Canyon Plan committee members sought

By JOE SOVA - Hungry Horse News

Wheels are turning in preparation for updating the Canyon Neighborhood Plan.

BJ Grieve, Flathead County Planning and Zoning assistant director, held a public meeting on Oct. 2 at Canyon Elementary School. About 70 Canyon residents attended, and Grieve explained that he wants to form an advisory committee to evaluate the Plan, which was adopted in May of 1994. It has not been updated in its 14 years in existence. Grieve suggested that the committee have nine members.

An update is required by Montana's Growth Policy law, established by the 1999 State Legislature. Neighborhood plans must meet the criteria set forth in the law.

The Canyon area of Flathead County is under the umbrella of the Flathead County Master Plan 2000. The Canyon is located within the South Fork Census Division of the county. It extends from the area of Spotted Bear to the Middle Fork corridor. In 1990, the total Canyon population was about 1,970 people. This number reflects the winter time population.

Grieve said that since "census block group" numbers must be compiled, the county does not have Canyon population numbers for 2000 at this time.

According to the current Plan, "The existing rural character of the Canyon is a way of life that many Canyon residents would like to maintain. This desire translates to slow growth and low population density based on the results from various Canyon surveys and from feedback received at the public meetings."

The Plan offers suggestions for land use planning.

Growth-inducing changes would include transportation and water system improvements, shift in land ownership from "public" to "private" and public sewage treatment systems.

In essence, the Upper, Middle and Lower canyons make up the region. The Upper and Middle canyons are now a zoning district. Zoning was not approved for the Lower canyon region, which includes Hungry Horse and Coram.

A proposal for a 900-plus unit residential development in Hungry Horse about 18 months ago "did not succeed," according to Grieve. He said there has been no submission to his office for a smaller development at this time.

Guiding growth, development

In opening the Oct. 2 meeting, Grieve said, "I'm here to chat with you tonight. I'm not here to open old wounds. I'm here to learn from you."

Grieve said that the Canyon Plan exists as a foundation for guiding growth and development. He added that the meeting was not about zoning.

Immediately, nonetheless, Grieve fielded questions about zoning. There were concerns that the negative impact of development in the Canyon would be an increase in property taxes.

One person at the meeting said that in the Whitefish area, "long-time landowners are being forced out."

"Zoning is a whole different issue," Grieve said in response to questions about zoning.

"By the end it was very positive," Grieve said after the meeting. "The result was that the people in the Canyon have a better understanding of the Plan and how to implement it. The Plan is all we're updating. We won't change anything about whether people are zoned or not zoned."

According to Grieve, a number of people attending the meeting came with some misunderstanding.

"There were some preconceived notions," he said. "It was a chance to understand the situation better. It's good to hear everyone's perspective.

"I heard loud and clear that they would like proportionate representation" on the committee, Grieve said, meaning people from the Upper, Middle and Lower canyon regions. "It is definitely be an ad hoc committee. It does not have any regulatory authority."

Grieve said it will be a group that he "can bounce ideas off of" and will be made up of "experts off what's going on" in the Canyon.

"We don't want to rewrite the Plan," Grieve emphasized. "We'll use the committee to tweak the Plan."

Applications accepted

As of last Friday, Grieve had received only four applications for membership on the Canyon Neighborhood Plan committee. Interested persons have until 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 22 to submit an application to the Flathead County Planning and Zoning office.

The applications will go to the county planning board next week and they will evaluate them and choose who will be on the committee — based on their knowledge of Canyon issues. Once the committee is formed, Grieve will hold regular meetings with the group as they sort through the existing Plan and note recommendations for revisions to meet Growth Policy guidelines.

Grieve said that once the draft of the revision is completed, the draft will be presented during a public meeting. At that time, Canyon residents can discuss the draft and make recommendations. When the final draft is complete, it will go to the county planning board. The board will then advise the county commissioners as to the adoption of the updated Canyon Neighborhood Plan.

According to Grieve, it will not be until late winter or early spring before the preliminary draft of the revision will be completed and the next public meeting will be held.

Canyon residents who would like to apply for a spot on the advisory committee can go to the Flathead County Planning and Zoning office Web site — www.co.flathead.mt.us/fcpz/drafts — and click on the "Canyon Plan Update Committee Application Form" link. The application can be printed, completed and mailed or faxed to the Planning and Zoning office. That is Flathead County Planning and Zoning Office, 1035 First Ave. West, Kalispell, MT 59901 or fax (406) 751-8210.

Grieve can be contacted at the Planning and Zoning office at (406) 751-8200.