North Fork gravel zoning amendment turned down

For the second time in two months, a zoning proposal to limit the size of extractive industries in the North Fork failed to win approval from the Flathead County commissioners.

Commissioner Joe Brenneman motioned to approve the text amendment on Dec. 22, which would limit sand and gravel operations and other extractive industries to five acres and 20,000 tons per year. His motion failed for lack of a second.

The commissioners had agreed in October to take the matter under advisement after Brenneman’s similar motion died for a second at that time, too. It’s now considered unlikely the matter will come back to the commissioners anytime soon.

Brenneman pointed out that his support of the zoning text amendment was based on recommendations by the North Fork Land Use Advisory Committee and the Flathead County Planning Board. He also said the proposal had widespread support from North Fork residents and property owners.

Language in the North Fork Neighborhood Plan calls for limiting industrial development to “small scale” operations, but “small scale” remains undefined. The text amendment was aimed at providing that definition.

Continuing his opposition from October, commissioner Jim Dupont called the measure “government intervention that’s totally not necessary.” Commissioner Dale Lauman was absent.