'Shooting range effect' hurts lot sales

The Columbia Falls City Council unanimously approved lowering the prices for lots at the city’s Cedar Creek North and South subdivisions during their April 7 meeting. Councilor Julie Plevel, a Realtor, was absent.

City manager Susan Nicosia noted that the city was not in a hurry to sell the lots to get some cash, but she pointed out that the city was spending money controlling noxious weeds on the property and the six-year-old pavement might soon need maintenance.

Realtor Bill Dakin, who represents the city, said the two subdivisions and the adjacent Moose Crossing subdivision are unique because they’re paved, have underground infrastructure and are adjacent to Forest Service land.

But there are differences, too. Moose Crossing has gone through foreclosure and is back in the hands of the creditor, Whitefish Credit Union. One of the city’s lots sold in 2012 for cash, and another sold in 2012 under contract with the city.

Dakin noted that marketing the city lots is adversely affected by the “sound and the idea” of a nearby shooting range. By keeping the lots unlisted for a time, the city was able to “reset” how long the lots have appeared on the real estate listing.

Mayor Don Barnhart said he thought the city had more than $300,000 invested in the Cedar Creek subdivisions and asked Nicosia to bring back some accurate numbers on that.

In other city council news:

• The city will sponsor large garbage bins during the April 26 Clean The Falls event so residents have a place to throw yard waste and old Christmas trees, Nicosia said.

She noted that one person dumped a Christmas tree on the Kreck Trail along the Flathead River and another one was dumped on private property.

• The Flathead County Solid Waste Board agreed during their April 1 meeting to change the hours at the Columbia Falls greenbox site from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from May 6 through Sept. 30.

The city council had requested the change so people could haul their garbage after they got home from work, Nicosia said.

• The council unanimously approved amendments to the city’s backflow prevention program on a second and final reading.

“I hope I never see it again,” councilor Doug Karper said.

“It’ll be back,” councilor Mike Shepard said. “It’s just a matter of time.”

The city water department is nearly finished with compiling a list of properties with backflow protection devices so a request for bids can be put out for contractors, Nicosia said.

• The council unanimously approved a one-year extension for a conditional-use permit for the Columbia Falls United Methodist Church so they can tear down a house at Second Avenue West and Second Street West and put in a new parking lot.

The conditional-use permit was first approved in April 2008, but financial constraints prevented the church from completing the project. The city did not require the church to create off-street parking, Nicosia pointed out. Shepard abstained from voting.

• The city council will hold a goal-setting workshop after their regular April 21 meeting.