74-lot subdivision near Kila up for a vote Thursday

The Daily Inter Lake

A major subdivision proposal in the Kila area comes before the Flathead County commissioners for action Thursday morning.

Haskill Mountain Ranch would have 74 single-family lots on 530 acres off Browns Meadow Road in an unzoned area southwest of Kila.

In June, the Flathead County Planning Board unanimously recommended denial of the project, largely because of density and wildlife concerns.

Several board members and many of the neighbors felt the size of the subdivision was inconsistent with the rural area.

However, Flathead County Road Superintendent Charlie Johnson urged the commissioners to approve the project, in part because the developer had offered to upgrade and pave four miles of Browns Meadow Road.

The county can barely afford to maintain the gravel roads it currently has, and only paves about three miles of road in a given year. Johnson said the Haskill Mountain Ranch proposal could serve as a model for other subdivision developments and help the county get more paving done.

All lots would be served by individual water wells and septic systems. A groundwater assessment submitted by the developer indicates that 57 percent of the wells in the area meet state standards for water availability, meaning they can pump 10 gallons per minute for at least one hour. The remaining wells either couldn t meet the requirements or weren t tested long enough.

The commissioners are scheduled to address Haskill Mountain Ranch at 11 a.m. They typically don t take public comment when discussing a preliminary plat; however, a general public comment period is scheduled at 9:45 a.m.