Kleinham's Discovery Part 2 - Flathead County, Montana

Growth Policv Statements
Policy 3.3 Maintain flexibilitv of land use options to forest and agnculture
land onto"rs by fo"*ine oo mitieatiog th" oeeatir" impu"ts of
development.
Policy 3.4 Develop equitable and predictable impact mitisation for
converting rural timber and agricultural lands to residential real estate.
Policy 4.4 Identr& and encourage subd-ivision layouts lhat ret4in value of
land without negatively impact the rural character and apricultural uses.
Policv 11.2 Identiff impacts of development that threatens eateway areas
*d d*t.lopr l*d or", gniO u"t, *itho,rt
prohibiting development. Create incentives for developments that consider
the scenic .settings. incomorate desiBn and construction standards that
harmonize and complement the local views. and where possible. provide
incentives for excellent architectural desien.
Policy 11.5 Develop gurdelines to ensure that lighting should not destroy
the reasonable enjovment by all residents of the night skies.
veeetative Buffers 20 meters are epcouraged (paee 18 and Fisures 2.2 and
2.4 of the Growth PoLicy) The North Shore Ranch development is
proposing a vegetated buffer of 50 to 200-feet in wid(h alonq the highwqv
frontaqe of the development. A bufer o-f 100 to 1050 -feet is proposed
along.the southern boundary of the developmentfor WPA lands.
As stated in the Growth Policy (paee l9): "There are a variet_v of factors
contributins to this conversion (.Agdculture to residential). Current
Landolvners are interested in farming as long as it is economically viable
but increasing costs of farming (land. machiner.v. fuel. labor. Ets.)
combiPed with stagnapt crop revenues impacts viabilit!'. Farrners in
Flathead Countv are also aging. and although there is great interest in
agricultural practices amone the vounge,r population none can afford to
buy land when competing with residential developers." This ls rfte case
with Mr. Klinehans as he retired.fromfarming and placed his propert.v on
the market. The propert-v set for more than two ]tears be-fore the current
land owner assembled the parcels.for the proposed develooment.
Policy 23.10 Restrict access from private properties onto the Montana
$tate lrishways and require frontaee roads where needed aqd internal
vehicle circulation roads for all developments outside urban areas. fhe
North Shore Ranch develaoment proposes an interior.circulation $tstem
with all lot accessing internalllt. The applicant has commissioned and
North Shore Ranch
Kleinhans Farms v. Flathead Co.
County File -- 3122