BLUAC to review proposed 105-acre housing development

The Bigfork Land Use Advisory Committee (BLUAC) will be taking a look at the proposed 105-acre Northshore Woods housing development as they meet downstairs at Bethany Lutheran Church at 4 p.m. June 29.

Located at 8095 MT Highway 35 (the area behind Dairy Queen to the south and El Topo Cantina to the north), the currently vacant area is proposed to be developed by Longbow Land Partners, LLC of Jackson, Wyoming.

According to a planned unit development overlay application filed with Flathead County Planning and Zoning March 30, the company intends to build 125 single-family units on the property and is asking the county to cut the required lot size in half to do so.

The company says the new housing development would help alleviate the pressures of the surging population boom in the area.

“The growth policy identified housing as one of the basic needs of our growing population, sets goals to promote a diverse demographic of residents and provide safe housing that is available, accessible and affordable for all sectors of the population,” the application stated. “This development helps fulfill that basic need and achieve those goals.”

The application states that the project would be completed in five phases over 20 years and would include more than 12 acres of designated park space “...with the goals of maintaining a wooded buffer along the perimeter to provide screening, preserve the mountain-like feel and protect trees.

While there has been some concern about the development’s impact on an already taxed water and sewer system, the application states the development will be connected to the City’s system through Bigfork Water and Sewer, and that capacity has been verified with the district.

A “Will Serve” letter from Bigfork Water and Sewer was included with the application, as were documents indicating Flathead Electric will provide power and Northwestern Energy will provide gas to the development.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks outlined its concerns about the proposed project in a letter filed with the county May 17 in which FWP states the 105-acre parcel holds important wildlife value, including providing winter range for whitetail deer, and is home to a variety of large mammals, including black bears, mountain lions and the occasional grizzly.

“This subdivision falls within the winter range of whitetail deer, which may have a significant impact on the population. Minimizing impacts to winter range to the extent possible, which includes keeping dogs away from wintering wildlife, is an important part of maintaining wildlife on the landscape,” the letter said. “Maintaining undeveloped areas can serve as both wildlife habitat and maintain travel routes for wildlife moving through the area. Open areas not only provide benefits to wildlife, but also to the residents of the subdivision, who can enjoy the open space and wildlife it attracts.”

The letter recommends fences around gardens should be at least 8 feet high or taller, that pets should be contained to the house or a fenced yard and that fencing of lot boundaries should be discouraged as it restricts wildlife movement and animals can become ensnared or killed by fencing.

Another concern with the new development is its impact on traffic in the area.

Vehicular access to the proposed development will be via one approach on the north side intersecting Peaceful Drive, and one approach on the east side with Bigfork Stage Road.

While a traffic impact study funded by the developer and conducted by WGM Group, Inc of Missoula found the proposed Northshore Woods development will generate new traffic, their analysis shows that the proposed site approaches will operate at a very good level of service during the peak hours.

According to the study, the site-generated traffic will not impact traffic operations during the peak morning hour at the intersection of MT Highway 35 and Peaceful Drive. However, additional delay during the peak evening hour is possible on the Peaceful Drive approach.

Longbow Land Partners has stated its intention to improve and pave the existing gravel roadway surface of Bigfork Stage Road along the proposed development’s frontage in an attempt to help with traffic issues.

In addition, the proposed Northshore Woods development would provide sidewalks and trails for internal walking and biking trips.

Sidewalks will be constructed adjacent to all streets within the Northshore Woods development and there is ongoing coordination to provide a trail connection on the east side of the development to the Bigfork Harrell Community Forest Trail project currently in the planning process.