Liquor license opposed by homeowner group

By ALEX STRICKLAND / Bigfork Eagle

There aren't many of them, but in a town the size of Woods Bay it's hard to miss the signs.

"Say no to the private bar at Saddlehorn Marina," they read in big, bold letters.

And below that the question: "Why don't they build a bar in their own neighborhood?"

The situation is black and white for Catherine Browning, who lives along Yenne Point Road just up the street from the marina.

"The number one thing is child endangerment," Browning said as she produced pictures showing young children walking down the narrow road toward the Woods Bay Homesites homeowners' beach, which is adjacent to the marina.

Browning said that beach — fenced for the private use of the approximately 100 homeowners in the association — is a magnet for neighborhood kids who would be at risk from increased traffic and the possibility of people driving drunk.

"It's all residential around here, but there's no zoning," she said. "We don't want the license to set a precedent."

Saddlehorn is seeking a liquor license for a private bar and grill at the marina that would serve members of the Saddlehorn club who own a home or lot in the Bigfork development. The facility, other than public rest rooms and a gas dock, would not be open to the public, according to Saddlehorn spokesman Clint Walker.

Walker said that last summer Saddlehorn held a neighborhood event at the marina to inform people of their intentions for the site, including plans for the bar and grill. At that time, he said, the main concern was over the food and beverage facilities being private.

"We told them that we felt like if we opened it up we would receive criticism because here we are putting the Raven and the Sitting Duck out of business," he said. "We don't want to cut in on their business."

But Browning doesn't see that as the issue, rather she's concerned about added traffic and noise on an already narrow and heavily used road. Yenne Point Road also serves two neighborhoods on the point, a Lake County boat and swimming access and the Woods Bay Marina and RV resort.

"The speed limit is 25," she said. "But it's not enforced."

Browning said a Woods Bay resident saw the public notice about the license printed in the legals section of the Lake County Leader and that four people reacted quickly enough to write letters to the Montana Department of Revenue, which oversees the granting of liquor licenses. Now, those people, along with other "witnesses" they're permitted to bring, are planning to speak at a hearing on the license on July 7 in Helena.

"A number have agreed to go," Browning said. "We're looking for legal help or statistics or anyone who wants to go."

As far as Saddlehorn is concerned, the whole protest came as a shock, Walker said.

"My feeling was that when we left that barbeque last year the overwhelming response was 'Thank you for cleaning up this area.'"

Doug Averill, who heads up Saddlehorn, said he stopped in to meet with Browning and explain that a public bar wasn't in the works.

"We've been there for three years and the emphasis has been to clean up that part of the neighborhood," he said. "Since Saddlehorn bought the marina, it's doubled adjacent property values. It hasn't hurt the neighborhood, that's for sure."