North Shore Ranch put on hold again

By JACOB DORAN / Bigfork Eagle

Somers residents were holding their breath again, last week, as the Flathead County Planning Board prepared to hear the preliminary plat application for the North Shore Ranch subdivision once again.

Plans for the project were submitted in April of 2006. The project came before the Planning Board for review just three months later, after the planning staff submitted a recommendation to approve the application. However, after a barrage of public comment in opposition to the project, the Planning Board voted unanimously to deny the application.

After making several changes to the original application in order to address concerns that were raised during the original hearing, Kleinhans Farms Estates resubmitted the application and was scheduled to go before the Planning Board on Nov. 28.

This time, in the face of questions concerning the accuracy of a hydro-geological survey indicating that runoff from the subdivision would flow away from the river and lake, the developer withdrew the application, prior to the planning board hearing, which would have been held Wednesday night.

Somers residents originally expressed concern about the scope and density of the project, which would have doubled the size of Somers, adding 310 single-family homes on 367 acres, south of Highway 82 and east of Somers Road. The proposed lots ranged in size from one quarter acre to 1.95 acres.

Kleinhans Farms Estates sought to weave an equestrian theme into the subdivision. The application designated nearly half of the property included in the project (157 acres) as open space and common area. These spaces would be used as buffer zones, preserved wetlands, horse and bike trails, an equestrian arena and stables.

Aside from the density and size of the project, public comment received by planning office included concern that the project would add substantial traffic congestion due to its proposed access layout, impact wildlife and wildlife habitat with respect to the subdivision's proximity to the USFWS Blasdel Waterfowl Production Area, concerns over statements made in the wildlife report and environmental assessment, impacts to the floodplain, integrity of sewer mains located below the water table, and impact to water quality.

Consequently, the Planning Board originally cast a unanimous vote, with all but one member present, to deny the application.

In addition to the concerns expressed by residents of the community, board members cited potential issues with unrestricted household pets, conflicts with the adjacent hunting area at the waterfowl production area, difficulties with the subdivision being divided between two school districts, difficulty in monitoring and enforcing adherence to covenants, the need for a larger buffer between the subdivision and adjoining lands and a shared belief between board members that the location was unsuitable for an equestrian center.

The new application was submitted by Kleinhans Farms Estates on Aug. 17 of this year after making several changes to the original proposal. Among the changes made, the developer decreased the number of lots in the project from 310 to 290, raised the wetlands delineation, revised its hydro-geological analysis and wildlife report, revised its storm water management plan and traffic impact study, and included a vegetation and wildlife management plan.

The inclusion of an equestrian center and stables remained a part of the new application, along with a clubhouse/fitness center, soccer fields and several miles of equestrian and pedestrian trails.

The applicant proposed to restore and maintaining an existing historic building and grain silo, which may be used for educational purposes or private events. Altogether, the application proposed to utilize 179.903 acres for parks, open spaces or common areas, some of which would remain undeveloped and in their natural state.

The developer proposed that North Shore Ranch be built in fifteen separate phases, which were addressed in a phasing plan that was submitted with the application. The plan also addresses improvements to be made during each phase of the project.

The primary concern raised by planning staff dealt with the extended time frame over which a fifteen phase development could take. If each phase took the maximum time for final plat approval—three years for the first phase and two for each additional phase, beside a one year extension for each phase—the project may not be completed until 2038 (2053, if extensions were requested for each phase).

The developer also agreed that such a time frame would be unreasonable and proposed a 15 year maximum for all phases to have met with final plat approval. The staff report proposed that approval of the project be conditional upon a final plat approval date of Dec. 31, 2022.

It is likely that Kleinhans Farms Estates will resubmit the application after further study to assuage the concerns expressed by area residents.