Timeline for Glacier Mall saga
The Daily Inter Lake
May 1999 - James "Bucky" Wolford starts looking for potential mall sites in the Flathead Valley.
Wolford has more than 25 years of retail development experience. He formed his own company, Wolford Development of Chattanooga, Tenn., in March 1999. Prior to that he was a founding partner and the second-largest shareholder in CBL & Associates Properties, a $500 million real estate investment trust.
July 9, 2001 - Wolford submits a growth policy amendment and zone change to allow commercial uses on 147 acres in Evergreen, near the intersection of U.S. 2 and East Evergreen Drive. The project, in an area of joint city-county jurisdiction, is later increased to 247 acres.
Aug.-Sept. 2001 - Flathead County commissioners unanimously approve the amendment and zone change.
Oct. 2001 - Kalispell sues the county, saying any amendment to the joint city-county plan must be approved by both parties.
April 2002 - Wolford submits a revised growth policy amendment, together with an application for annexation into Kalispell and initial zoning request for the Evergreen property.
His proposal includes a 735,000-square-foot enclosed mall, a 350,000-square-foot "power center" for big box stores, another 80 acres of peripheral commercial development and a 56-acre mixed-use residential/office area.
July 2002 - The Kalispell City Council approves the amendment on a 5-4 vote.
A group of downtown business owners subsequently start a voter petition drive seeking a public referendum on the amendment. The group also sues the city to block the amendment.
Jan. 2003 - Wolford, responding to environmental and legal concerns associated with the Evergreen site, announces plans to relocate the project three miles to the west, to a 481-acre site near the intersection of U.S. 93 and West Reserve Drive, north of the Semitool manufacturing plant.
July-Aug. 2003 - Wolford submits a growth policy amendment and zone change application to Flathead County for the U.S. 93/Reserve site.
The zone change calls for 274 acres of B-2 general business zoning and 143 acres of SAG-5 suburban agricultural. Another 64 acres of mixed office and residential development is planned in the future, but isn't addressed in this application.
Nov. 2003 - Calling it "the biggest decision we've ever had to make as far as affecting the future landscape of the Flathead Valley," the commissioners unanimously approve the growth policy amendment.
Prior to the decision, almost 4,400 public comment letters and e-mails were submitted, including 2,507 opposed to the mall and 1,861 in favor.
Dec. 2003 - Opponents begin another voter petition drive. North 93 Neighbors files a lawsuit seeking to overturn the amendment; Let the People Vote files a lawsuit related to the petition drive.
Dillard's publicly commits to building a 98,000-square-foot anchor store in Glacier Mall. Herberger's commits to building an 80,000-square-foot store, up from the 54,000 square feet it has in Kalispell Center Mall.
Jan. 2004 - The Let the People Vote lawsuit is dismissed in District Court. It is appealed to the Montana Supreme Court.
Feb. 2004 - The Wolford zone change gets final approval. Only one protest letter is received.
Feb. 2005 - The North 93 lawsuit is dismissed in District Court. It's appealed to the Supreme Court.
Sept. 2005 - The Supreme Court affirms the District Court decision dismissing the Let the People Vote lawsuit.
June 2006 - The Supreme Court affirms District Court ruling regarding most of the North 93 lawsuit; however, the high court wants the lower court to review whether any new issues were raised in the 4,400 public comment letters.