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 propose 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.” 

The lake and lakeshore protection regulations apply to permits issued for work in lakes, including land that is within 20 feet of the mean annual high water elevation of lakes. 

A change to the regulations increases the height above the high water elevation of the lake for a boat shelter, floating boat life or shore station. The draft shows changing the height from 12 to 14 feet. 

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. 

The draft also sets the mean annual high water elevation of Little Bitterroot Lake at 1,192 meters. 

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.