Kootenai Lodge subdivision gets conditional approval

POLSON — The Lake County Board of Commissioners Tuesday voted to conditionally approve the Paul Milhous Group's proposed subdivision of the Kootenai Lodge property on Swan Lake and Swan River.

The action was taken after continuing the hearing of two weeks ago in which the commissioners asked the developer to consider 11 areas of mitigation including density, river safety, number of docks, a new location for sewage treatment, vegetation on the northern boundary of the property, parkland dedication, storm drainage and runoff, and the septic system on Milhous property in the Ridge subdivision.

The public was allowed 30 minutes to express their concerns, after that, their comments were very limited during the discussion between the commissioners and the Milhous group on the mitigations.

Planning consultant Dave DeGrandpre's suggestion of a three and half foot high berm as a north boundary landscape buffer didn't sit well with many attendees.

Commissioner Paddy Trusler recommended that he configure some sort of declaration fence to the north of the property.

DeGrandpre felt that his proposed berm was adequate enough and replied that it should be the responsibility of the landowner to establish separation, drawing moans from the audience.

Trusler agreed, but he stated that this was a special case and that the developers needed to take the privacy of the Swan Lake residents into consideration. The developers eventually agreed to establish a suitable fence, thus arriving a satisfaction point on that particular mitigation.

As for parkland dedication, Trusler argued that though the condos will be established as private property, the developers need to set aside some parkland dedication for public access

DeGrandpre argued that under the law 11 percent of the area can be donated, which he interprets to mean the footprints themselves. He also said there will be a recreational building on the property that will be open to the public and that needed to be taken into account.

Commissioner Mike Hutchin asked if the Milhous Group would entertain the idea of making a public entrance to Swan Lake on the property.

DeGrandpre said the Lake County subdivision act specifically states that developers do not have to provide parkland dedication if they provide recreational needs suitable for that area. With that, the commissioners OK'd their mitigation.

To curb potential watercraft hazards, the Milhous Group agreed to limit their original proposal of 67 boat slips to 24.

"With three personal watercrafts for each slip, that's 72 potential watercrafts," argued one Swan Laker.

"We are going to have 72 watercrafts zipping around that lake like killer bees," said Dominic Kovacevic, captain of Ferndale Fire Department

Kovacevic explained that he is the one who is responsible for retrieving chopped up bodies out of the lake and he takes this proposal personally.

DeGrandpre argued that they weren't in violation of anything and that 24 slips is a good compromise. After much rhetoric, their mitigation was agreed upon with the condition that the Milhous Group continues to uphold the rules and regulations of the Swan Lake already established by the Fish and Wildlife Parks.

Density, being the biggest mitigation point, took up a good portion of the meeting. After all was said and done, the Milhous Group remained firm in their 65 proposed units. With the Kootenai Lodge Property being unzoned, there was nothing legally to prevent them from going ahead with their original design, a point that the commissioners couldn't argue. Milhouse's 65 units were approved.

For all things concerning water treatment and storm drainage, the Milhous group agreed to work with the Department of Environmental quality to ensure proper procedures when installing suitable drains and monitoring wastewater.

However, the Milhous Group has yet to find a new location for the property's sewage treatment.

"We find it difficult to review plans for the land when you haven't found a suitable waste water location," said Trusler. "What if you never find a location?"

The Milhous Group expressed confidence in finding a location and agreed to postpone any construction until they do. They also agreed to the condition that, if they fail to find an alternate location, they must go through the public process again.