Molly Shepherd has written up her notes from the 2017 Winter Interlocal. Highlights include information about the Federal Lands Access Proposal (FLAP) grant, the Forest Plan Revision, plans for Sondreson Meadow, the battle against aquatic invasive species, updates from FWP on wildlife including grizzly and wolves, the inside North Fork road, and short-term vacation rentals.
These useful and interesting notes may be downloaded as a PDF document to your computer by clicking here.
UPDATE: Chris H. and some others pointed out that we failed to look at the back page of the agreement. So… we’ve added page two. You’ll want to check it out.
A message from Mark Mussman, CFM, Director dated January 5, 2017 and from Flathead County Planning and Zoning…
The Northwest Montana Association of Realtors has submitted a zoning regulations text amendment to allow short-term rentals, or vacation rentals, with the approval of an Administrative Conditional Use Permit in the following zoning districts: AG _ 80, AG-40, AG-20, SAG-10, SAGoS, R-2.S, R-I, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-S, RC-I, RA-I, Ashley Lake, Labrant/Lindsey Lane, Lakeside, North Fork, Rogers Lake, and West Valley.
The Flathead County Planning Board will conduct a public hearing on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 at 6:00 P.M. in the 2nd floor conference of the South Campus Building located at 40 11th Street West, Kalispell, MT to consider this request. I have attached the proposed standards for Short-term Rental Housing submitted with the application for your review.
Please feel free to attend the hearing and submit comments. You may also submit written comments to the Department. If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact me.
The NFLA Board of Directors is starting work on the 2017 NFLA calendar. The NFLA calendar includes events sponsored by the NFLA as well as other events at Sondreson Hall that are not sponsored by the NFLA (for example, a private party). If you would like to nominate an event, please send the information to the NFLA webmaster by clicking here.
We will use the NFLA Calendar page to coordinate dates. Please note, however, that events marked with an asterisk indicates a proposed date, not a final date. Our plan is to have the calendar finalized by mid March. If you see any information that is incorrect on the proposed 2017 calendar, please do not hesitate to get into contact with us.
Rick and Susie Graetz bring a group of students from the University of Montana in Missoula to to the North Fork each January. As a part of their activities while on the North Fork, the Graetz make a presentation with beautiful photographs at Sondreson Hall. This year the presentation is on Monday, January 16, starting at 6:30PM. Please come enjoy this annual event, hear the Graetz, and meet the students.
Following is a letter from Susie Graetz talking about their upcoming visit and presentation… There is something about the holidays that makes me sit back and count my blessings.
Yesterday, while I was putting away the trappings of Christmas at the same time I was hauling out and checking off the gear we [she and her husband Rick Graetz) need to pack for our Polebridge Field Course, it dawned on me that this will be our 10th year of bringing students for a week to the amazing landscape you all are lucky to call home. Continue reading Talk by Rick and Susie Graetz at Sondreson Hall
The big news on the calendar this week is Thanksgiving at Sondreson Hall on Thursday, November 24th. Here is the announcement with details… Come join your North Fork neighbors at Sondreson Hall for our annual Thanksgiving potluck dinner. Turkey and ham will be provided. Please bring a side dish and your own table setting. The doors open at 3 p.m. and dinner is served at 4 p.m. Hosts: Steve & Christina Berg
Andy Huntsberger, Fire Management Officer for the Forest Service, wrote with the following information… We plan on doing some Prescribed Fire implementation in the North Fork of the Flathead on 9/28 and 9/29/2016. Specifically Red Whale Units 7 (270 Acres) & Unit 8 (308 Acres) located directly west of Polebridge, MT. We plan on hand igniting the ridges and potentially utilizing Helicopter PSD ignition to burn the lower portions of the units.
Click here for an interactive map of the planned areas.
Please see the attached maps for the specific locations and area closure.
North Forker Allen Chrisman has been elected as a recipient of the Society of American Foresters’ 2016 Presidential Field Forester Award. Award recipients will be recognized at the 2016 SAF National Convention, to be held Nov. 2-6 in Madison, WI. This is a great honor and we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Allen for being having won this award.
Lois Walker kindly edited the transcript of Esther Chrisman’s interview. You can read the updated transcript here. Thank you, Lois! And don’t forget that you can listen to and read all the interviews from the North Fork History Project page.
Community outing to Stonehenge Air Museum in Fortine with lunch after at Renee’s Rolling in Dough. If you have not been, it is wonderful. A book has been written about one of the airplanes you will see – “A Higher Call” by Adam Makos.
The plan is to start the tour at 10AM. To get there, go 0.3 miles north of Montana Highway 168 on Highway 93, turn on to Crystal Lake Road. Then got 2 miles and turn left on Stonehenge Drive.
Reservations are needed at the museum and lunch, so please either call Dennis or Carol Groebe at 406-888-9803 or come by and leave a note (130 Rainbow Drive).
Folks may have noticed that there’s a new sign on the south side of the Home Ranch Bottoms pavement. Although it keeps with the spirit of the old sign, this one is spiffed up and legible, reflecting well on our community. Our many thanks to the North Fork Patrol for taking the time and effort to update this North Fork landmark.