“Planning board rejects massive Columbia Falls subdivision east of Flathead River.”

River Highlands Development

River Highlands was a planned unit development on the Loffler Subdivision, the open farm fields along River Road in Columbia Falls, Montana by James Barnett on behalf of Flathead Mountain River, LLC

About the Project

• The project consists of 65 attached single family row houses.
• 390 apartment units
• 10 row house units dedicated to the Northwest Montana Community Land Trust.
• The total unit count is 455 units on 49.1 acres gross for a density of 9.2 units per acre.
• The applicant is proposing 21.5 acres (43%) of the site as park and open space, according to the initial application.
• The interior roads would be private, and are said to be open to the public.

Moving River Road

• The applicants are proposing to move River Road further east on Highway 2.
• Barnett is stating he will install a traffic signal at Highway 2 and River Road.
• They will extend city sewer and water down Highway 2 and across the Flathead River — a move that could result in even more future development of the area.

Proposed Zone Changes

• The developers are asking for a zone change from Single Family Residential to Urban Residential.

They are also seeking zoning deviations

• An increase in height of 10 feet allowing a portion of the apartment buildings to approach 45 feet in height.
• Reduce parking requirement from two spaces per unit to 1.5 spaces.