Residents shoot down zone change

By MIKE RICHESON

Bigfork Eagle

A proposed zoning change for five properties along Windsor Drive drew the ire of a neighborhood at last Thursday's Bigfork Land Use Advisory Committee meeting. Public comment by residents convinced the board to deny the zoning change in a unanimous vote.

Bill Tanner, owner of 5 Star Management, LLC, made the presentation on behalf of all the property owners. He requested that the properties, which total 5.599 acres and are zoned R-1 and R-2, be converted to 3.72 acres of R-3 and 1.87 acres of R-4.

Tanner said the intent was to build four new houses on the lots slated for R-3 and 12 patio homes/duplexes on the proposed R-4 property. The 12 homes would be small, single-level structures with a common area of open space.

Tanner said that although R-4 zoning would allow him to build at a much greater density than his proposal called for, he said he had no intention of doing so. He even offered to put a density restriction on the title.

After Tanner's proposal, BLUAC turned to Bigfork Water and Sewer district manager Julie Spencer for her assessment. The advisory board has been warning developers for months that the situation in Bigfork has reached build-at-your-own-risk status. Wastewater treatment capacity at the plant is a growing concern as more homes hook up to the system.

Spencer said the Department of Environmental Quality has evaluated all the potential lots for service in the area and has determined the sewer is near capacity. The plant's capacity will not likely increase before 2011, and the DEQ may not approve an additional four-lot subdivision for service.

When the board opened the floor for public comment, numerous homeowners stood up and expressed their objections to the request.

Charlie Jantzen, president of the Windsor Drive Homeowners Association said that he and members of the community chose their homes because the loved the area, not as a way to make a buck. He noted that homeowners were upset when zoning changes along Windsor Court were approved by Flathead County even after BLUAC voted in opposition.

"Here we go again," Jantzen said, stating that allowing this zoning change could create a domino effect of developers trying to buy up land and then getting zoning changes.

Others who spoke against the proposal cited safety concerns due to the increased traffic around a neighborhood with a lot of children.

The land use board had mixed emotions about the proposal. The change to R-4 was the biggest sticking point. Most properties in the zoning area consisted of large homes on large lots.

"Bigfork has a need for these smaller homes, but not in this neighborhood," BLUAC member Shelley Gonzales said.

Darrell Coverdell spoke to the expectations of existing owners.

"When people buy into a subdivision, they have certain expectations, and this [zoning change] would change the feel of this area," he said. "Subsequent buyers need to realize that."

BLUAC chairman John Bourquin stated his opposition: "There hasn't been one positive comment about this. Access to public services and easements could be a can of worms, and sewer capacity is a serious concern. The patio home concept is fine, but not this project is out of character."

The requested zoning change now will be considered by the Flathead County Planning Board on June 13 at 6 p.m. at the Earl Bennett Building in Kalispell.

Other business during the meeting included:

? Continued discussion concerning sign violations in the Bigfork Zoning District. BLUAC will draft a letter and contact the following establishments concerning their violations: Grizzly Jacks, Bigfork VFW, Jackpot Casino, Little Brown Church, Swan Valley Real Estate, Blush Salon and Echo Lake Store.

? BJ Grieve, with the Flathead County Planning Board, introduced the county's two new planners: Andrew Hagemeier and Alex Hagel. Hagemeier is a graduate of the University of Arizona and Hagel had been working for the Lake County Planning Department.