Columbia Falls planning commission backs annexation and PUD for 274 Meadowlake Boulevard, adds three conditions

The Columbia Falls Planning Commission on a voice vote recommended annexation, initial CR-5 zoning and approval of a plan-unit development (CPUD D2401) and preliminary plat for property at 274 Meadowlake Boulevard, forwarding the items to City Council with three additional conditions.

Staff planner Eric told the commission the application seeks annexation of Parcel B (COS 22075) and conversion from county R-5 to city CR-5 with a PUD overlay, creating 10 parent lots with two sublots each (20 residential sublots). "We are making our recommendations based on 27 conditions of approval," Eric said during his presentation and noted utilities, stormwater and sewer will require review by the Columbia Falls Public Works Department and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.

Why it matters: the proposal would allow higher residential density consistent with the city 2019 growth-policy map that designates the area for multifamily residential uses. The commission examined site constraints, public-safety reviews and design deviations requested in the PUD, and amended staff recommendations to address neighbors' concerns.

What the commission decided: commissioners approved the annexation and initial CR-5 zoning and then put the PUD and preliminary plat on the table for motions. During deliberations they added three conditions to the staff-recommended list: (1) a prohibition on short-term rentals to be recorded on the face of the plat; (2) a sidewalk cross-section that includes an elevation change to delineate pedestrian space; and (3) a requirement that the developer provide a 6-foot privacy fence along the north and south rear-yard boundaries adjacent to existing lots (this does not apply to PUD open space). The commission adopted findings for the PUD with those conditions and recommended the preliminary plat; those recommendations will go to City Council, which is scheduled to consider the matter on January 21, 2025.

Neighbors and concerns: adjacent property owners and a neighborhood association speaker raised compatibility, safety and environmental concerns. Chris Smith, who said he lives at 268 Mill Lake Boulevard directly adjacent to the site, urged commissioners to "deny the rezoning request," arguing the townhome-style density would be incompatible with his single-family neighborhood and would add risk on Meadowlake Boulevard. A neighborhood-association representative said if the city accepts cash-in-lieu for sidewalks the city should begin construction within one year of build-out and urged deed restrictions to prevent short-term rentals; the speaker also highlighted an estimated loss of "2.27 acres of mature trees" and urged tree-replacement efforts.

Applicant response: developer Toby Gilchrist and designer Aaron Wallace explained the layout seeks cost-efficient, entry-level ownership units. Wallace described a central drive aisle and townhouse-style units as a response to lot geometry and parking requirements, and said the team would try to retain trees where feasible and plant additional trees to mitigate loss. "The goal for this project is certainly long-term ownership," Gilchrist said.

Planning and technical notes: staff said the 20-unit development does not meet Columbia Fallsa0typical traffic-impact-study thresholds (a TIS is generally requested at 30 units or more), though prior studies on nearby projects addressed sight-distance issues and potential future signal changes at the Meadowlake Boulevard/Highway 2 intersection. Staff also noted that municipal water and sewer would be extended with annexation and that the applicant must verify force-main capacity prior to sewer connection; if capacity is inadequate, the applicant would need to extend gravity main from the south.

Votes at a glance: the commission approved the annexation/initial zoning, adopted findings for the PUD with the three added conditions, and recommended the preliminary plat; these recommendations will be forwarded to City Council for final action on January 21, 2025. The record shows the commission conducted voice votes during the meeting; roll call at the start of the session recorded four commissioners present and one absent.

What happens next: the commission's recommendations and the final PUD conditions will be considered by the Columbia Falls City Council on January 21, 2025. City Council may adopt, amend or reject the commission's recommendations.

Reporting note: quotes and attributions are taken from the planning-commission hearing transcript. The staff report and the proposed plat contain more detailed technical conditions and plans that will govern final engineering and building-permit review if City Council approves the project.