Flathead Beacon, Cleanup Plan Underway After Builders Blasting on Beaver Bay Break Whitefish Lakeshore Protection Rules

Montana’s Lakeshore Protection Act and Flathead County regulations have been specifically designed to prevent this kind of catastrophic damage and the negative and potentially costly impacts to other property owners. 

The County has refused to fully enforce the Lake and Lakeshore Protection Regulations (LLPRs), as required by state law, even after Citizens brought a series of recent violations to the County’s attention.

The law exists on paper, but when it matters most, our County refuses to take immediate action to enforce it.

If we don't work to ensure the County Planning Office & County Commissioners consistently enforce the Lake and Lakeshore Protection Regulations, a harmful precedent will be set for reckless development on Whitefish Lake.



Flathead Beacon, Cleanup Plan Underway After Builders Blasting on Beaver Bay Break Whitefish Lakeshore Protection Rules

Our Request: Support Holding the County Accountable



Concerned residents and Citizens for a Better Flathead have lodged formal complaints with Flathead County to challenge the County’s repeated failures to enforce the LLPRs.

By signing this petition, you are requesting that the Flathead County Commissioners:

• Immediately Exercise Full Enforcement Authority: Reject the position that the County is unable to address violations within the LPZ.
• Require independent surveys to ensure compliance with the Lake and Lakeshore Protection Regulations: Authorize independent surveys to ensure compliance with the LLPRs, and when violations occur, require property owners to remediate the damage they caused.
• Require property owners to remediate all damage they cause to our lakes and lakeshores in violation of state and local law: Commit to fair enforcement and regulatory certainty going forward by applying the LLPRs consistently to all property owners, developers, and contractors. 
• Increase Penalties to Protect Lakeshores: Significantly increase the penalties for all ‘after-the-fact’ permits–if appropriate at all–and require full LPZ restoration following violations.
• Be Transparent and Require Public Participation: Insist that the County follow state law and the LLPRs by holding public hearings prior to taking any official action that would have more than a “minimal” impact on the lake or the lakeshore.  

CBF is a nonprofit working to protect the Flathead's water quality. We rely on donations for our mission.