Tag Archives: zoning

“Greenbelt” zoning gets the green light

Environmental Issues, News, ,

For those of you who have been following the “greenbelt” zoning kerfuffle, the Hungry Horse News posted a brief report . . .

A new zoning district proposed for county land along highways was unanimously approved by the Flathead County Commissioners on July 27.

As proposed, development in the B-2HG general-business highway-greenbelt zoning district would require mitigation of visual impacts of commercial development, with special attention to setbacks, landscaping and signs.

In the Columbia Falls area, the zoning district could be applied to U.S. 2 and Montana Highways 40 and 206, but it will not affect properties regulated under the Canyon and North Fork neighborhood plans and will not apply to properties within the Columbia Falls two-mile planning and zoning jurisdiction.

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County commissioners reject North Fork zoning change

News, ,

The Daily Inter Lake posted a surprisingly lengthy report on Monday’s county commissioner’s decision to reject the North Fork zoning “text amendment” . . .

Agreeing it posed undo restrictions on private property rights, the Flathead County commissioners on Monday unanimously rejected a text amendment that would have banned temporary structures in the North Fork Zoning District’s 150-setback from public roads and bodies of water.

The North Fork Land Use Advisory Committee had asked for a zoning text amendment that would require temporary structures to abide by designated setbacks. The amendment also would have provided a definition for temporary structures.

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Feb. 14 county commissioners’ meeting to consider North Fork setbacks

News,

The Flathead County commissioners are scheduled to consider adjustments to language for the North Fork Zoning District concerning setbacks on Feb 14th, 9:30am in their offices at 800 South Main Street, Kalispell. (A previous post discusses this in more detail.)

John Frederick sent out this reminder earlier today . . .

To North Fork Landowners

This is a reminder that the Commissioners’ hearing is on Valentine’s Day, February 14, at 9:30 am in their office. It is in the basement. It would be good if some of you could attend.

All this text amendment does is give a definition of temporary structures and include them in the setback distances from roads, rivers, lakes and streams. This was the intention of North Fork zoning from the beginning and only applies to the North Fork Zoning District.

For those who wish to provide comments to the County Commissioners, they must be received three days before the hearing. Without positive comments the chance of passage is slim. The names and email addresses for the Commissioners are:

Jim Dupont (jdupont@flathead.mt.gov)
Pam Holmquist (pholmquist@flathead.mt.gov)
Dale Lauman (dlauman@flathead.mt.gov)

You should also copy Mary Fisher, office manager of Planning and Zoning, (mfisher@flathead.mt.gov) with each email or letter so there  is a record of each message to the Commissioners. They need not be long.

The snail-mail address for the Commissioners is
800 South Main, Kalispell, MT 59901.

The Flathead County Planning and Zoning Office address is
1035 1st Avenue West, Kalispell, MT 59901.

County commissioners to hold hearing on North Fork setbacks

News, ,

The Flathead County commissioners are scheduled to consider adjustments to language for the North Fork Zoning District concerning setbacks. The Daily Inter Lake has a good summary of the issue.  [Note: The meeting date is incorrect; it should be Feb. 14.] . . .

The issue of banning temporary structures in the North Fork Zoning District’s 150-foot setback from public roads and bodies of water is the focus of a Jan. 14 [correction: Feb. 14] public hearing before the Flathead County commissioners.

The hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the commission chambers, 800 S. Main St. in Kalispell.

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