Community asks BLUAC to consider zoning in updated neighborhood plan

The Bigfork Land Use Advisory Committee heard from residents of Peaceful Drive during public comment at their meeting Thursday night, frustrated at the state of the Northshore Woods housing development.  

The preliminary plat for Northshore Woods passed through the Flathead County Board of Commissioners unanimously this October. The plat would allow for 51 single family homes on 43 acres of land in Bigfork, with the main access coming from Peaceful Drive and additional connectivity to Bigfork Stage Road. 

BLUAC recommended denial of the project when developer Longbow Land Partners, LLC of Jackson, Wyoming brought it before them in 2023. The commissioners followed suit then, but Longbow alleged their application was wrongfully denied and the county allowed Longbow to resubmit in a settlement.  

Concerns from the community revolved largely around emergency access, road and sewer capacity.  

“Frankly, we are getting quite concerned about the notion of zoning... if the people who approve building look at zoning without looking at the roads and other such infrastructure, they are leading to homicidal conclusions, in effect,” said resident Julian Niezewski said to BLUAC Thursday.  

“How does the growth plan of Bigfork prevent the commission and the planning and zoning department from committing this kind of malfeasance, of sticking on us from above more and more housing without adequate infrastructure to service said housing?” he asked. 

BLUAC is in the beginning stages of revamping the Bigfork Neighborhood Plan, which was put out in 2009.  

Julie Spencer, District Manager of Bigfork Water and Sewer, brought another zoning concern to the committee. She shared that Flathead County zone RC1, residential cluster, which has a density limit of one dwelling unit per acre, allows residents to utilize open space on neighboring properties towards their own capacity limits. 

“They’re looking at the density in the entire acreage of the RC1, and if somebody has this piece over here... based on like the golf course, which has all this open area, they can grab more density,” Spencer said.  

“That makes it really hard for us too, because we have limited water and sewer capacity in certain areas.”  

Commenters recommended that BLUAC explore zoning regulations as part of their research for the Neighborhood Plan.  

On the agenda, BLUAC approved a temporary use permit for Dawn and Patrick Glynn at 246 and 250 Fern Lane to allow them to reside in their RV during the completion of their permanent dwelling on SAG-10 suburban agricultural land.  

The next BLUAC meeting will be held Dec. 19.