Council approves plan, sends it on

Lakeside Community Council members breathed a sigh of relief last week as they voted to pass the Lakeside Neighborhood Plan on to the Flathead County Planning Board for the second and, they hope, the last time, after a more than two-year effort to revise the document.

The council voted 4-1 to send the plan on at its February meeting. Member Gregg Schoh voted against the motion to send the plan forward, saying that while he appreciated the work on the plan, he had "heartburn" about the density concerns expressed by agencies like Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

"[Agencies' are all saying our densities are too aggressive," Schoh said. "It concerns me that they're concerned."

Other council members said the plan was the work of years of compromise and expressed a desire to see it completed.

"This is good – 99 percent good," member Rex Boller said. "I don't want to wait five years, four years, three months or two days. I want the plan. That's what I want."

The plan will now appear before the Flathead County Planning Board later this spring. Planning staff has suggested the board may want to do another workshop on the plan prior to a public hearing. The plan already went through one workshop with the board in October and went back to the council and its Lakeside Neighborhood Plan Committee, which had been working on those revisions and others ever since. The plan will still have to go through public hearings before the planning board and the Flathead County Commissioners.

Approximately 20 members of the public were present, both residents of Lakeside and representatives of local organizations, to express comments on the revised plan last week. The council also received half a dozen written comments.

Council members heard repeated concerns about high densities and water quality, particularly in the plan's lakefront designation and the suburban mixed designation. Several people said scientific studies are needed on the impacts on of higher densities on Flathead Lake before they are allowed for. Increases in impervious surfaces through development can increase the pollutants entering the Lake, several people noted.

"To do otherwise is to put the proverbial cart before the horse," said Roger Sullivan of approving the densities in the plan without further study. Sullivan spoke on behalf of the Flathead Lake Protection Association.

Committee members pointed out that they are volunteers and do not have the resources or the money to do that kind of research.

"We're always making decision on imperfect information," council chair Keith Brown said. "I hope when they look back at the plan our children will say we protected water quality."

Two revisions to the plan were approved prior to the vote to send it on.

Changes were made to the lakefront residential designation intended to clarify the definitions of lakefront, waterfront and non-waterfront areas and lots and strengthen language that the plan does not intend to supersede existing zoning in that area. A paragraph about the current conditions of the school buildings was also added.

The most recent version of the plan, including the council's changes, is available online at lakesideplan2008.com or through the Flathead County Planning and Zoning Office.