Whitefish City Council last week postponed a decision about recognizing F.H. Stoltze Land and Lumber Company’s new open lands policy following concerns about the future of recreational access in Haskill Basin.

Several public comments were opposed to the policy, which is an update to the multi-resource management plan for the Haskill Basin watershed conservation easement northwest of the city.

The lumber company owns about 3,200 acres in Haskill Basin, the watershed that provides about 90% of Whitefish’s drinking water. 

Voters approved a 1% increase in resort tax collections in 2015 to help purchase a conservation easement over Stoltze’s property to protect the water supply, preserve open space, natural habitat and recreational opportunities. 

The purchase of the easement by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the city of Whitefish was complete in 2016, and the City Council approved the multi-resource management plan, and the open lands policy. 

Two points made in the updated policy are clarifications that no bicycle use is allowed off existing road systems, and off-road trails are not allowed. 

Ron Brandt, executive director of Flathead Area Mountain Bikers, learned of the amendments to the policy hours before the Council meeting. He urged Council to delay the acknowledgment of the new policy so protections for Haskill Basin’s historic multi-use trails can be included. 

“These trails have existed in the Haskill area for decades and are part of the recreation opportunities many Whitefish voters believed they were protecting when they approved the 1% resort tax increase,” Brandt said. “These trails are part of Whitefish’s recreational history.” 

Resident Reid Sabin and two other citizens also asked Council to delay the matter. They also noted the policy doesn’t only affect mountain bikers, but everyone looking to recreate on the trails in Haskill Basin. 

Cameron Wohlschlegal, lands and resource manager for Stoltze, said the open land policy applies to all the company's land, including the conservation easement. He said the policy clearly states that public access and mechanized use are allowed only on the company’s road systems, and trail building has never been allowed. 

“These trails have always been illegal,” he said. “We’ve been actively reclaiming them over the last couple years because they’ve been going against our conservation values – putting sediment into streams, the very values that this conservation easement is built to protect the water of the city of Whitefish. 

“I understand that the public does enjoy those trails that they built, but they go against our conservation values and were always illegal,” he added. 

Whitefish City Attorney Angela Jacobs said there has been an increase in the number of trails users in Haskill Basin and other areas over the past 10 years due, in part, to the pandemic, which drove more people to outdoor recreational activities, and the influx of people relocating to the area. 

Jacobs said the rule about non-motorized use occurring only on existing roads has always been in the policy. 

“This is not something new. This has been in effect for 10 years,” she said. “Stoltze has never allowed trail building.” 

Councilor Steve Qunell said the point about no bikes on the trails is a change, but Mayor John Muhlfeld said Stoltze has just never policed the rule. 

Whitefish City Manager Dana Meeker said in recent years, Montana Fish, Parks and Wildlife along with Stoltze have been concerned about bike use on trials. 

“They’re seeing a lot of issues with water drainage down those tracks that have been created,” Meeker said. 

She said the easement document refers to “mechanized use” being limited to roads, and bicycles, while not motorized, are mechanized. 

Meeker also stated it is inaccurate to say the resort tax increase was for recreation. 

“The actual language of the ballot was to only protect and preserve our water quality and quantity. The ballot language had no mention of recreation in it.” 

Councilor Andy Feury’s motion to postpone a decision on this issue passed unanimously. He acknowledged everything Jacobs and Meeker said was true, but pointed out a change at the heart of public uproar. 

“I think the original [policy] ... only specified off-road as motorized and I think that is a change,” he said. “There is 30 years of history of use of those trails there, and I think that there is a perception, right or wrong, in the community that those trails are theirs and they should be there. 

“We paid $17 million for our watershed, but there were a lot of people who thought we were paying $17 million, in part, for continued use of existing recreation,” he added. 

Feury said he thinks the Council owes it to the public to supply time to comment and said Stoltze needs to hear it. He added that the policy does not forbid hikers from the trails. 

Reporter Julie Engler can be reached at 406-862-3505 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at whitefishpilot.com/support.

    A sign posted along Haskill Basin Road reminds recreationalists that the land is owned by Stoltze. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)