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Swan Lakers is a
NON PROFIT
organization.
CONTRIBUTIONS
are appreciated and will be used to provide information to
the community and for legal representation, if needed, to protect
the Swan Lake ecosystem and the rural character of the area.
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Swan Lakers
P.O. Box #399
Bigfork, MT 59911
(406) 837- 4511
Contact us |
Welcome to our
website.
Today is Monday,
March 8, 2010.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed
citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
Membership and Contribution Information
Any Level of
Support is appreciated
Printable, downloadable
MEMBERSHIP /CONTRIBUTION FORM
or email
info@swanlakers.org
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Swan Peak and Swan Lake -- photos courtesy of Shelley Emslie
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New!
Latest
News on
the
North
Shore
Ranch
Subdivision
(a
Proposed
Subdivision
bordering
Montana
Highway
82 and
the
North
Shore of
Flathead
Lake,
between
Highway
35 at
Bigfork
and
Highway
93 South
of
Kalispell)
The
proposed
development
allows
for
approximately
367
acres to
be
subdivided
into
approximately
290
residential
units,
in a
combination
of
single
family,
townhouse,
condo,
commercial,
and/or
assisted
living
units.
The
Flathead
County
Commissioners
originally
denied
the
proposal,
because
of
unmitigated
impacts
to to
the
environment,
wildlife
habitat
and
health
and
public
safety.
Upon
denial,
a law
suit was
filed
against
Flathead
County
for
which a
settlement
agreement
has been
made
with the
developers.
Flathead
County
taxpayers
may end
up
paying
over $3
million
dollars
out to
the
developers
as a
result
of the
Commissioner's
denial
of this
project.
To learn
more
about
this
proposed
development,
please
view the
following
documents
and
visit
the
links
provided.
Related
Documents, Articles
and
Comments:
Although
this
settlement
agreement
has
already
been
drafted
between
Flathead
County
and the
developers,
the
Commissioners
have
delayed
accepting
the
terms of
the
agreement
for one
(1)
week.
We urge
interested
parties
to
review
the
information
provided
and to
send
comments
to
Elaine
Nelson
at the
Flathead
County
Commissioner's
Office
at:
enelson@flathead.mt.gov.
Other Recent Area News:
Follow this link
to the Flathead
Beacon for news
on
an agreement
that bans mining
and drilling in
the British
Columbia portion
of the North
Fork of the
Flathead valley.
UPDATE #2 on Johnson Creek Flood plain
delineation:
After reviewing
the revised
flood plain
analysis
submitted by
River Run
Associates
(Kootenai Lodge
Estates),
the Montana
Dept. of Natural
Resources and
Conservation
(DNRC) still has
concerns. Based
on the this
review Lake
County cannot
approve the
proposed flood
plain
delineation.
Follow this link
for the
Technical review
by DNRC of the
revised flood
plain survey by
River Run
Associates
(Kootenai Lodge
Estates) and
this link for
the
Response by Lake
County Planning
to this second
Technical Review.
Here is more
information on a
proposed water
quality testing
program, flood
plain
delineation on
Johnson Creek
UPDATE
on Johnson Creek
Flood plain
delineation:
Lake County has
received from
the Milhous
group an
amendment to the
'100 year Flood
Plain' Report
for Johnson
Creek.
Here is the
letter Swan
Lakers received
from Lake County.
Follow these
links for
original
Technical review
by Montana Dept.
of Natural
Resources and
Conservation
(DNRC) of the
flood plain
survey of
Johnson
Creek submitted
by Milhous
Group
and the
Response by Lake
County Planning
to Technical Review
And follow this
link for the
Final
settlement
between
Swan
Lakers,
Milhous
Group,
and Lake
County
(file
size is
3.4 MB)
Links to
important
Documents and
Regulations
Lake County
Planning
Department |
Lake County
Commissioners
Agenda|
Lake County
Growth Policy |
Lake County
Density Map and
Regulations
Lake County
Lakeshore
Regulations |
Lake County
Subdivision
Regulations |
Swan Sites
Zoning
Regulations |
Kootenai Lodge
Zoning
Regulations
Links to
Local
Newspapers
Online
Bigfork
Eagle |
Daily
Interlake
|
Lake County
Leader |
West Shore
News |
Whitefish
Pilot
Flathead
Beacon |
Hungry Horse
News
The
Lake County Planning Office
website
posts
Legal Notices
for projects.
Lake County Commissioners Schedule
is
posted before the hearing dates.
Legal Notices
for proposed
projects in
our area are
also posted
in the
Bigfork Eagle
classified
section. The same notices appear
in the
Lake County Leader
classified
section. These notices are
somewhat hidden. Please scroll
down through the classified ads
to the Legal Notices or click on
the
"Legal
Notices"
link
under
the
"CLASSIFIED"
heading.
Please send
your letters
and comments
regarding
any of these
projects to:
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Lake County Planning
Department
106 4th Avenue East
Polson, MT 59860
Phone: 406-883-7235
Fax: 406-883-7205
Email:
planning@lakemt.gov |
Lake County Commissioners
106 4th Avenue East
Polson, MT 59860
Phone: 406-883-7204
Email:
commissioners@lakemt.gov |
The Swan Lakers would like to receive a courtesy copy of
correspondence at:
info@swanlakers.org
Recent
Items and
Articles of
Interest
739-lot project withdrawn (Although this is a Lakeside project, it sounds similar to the path of the Kootenia Lodge Condo project)
No clear
path at Lake
Co. zoning
meeting,
By ALEX
STRICKLAND
/ Bigfork
Eagle;
Published:
Wednesday,
July 29,
2009 8:28 AM
PDT
Technical review
by Montana Dept.
of Natural
Resources and
Conservation
(DNRC) of the
flood plain
survey of
Johnson
Creek submitted
by Milhous
Group
and the
Response by Lake
County Planning
to Technical Review
Developers
request dock
variances;
Shortly
After Legal
Settlement,
Kootenai
Lodge
Upsets Neighbors
By
KERRIAN
LYNCH,
Flathead
Beacon;
January
5, 2009
Kootenai
Lodge
Estates had earlier requested
variances
(since
withdrawn) to the
design
standards
of the
Lake
County
Lakeshore
Protection
Regulations
AND
requested
a
variance
from the
the
court
"Order
of
Dismissal
with
Prejudice"
between
the Swan
Lakers
and the
Kootenai
Lodge
Estates.
The
requested
variances
were to:
"1) allow
permanent
dock
pilings,
which are not
allowed
on Swan
Lake, 2)
allow
the
docks
to not
be
removed
from the
water by
December 1
on a
yearly
basis,
3)
allow
the
docks
to not
be
anchored
according
to the
methods
required
by the current
regulations,
and 4)
allow
the
docks to
exceed
50 feet in length when there is adequate water depth at the ends of the docks."
Response
by
Lake
County
Planning
Department
to
Variance
Request
Response
from
the
Kootenai
Lodge
Estates
to
the
Planning
Department's
initial
non
recommendation
of
approval
to
the
Commissioners
Kootenai Lodge Estates
photos
(large
file
6.5
MB),
Kootenai Lodge Estates
Exhibit
B
Meeco
letter
and
photo,
and
Kootenai Lodge Estates
Exhibit
A
We
are
still
not
aware
of a
new
or
modified
request
for
this
variance
has
been
submitted.
We
will
post
all
new
information
as
it
is
received.
Lake County Subdivision Regulation Updates of 2008
The Lake
County
Planning
Board
voted
unanimously
to pass
the Lake
County
Subdivision
Regulation
Updates of 2008 after ten months of work. This included all the changes to regulations agreed to by Lake County under the settlement agreement signed with the Swan Lakers and Milhous Group. The changes would mean,
among
many
other
improvements,
that
Lake
County
shall
consider
DENSITY
as a
criteria
in
subdivision
approval and that
the
Commissioners would
NOT BE
required
to
accept
the
number
of units
as proposed
by a
developer.
The
Commissioners
shall
also
consider
the
impact
on the
natural
environment
including
historical
features
and
wildlife.
They would
also
have to
consider
the
impact
on local
services
during
the
subdivision application
and review process. The
update
includes
language
specifying
that the
threat
of a
lawsuit
shall
not be a
basis to
approve
or deny
a
subdivision.
The final draft of the Proposed Updates to the Lake County Subdivision Regulations, as well as the Current Subdivision Regulations, may be viewed at Lake County Planning Department, Room 315 of the Lake County Courthouse, in Polson, or online at http://lakecounty-mt.org/planning. Please continue to send comments to: Lake County Planning Department at 106 Fourth Avenue East, Polson, Montana, 59860 or by FAX 406-883-7205, or by email at planning@lakemt.gov .
Note:
As of
October
24,
2009, we
do not
know the
status
of the
the
updates
to the
Subdivision
Regulations.
We DO
NOT know
if the
Commissioners
ever
approved
the
changes.
Documents
located
on the
Lake
County
Planning
website
indicate
that
these
changes
have NOT
been
adopted
yet.
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