The Flathead County Planning Board will review two applications, one for a zone map amendment and another for a proposed subdivision, during its Wednesday meeting.  

The board meets at 6 p.m. in the second-floor conference of the South Campus Building at 40 11th St. W. in Kalispell. Following the meeting, a workshop will be held to discuss updating lake and lakeshore protection regulations, which apply to permits issued for work in lakes and the land within 20 feet of the mean annual high water elevation of lakes.  

MT Forever Homes, LLC, is proposing a zone map amendment on 4.5 acres of land north of Whitefish, along Haugen Heights Road, from R-2.5 (rural residential) to R-4 (two-family residential). The subject property falls within the 12,740-acre Rural Whitefish Zoning District, and the applicant plans to divide the property into small lots, with a minimum size of 6,000 square feet. 

According to the application, the zone change would align the property with other R-4 zoned areas located east of the area. It would also better align the property with growth policies in Flathead County and the city of Whitefish, according to the applicant, both of which encourage residential development in the area near city limits.  

Under the zone map amendment, an additional 32 single-family residential lots or 26 duplex lots could potentially be developed on the property.  

Whitefish city officials requested denial of the application, saying it fails to comply with the adopted 2007 Whitefish Growth Policy’s suburban land use designation. The proposed 6,000-square-foot minimum lot size is an urban land use designation, officials said, not suburban residential.  

Findings in the county staff report found the zone change was compliant with Flathead County’s growth policy, but was incompatible with the Whitefish Growth Policy. 

Due to the property’s small size and proximity to city services, the area would likely be annexed into the city and connected to the city’s water and sewer services, according to the staff report. Whitefish officials recommended zoning the property as Whitefish Estate Residential, which requires a minimum 20,000-square-foot lot size, to complement neighborhoods to the south and comply with the city’s growth policy.  

TOY SHACK, LLC, an Arizona-based company, is seeking approval to build a subdivision on 10 acres of an approximate 41-acre plot of land at 4005 U.S. 93 near Kalispell. The proposal includes the construction of three commercial lots and 224 storage units, served by a new public well and public wastewater system. The lots would be accessed by a new internal road with access to the highway.  

Applicants plan to construct the subdivision over three phases, with an estimated completion date in the spring of 2027.  

The Flathead Conservation District highlighted a primary concern over the natural riparian area along Patrick Creek on the north boundary of the proposed subdivision. The conservation group stressed the importance of maintaining this natural buffer, which protects the creek.  

The group also highlighted concerns of increased stormwater runoff into the creek from the paved lots. It encouraged the use of rain gardens and filter strips to reduce water contamination.  

A traffic study concluded the new development would produce an additional 18 trips during morning peak hour, 17 evening peak hour trips and 149 daily trips on average. The total traffic volume increase on U.S. 93 will be less than 1%, according to the staff report.  

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