The public gets a second chance on Wednesday to comment on proposed land use and development restrictions near Glacier Park International Airport.  

The Flathead County Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the Airport Affected Area Ordinance at its Sept. 16 meeting. The ordinance creates a three-layer zone around Glacier Park International Airport, with new land-use and development restrictions in the two inner layers. 

The board meets at 6 p.m. in the Country Kitchen at the Flathead County Fairgrounds, 265 N. Meridian in Kalispell.  

Planning staff eased development and land use restrictions in the latest version of the Airport Affected Area Ordinance in response to feedback from a public hearing in June. Board members voted to table the revised ordinance in July to give the public a chance to comment on the revisions. 

The ordinance’s central zone layer, called the Runway Protection Area, encompasses 2,305 acres. It requires residential and agricultural lots to be at least 2.5 acres in size, with one lot per 2.5 acres. Commercial and industrial lots must be at least 10,000 square feet, with one lot per 10,000 square feet.  

The Airport Protection Area is the middle-layered zone and covers 9,995 acres. It requires residential and agricultural lots to be at least 1 acre in size, with an acre of space between lots. Commercial and industrial land use requirements remain the same.  

There are no additional land use or density regulations in the outermost zone layer of the Airport Affected Area, which spans 21,180 acres. All subdivisions within the three-layered zones are required to include a final plat note that states: “This property may be exposed to aircraft overflights at low altitudes, producing fumes from exhaust, dust, particles, light, vibrations and aircraft noises.” 

Those who wish to develop property within the Airport Affected Area should complete a pre-screening tool at oeaaa.faa.gov to determine whether their project requires an additional permit. 

THE PLANNING board will also consider an application for a major subdivision at 2883 Lower Valley Road near Kalispell.  

Applicants Peter and Zachary Brosten propose building 16 residential lots on their 32.11-acre property, with one unit per 2 acres. The subdivision will be accessed via a 60-foot-wide private road off Danford Lane and will be served by individual septic systems and wells. 

The property is in an unzoned area southeast of Kalispell, with the Flathead River running along its eastern border. Developers proposed a 50-foot riparian setback from the river.  

They're also required to pave 750 feet of Lower Valley Road, starting at the intersection of Danford Lane. The subdivision is estimated to generate an additional 151 average daily trips, according to a staff report.  

The Flathead Conservation District noted that 76.2% of the property is prime farmland of statewide importance and recommended minimizing development impacts on agricultural soil. However, planning staff has determined the property no longer supports traditional agricultural production, nor is it a dependent source of agricultural activities, according to the staff report.  

The conservation district also recommended groundwater separation requirements and proper system citing, on top of the riparian setback, to protect groundwater from potential septic contamination. Additional recommendations from the district include vegetative buffers along the streambank, an established single community dock and river access point, and the use of erosion controls and green infrastructure, such as rain gardens and filter strips.  

LAST ON the board’s agenda is reviewing an application for a minor subdivision at 1073 Mountain Home Road near Whitefish. The nearly 25-acre property is in an open space area owned by The Homestead Sporting Club, Inc., according to a staff report. 

Applicant Will MacDonald proposes one residential lot on the property, which already contains a guard shack, pump house, mailboxes and an internal subdivision road. The residential lot will be 10.75 acres in size, with roads taking up an additional 4.21 acres. This leaves about 10 acres of open space. 

A man-made creek runs through the southern portion of the property and is part of an existing pitch-and-putt course, according to a staff report. The drainage is mostly dry, and The Homestead owns a well that pumps circulated water into the creek bed.  

Report for America Reporter Hannah Shields can be reached at 406-758-4439 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.