Flathead County has released a draft of proposed amendments to its 55-page lake and lakeshore protection regulations prior to a public workshop on Jan. 14. 

The Flathead County Planning Board and planning staff prepared the draft amendments, which proposes an additional clause on lakeshore restoration standards.  

“A person who performs work in the lake, lakebed, or lakeshore without a permit for that work shall, if required by the governing body, restore the lake, lakebed, or lakeshore to its condition before he/she disturbed it,” the existing document reads. Added after the clause is: “Restoration, when required, shall prioritize the reestablishment of native vegetation to stabilize soils, restore habitat and improve water quality.” 

In the draft, a specification is added on dynamic equilibrium beaches, which are beaches engineered to create a wave break to minimize shoreline erosion. 

“Fill projects for the purpose of expanding existing land areas shall not be permitted, unless permitted as a dynamic equilibrium beach,” the document states.  

A clause under permit application procedures, “additional information may be required for adequate review,” is lengthened to clarify, “including permits or approvals from agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Environmental Quality, or others.” 

One new amendment adds a requirement for used docks and buoys – as in those not purchased new directly from a manufacturing company – to have to be cleaned and inspected for invasive species.  

A section including requirements for “aquatic toys,” or any recreational floating device, is also added. 

A workshop on the drafted updates is scheduled for the Flathead County Planning Board on Jan. 14. at 6 p.m., at the conclusion of general agenda items, in the second-floor conference room of the South Campus Building, 40 11th St. W., in Kalispell.