Another Community Success!
Ya'll came together and did it AGAIN!Flathead County Commissioners voted against Montarise in yet another round.
Concerned Citizens’ Call to Action over Proposed Montarise Development
Join your community at the next Flathead County Planning and Zoning Committee Meeting on January 11th, beginning at 6:00 P.M. in the Flathead County Planning & Zoning Office on 40 11th Street West in Kalispell. To learn more, visit Flathead Families for Rural Responsible Growth by clicking on the link below.
Legal issues
Compliance with Flathead Valley Growth Policy – the County’s legal standard is to meet “substantial compliance.’ Changing the zoning from SAG-5 to R1 to accommodate the development PUD overlay violates R1 uses
The PUD overlay violates R-1 uses by including cluster housing of lot sizes less than 1 acre and commercial entity that lists a 68 or 73 stall RV park
Changing zoning to R-1 violates existing CC&Rs recorded on Jun1, 1984 by allowing lot sizes less than five acres. Research needs to be conducted to ensure the other properties are encumbered by the covenants
The following is reprinted from a statement made by Friends of Responsible Rural Growth.
Montarise Village is out of character for the neighborhood.
The Happy Valley Homesites is not comparable with it being approximately 2 miles away and on the east side of Highway 93. More comparable are the contiguous Whitefish Hills (10-, 20-, and 40-acre forested homesites) and Whitefish Hills Village (2 – 4-acre forested homesites) communities
Zoning has to protect public health, safety, and welfare.
The increased traffic poses numerous safety issues.
A 2020 traffic study utilized by the developer is outdated and believed to understate the current levels of traffic flow on KM Ranch Road. The significant additional traffic projected will:
- Create a public safety risk that could impede residents’ ability to swiftly evacuate in an emergency and prevent emergency vehicles from arriving in a timely manner
- Exacerbate unsafe turning left onto Highway 93 while creating additional safety issues with vehicles turning right onto KM Ranch Road from Highway 93 and left from Highway 93 onto KM Ranch Road
- KM Ranch Road is only paved to Spring Prairie Road. The additional traffic will materially increase dust and negatively impact farm stock, wildlife, and fish in the Stillwater River
KM Ranch Road has increasingly become a backroad thoroughfare to Highway 93 North with increasing numbers of wildlife/vehicle collisions. The number of collisions is expected to increase as traffic increases
Adding approximately 54 school-aged children will increase the need for additional school buses that already struggle with KM Ranch Road’s curves. A bus with children slid off KM Ranch Road in recent years
Increased traffic will make it impossible for walkers, bicycle and horseback riders to enjoy traveling on KM Ranch Road
Increased traffic is dangerous for buses carrying children. For safety reasons, buses with children on board are prohibited from turning onto KM Ranch from Twin Bridges
Increased vehicles will increase congestion on Highway 93 corridor for all Flathead Valley residents adding daily commute times for everyday activities, work, and school.
Ingress and egress
Primary access to Montarise Village will be 2 entry points off KM Ranch Road. While the country road is paved to Spring Prairie, the entry points on are located on blind curves in the 2-lane road
KM Ranch Road by the 2 entry points is very winding with frequent wildlife crossing and during winter months, vehicles regularly slide off the road. Adding 120%+ traffic to the 2-lane road will worsen road safety
Fire safety
The high-density housing development is located in a “high” Wildland Urban Interface area. Increased population resulting from the development increases the chances of wildfires due to human ignitions
Fire moves from east to west so in the event of a wildfire, residents along Prairie View, Spring Prairie Ranch and beyond risk being able to evacuate safely with the increased volume of traffic
Water and Septic
Montarise Development intends to use community water sources. If 268 units are allowed to be built, there is a grave concern about the development depleting the area’s water table
The development is adjacent to the Flathead Valley Landfill. The county has had to purchase properties next to the dump because of issues with toxic materials leaching into their water table. Adding high-density housing so close to the landfill will worsen the problem, potentially affecting the surrounding community’s water
With a large number of necessary septic systems and leach fields, there is a concern about the impact of sewage leakage and groundwater contamination
Public Safety
The Flathead Valley’s law enforcement agencies are already overtaxed. As reported by the Flathead Beacon on May 4, 2022, Sheriff Heino stated the department is understaffed and affecting his department’s ability to serve and protect Flathead Valley’s growing population. While the requested budget to add 5 additional deputies, 2 additional ICAC deputies, 2 more court staff and a 5th judge for 2023, he’s already requesting 4 more deputies for 2024
Other Objections – Quality of life in rural Montana
Dark night skies are highly coveted as the lure of rural Montana. The need to illuminate Montarise Village’s 155.9-acre development, will create light pollution and eliminate dark skies as a precious resource that negatively affects residents and wildlife
The development will displace scores of animals that live in its forest and use the land for crossing
Montarise Village does not create affordable housing. The developers intent is to add additional housing which does not assure housing affordability
What You Can Do to Help
Learn about the issues by attending neighborhood meetings
Email or write the County Commissioners to object to Montarise Village development citing the above objections and your own
Attend County Commissioner Planning and Zoning meeting(s) and the County Commissioner meeting(s). NUMBERS MATTER!
Invite others to join the opposition effort
Donate to the newly established nonprofit “Friends for Responsible Rural Growth in the Flathead.”