Now's the time for agencies, land trusts

It would not be a stretch to call last week's decision by the Flathead County Commissioners to deny the North Shore Ranch subdivision stunning.

Standing in the back of the packed room, it was easy to hear residents from all over the Lower Valley express disbelief at what they'd just heard when it became pretty clear that Commissioner Gary Hall wasn't going to vote yes.

But now that everyone's shock has had a chance to dissipate, there are plenty of people around here who had better get to work.

Local conservation groups like the Flathead Land Trust, and to a greater extent Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, need to take this opportunity to make some serious runs at preserving the open space north of Flathead Lake.

When the subdivision application was being reviewed by the Planning Board last month, Marc Pitman, one of the board members, said he was ashamed of the agencies that spoke out against the project. Montana FWP and the Fish and Wildlife Service told the board that a high-density development would irrevocably alter the habitat set aside for birds and wildlife in the Flathead Lake Waterfowl Protection Area. Pitman pointed out that if the land adjacent to the refuge was so important, the agencies should have purchased it to expand the reach of the WPA or created other parks or open space.

Pitman, for his part, is absolutely right. And with the denial, those agencies and groups have a chance to make something come of their opposition to the project. They will bend your ear about the importance of the North Shore — and you won't find any disagreement here — but now it's time for them to empty their coffers and make a move.

official: Bigfork tastes good

As I've only been in town for eight months or so, nearly every event that comes along in Bigfork is a first for me. Well, last weekend's Taste of Bigfork is one I'm certain I'll be back for next time around.

For someone who had never set foot in a good number of Bigfork's finest eateries, the event served as a crash course in what culinary delights our tiny town has to offer.

It also taught me a valuable lesson for next year that I can sum up in one word: Sweatpants.

Thanks to all the restaurants and volunteers that put on such a great event. I'm already looking forward to next year.

— Alex Strickland