Flathead County approves preliminary plat for Steamboat Landing after adding geotechnical monitoring condition

The Flathead County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 11 approved a preliminary plat for the Steamboat Landing subdivision in Somers, subject to a newly adopted condition requiring geotechnical testing and ongoing monitoring through final plat of each phase through phase 5.

The preliminary plat covers 63.79 acres at 603 Summers Road and proposes a phased development of 180 single-family lots plus five residential condominium lots containing 72 units — a total of 252 residential units — with about 5.966 acres of parkland and roughly 2.5 acres of open space within mapped wetlands and floodplain, Planning and Zoning staff said.

Why it matters: Residents and county officials debated potential hazards — including proximity to a former Burlington Northern creosote plant Superfund site, groundwater movement, soil stability and traffic impacts along Highway 82 — before the board added the geotechnical condition intended to address liquefaction and other soil concerns raised during public comment.

Planning staff summary and agency reviews Erin Appert, Flathead County planning and zoning staff, told commissioners the application included will-serve letters from Summers Water and Sewer District and Lakeside Water and Sewer District for phase 1 and that subsequent phases will require additional wastewater capacity and additional will-serve letters. Agency comments in the staff report cited DEQ review requirements, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wetland permitting, and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks recommendations, which asked for a 100-foot buffer around wetlands and a 30-foot building setback.

Public concerns Three residents spoke during public comment. Resident Brooke Nash said the proposed development would sit close to a controlled groundwater area connected to a former Burlington Northern Superfund site and asked whether commissioners would place their own families so close to the area. Nash said, “Every inch of this subdivision is within three quarters of a mile to 50 feet from the controlled groundwater area of Burlington Northern Santa Fe, federal active Superfund site.”

Jennifer Tipton raised concerns about document availability on the county website and the adequacy of the environmental assessment (EA). “If up to date materials are not posted on the website, we have no assurance that you've reviewed the materials before making your determination,” Tipton said, noting she believes the EA understates seismic risk and soil instability near Summers Middle School.

Leslie West, who lives on Summers Road, said lot sizes create wildfire and emergency-access risks and highlighted soil contamination findings in the EA. “If one goes down, they're going to go like a book of matches,” West said, describing fire-safety concerns tied to high density and constrained access.

Board findings, legal guidance and the new condition Commissioners proceeded through the staff’s numbered findings. Finding 2 originally stated that no soils or geologic hazards were identified in the EA. Several commissioners and the county deputy attorney, Tara Fujino, agreed the finding should acknowledge public testimony about liquefaction risk and that a condition should accompany any amended finding. Fujino advised, “If you're going to have a finding, you need a condition attached to it.”

The board adopted an amended Finding 2 that notes the EA did not identify unusual soils or known geologic hazards but records that public testimony raised concerns about potential liquefaction risk. To address those concerns, the commissioners adopted a condition requiring both geotechnical analysis and monitoring: “The developer shall provide a geotechnical soils analysis and geotechnical monitoring conducted by a licensed professional engineer, submitted at final plat for each phase through phase 5.” The board debated whether monitoring results would be part of the public record; staff confirmed final plat documents and related reports are public records.

Traffic, utilities and other conditions The staff report and findings cite a revised traffic impact study that projects a drop in the level of service (LOS) at the intersection of Highway 82 and Summers Road with buildout of phase 1. Flathead County road standards require the developer to maintain existing LOS, but mitigation for intersections on state routes will require Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) review and approval. Water and wastewater work will require review by the Flathead City-County Health Department and Montana DEQ and must meet the requirements of the Summers and Lakeside districts.

Formal actions and outcome The board voted to adopt the amended findings, including the amended Finding 2 referencing the public testimony, and to add the geotechnical condition described above. They then voted to approve the preliminary plat for Steamboat Landing conditioned on meeting the staff report requirements and the adopted conditions prior to any final plat approvals. Commissioners voiced aye votes and later clarified that two commissioners who were present at the morning session asked that their aye votes be recorded at 10:30 a.m.; the clerk’s correction did not change the outcome.

What the actions do — and do not — decide The approval is for the preliminary plat only. County staff and state agencies retain authority to review and approve infrastructure, DEQ permits, Corps of Engineers wetland permits and MDT traffic mitigations before any final plat for each phase can be recorded. The condition requires geotechnical work and monitoring to be completed and submitted at final plat for each phase (through phase 5); it does not itself certify long-term safety nor substitute for required state or federal permits.

Next steps and documentation If the applicant pursues final plat approval for any phase, required studies, will-serve letters and agency permits must be submitted and cleared. The EA, traffic studies, agency comments and public comment are part of the record and were forwarded to permitting agencies as part of the file.

Ending: The board’s preliminary approval moves the project forward with additional required technical review; neighbors and agencies will have further opportunities to review final-plat-level documents and required permits.