County OK’s work camps for West Glacier region employers
Over the years companies have bought several houses in West Glacier for employee housing, but it isn't enough. (Chris Peterson photo)
A text amendment request to add “Work Camp” as a type of land use requiring a Minor Land Use permit under the Canyon Area Land Use Regulatory System was adopted after Flathead County Commissioners unanimously approved the resolution at a public hearing Tuesday last week.
The resolution’s adoption was the final step in a process that began as a conversation nearly two years ago, in May of 2019, to address seasonal employee housing in the Middle Canyon area, which has long been an issue for employers in the region.
The Middle Canyon Land Use Advisory Committee had forwarded the proposed text amendment along with a favorable recommendation to the planning board last fall after multiple community meetings and numerous iterations of proposals, that “took a long time, but at the end of the day left everyone satisfied with the results,” said Flathead County Planning and Zoning director Mark Mussman.
The planning and zoning board reviewed the request and recommended it for approval to the county commissioners at a meeting in January, which received no public comment, before it was finally adopted by commissioners on Tuesday.
The resolution ultimately provides employers with a legitimate and standardized avenue for furnishing seasonal employee housing. The amendment’s language defines “Work Camp” and also outlines performance standards designed to mitigate the impacts of such developments on the surrounding community and the overall character of the area.
For example, a work camp is strictly meant for employers to provide housing for their own seasonal employees, and cannot at any time be offered to the general public.
Work camps will have minimum setbacks from roads and property lines, designated quiet hours, and must include adequate off-street parking that won’t congest existing roadways. To further reduce commuter traffic and congestion, work camps are intended to be near their places of employment.
The work camp performance standards set density limits to ensure safe septic system operations and also require the safe handling of solid waste disposal to reduce the attraction of wildlife.
In addition, the regulations look to create buffers near the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork of the Flathead River, stating that, “when the subject property abuts a right-of-way or river, the 150-foot measurement shall be in addition to the right-of-way of the river width along the adjacent side.”
Unlike other minor land uses in the Middle Canyon area, those applying for a work camp use will be required to notify adjacent landowners of their intent, providing the public with a 15-day comment period in an attempt to keep communication open and quell concerns as early as possible, said Mussman.
County commissioner Pamela Holmquist had one major concern with the requested amendment: a provision requiring work camps to comply with International Dark Sky lighting standards. Her objection centered upon there not being any “official” Dark Sky lighting standards, therefore making the provision more of a guideline than an enforceable standard. This apprehension was echoed by chairman Randy Brodehl.
“Kalispell has [a] Dark Sky Lighting requirement, but they don’t enforce it on new construction. And if they can’t enforce it, and they have building inspectors and enforcement officers, I can’t see how we’re going to actually enforce that, without being just complaint-driven,” said Brodehl. “I think that while Dark Sky Lighting is great, it is something that we have to be able to enforce if we’re going to put it in there, and I don’t anticipate us enforcing Dark Sky Lighting —if the city of Kalispell [doesn’t] enforce theirs, how can we.”
The commissioners therefore adopted the resolution with the amendment that the compliance with Dark Sky lighting standards be struck from the text.
Holmquist ended the meeting with appreciation for the Middle Canyon Land Use Advisory Committee’s efforts.
“I’d like to thank the committee for trying to come up with solutions for this, because with our housing the way it is and everything, it’s just a good step forward in trying to provide for some of the people that come to work here,” she said. “Because housing is frankly an issue and continuing to be an issue in the future, so thank you.”