Commission backs zoning changes to golf course land

Libby officials set into motion May 10 the rezoning of a stretch of golf course-adjacent property south of town eyed for future residential development.

Members of the Libby Zoning Commission voted unanimously to recommend the roughly 50 acres of property, known as Cabinet Heights, get rezoned as Residential B. That sends the proposal to Libby City Council for further review and consideration by the public.

The rezoning comes at the behest of both city councilors and officials with the Cabinet View Golf Course, which owns — and plans to sell — the property. The golf club has kept mum on the identity of the potential buyer, but said the name would be familiar to many in Libby.

The land currently is considered commercial. Rezoning it ensures that any future property owner will be restricted to certain types of residential development.

“They could [build residential] now,” Kristin Smith told her colleagues on the zoning commission. “But they could also do a whole lot of other things.”

Smith, who serves on the commission as well as Libby City Council, repeatedly raised concerns about the property’s zoning as officials considered the possible development earlier in the year. The land was slated for a housing project as far back as 2004, when the golf club received a $1.54 million, no-interest loan from the city to construct its back nine. The club planned to repay the loan using the proceeds from the nearby land’s residential development.

But the development never came to fruition. In March, club representatives pitched a possible solution to city officials. With a possible buyer waiting in the wings, the club requested partial debt forgiveness to facilitate the deal. When city councilors — and more than a few residents — balked, the two agreed on a $541,000 city grant upon repayment of the loan in full.

Since Cabinet Heights likely soon will be out of the golf club’s hands — the closing date is May 14 — the rezoning is designed to bring about the expected development regardless of unforeseen circumstances.

“If plans fail with the developer and they chose not to move forward, it still stays as Residential B?” asked zoning commission member Virginia Kocieda.

“It still stays as Residential B, which I think is much better for the city,” Smith replied.

The Residential B category allows for all housing types allowed under Residential A zoning as well as detached dwellings for up to four families, dorms, apartments, boardinghouses and roominghouses. Building height is limited to 45 feet or three stories. Each lot can include garage space for two vehicles.

Smith told her colleagues on the zoning commission that she believes the developer wants to erect condominium style housing.

“I don’t know how their design is going to [look],” she said. “They might have little pods, like if you’ve been to a ski resort. Usually, they’re in bundles of four to six units, maybe top and bottom.”

That led to a brief discussion about affordable or workforce housing. Commission member Roberta McCanse told her colleagues that she had seen other communities negotiate with developers to create affordable housing. When Smith pointed out that the city had no such tools to employ in this case, McCanse lamented the squeeze on housing stock.

“That’s kind of too bad,” she said.

Smith, who previously has called for taking a holistic approach to affordable housing in Libby, said officials would want to look closer to town for developments in that vein.

In endorsing the rezoning of the future Cabinet Heights neighborhood, commission members also recommended that city council enshrine the golf club’s grounds as part of its parks and open space district.