Another Kapoor zone change on tap May 10

The Flathead County Planning Board will take up a zone change request from Florida developer Rishi Kapoor at its May 10 meeting.

Kapoor’s company, Location Acquisitions, is asking the county to change a 113-acre parcel of farmland east of Columbia Falls from SAG-10 (agricultural) to R-1 (residential).

The R-1 designation would allow up to one housing unit per acre.

The planning board meets at 6 p.m. The planning board was scheduled to take up the zone change earlier this month, but the hearing was postponed at the request of the developer.

The property is currently part of the Wilkinson Family Trust, according to tax maps. It directly borders the Bad Rock Wildlife Management Area to the north and the west.

“Location Acquisitions intends to use the associated land to develop single family residences. Amending the parcel’s zoning to R-1 will allow landowners to make use of the value of the land and location to meet market demand for housing due to significant population growth,” the developer claims in its application to the Flathead County Planning and Zoning Office.

The county planning staff report on the subdivision endorses the zone change.

“The proposed zoning map amendment generally complies with the Flathead County Growth Policy because the proposed R-1 zoning would continue to allow for agricultural uses and would allow for single-family dwellings, manufactured homes, and accessory dwelling units at a higher density which has the potential to create additional housing options, the amendment would apply to properties along a State highway, and the northern portion of the property would remain suburban agricultural and could serve as a buffer for the adjacent wildlife management area,” the staff report states.

But Montana Fish Wildlife and Park staff see the subdivision as having the potential to cut off migrating elk herds from the Bad Rock Canyon Wildlife Management Area.

“This area provides a movement corridor for wildlife, including deer and elk that winter to the north in the Bad Rock Canyon WMA. Numerous studies indicate that development in areas like this fragment habitat and associated human and domestic pet activity further impacts the surrounding area,” a letter from FWP states. “The proposed project area is also heavily used by a resident elk herd. This parcel is part of a continuous movement corridor for elk, which cross Highway 2 at this location to access larger tracts of available habitat. This lot is a critical connection for elk moving north-south along the river corridor and through the remaining bands of open space and forest. The loss of this habitat may significantly alter movement patterns. Cumulatively, higher density development on this parcel and surrounding parcels will displace elk and eventually block this wildlife movement corridor.”

Kapoor’s request is just for the zone change. It does not include any plans for a subdivision. In Florida, Location Ventures is known for building luxury homes.

The Columbia Falls City Council in a 5-2 vote April 17, voted down a request by Kapoor for a zone change so he could build a 180-unit rental complex on 22 acres of swampy farmland just east of the Flathead River. The 113-acre parcel is about a quarter mile east of that parcel, but is outside of the city’s planning jurisdiction.