Firm's land-use concerns are well-founded

F.H. Stoltze Land & Lumber Co. got the public's attention last week when General Manager Ron Buentemeier announced the company was pulling its timberlands out of a proposed recreational trail system near Whitefish.

In short, Stoltze won't guarantee access for the trails until the company can be assured it can continue to manage and use its lands as the company sees fit.

The move was an effort to point out the unintended consequences of the county's new zoning text amendment for gravel pits. Stoltze's overriding concern is potential restrictions on what the company can and can't do with its 36,500 acres in Flathead County.

Stoltze has been a good neighbor to Flathead residents for decades. Its open-lands policy has allowed people to use existing roads and trails for hiking, and the company has generously opened its lands to hunting, too, with some restrictions. We doubt anyone wants to jeopardize this long-standing good-neighbor policy.

So if Stoltze speaks, people need to listen.

Buentemeier has legitimate concerns about how the gravel-pit amendment may affect Stoltze land. The amendment greatly expanded the county's ability to prohibit gravel mining throughout the valley. It affected all zoning districts that allow residential uses as a permitted use. In Stoltze's case, it affects more than 9,000 acres of timberland that are essentially considered residential under the confines of the amendment.

Commissioner Gary Hall acknowledged the gravel amendment was OK'd before all the bugs were worked out. He hopes a citizens advisory committee can finesse the language to make it more user-friendly.

But the gravel-pit amendment was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Buentemeier said the company's concerns include several other county matters - recommendations from the county's Long-Range Planning Task Force's natural resources subcommittee, a recent "reinterpretation" of planned-unit developments and ongoing efforts to update the county growth policy.

As a business, Stoltze's goals remain the same: to preserve the economic value of its land and provide wood for its mill.

Buentemeier said he wanted to put everyone on notice that those who want to preserve open space and use Stoltze land need to get involved in the planning process.

He's got our attention.