote came from Michael Kopitzke, who said he was worried about the project’s impact on sewer systems. 

AT THE beginning of the meeting, Discovery Land Company representatives and consultants presented their full rebuttal before the board, addressing issues laid out by Lakeside residents during the July 9 public hearing, including impacts on traffic, wildlife and water quality.  

406 Traffic and Transportation consultant Nate Larson said all requirements set by the Montana Department of Transportation would be installed during construction of the development. Discussions with the state department are centered around the proper design of a right-hand turn lane, which consultants believe is the safest way to access the subdivision. 

He also said the homes in the development would be recreational in nature. These will be second, third or fourth homes that would be seasonally occupied.  

“People aren't going to be living here year round, to commute from here year round,” Larson said.  

Impact on wildlife was another topic raised public comment. Professional engineer and land surveyor Craig Schaeffer with 406 Engineering said there will be no fencing on the subdivision in order to maximize open space for wildlife. Development on residential lots is limited to 10,000 square feet for the home and driveway. 

There’s approximately 864 acres of proposed open space, Schaeffer said, and the golf course makes up roughly 100 acres of that space. The developer also proposed a 100-foot buffer from the delineated boundary of the wetland area and a 50-foot buffer from the intermittent stream to mitigate environmental impacts.  

Several public commenters also worried about the impact on Flathead Lake’s water quality. A technical representative from Kimley Horn & Associates said stormwater facilities would be designed to meet Montana Depart of Environmental Quality standards. 

Water detention basins would be located near natural water flow paths to catch and collect stormwater runoff.  

“The ultimate goal of those detention facilities is to retain the water quality event on site, and then discharge the delta and stormwater runoff at a controlled rate that does not exceed the predevelopment conditions,” he said.  

The application for the subdivision is scheduled to be heard by commissioners during their Aug. 21 meeting at 9 a.m. Public comment will be taken starting at 8:45 a.m. on all matters within the commissioners’ jurisdiction.  

The meeting will be held in room 302 at 800 S. Main St. in Kalispell.  

Reporter Hannah Shields can be reached at 758-4439 or [email protected].