Flathead growth

I've been busy when not cross-country skiing!!! The subdivision I fought north of me last summer has reared its ugly head again. More talks with planners and the road department and the neighbors in order to inform people and fight to change the current proposal.

The planning meeting is this Wednesday so I'll write more later when I have time. In the meantime here is part of a recent news story...

The Flathead Valley is one of the fastest growing areas in Montana, absorbing over a quarter of the increase in population of the entire state throughout over the last five years.

Those numbers come from a 2006 construction, subdivision and annexation report.

A member of a Whitefish Real Estate Group says that there's a boom going on, but adds that too much development, done too quickly, could have a negative effect on the Flathead.

"I don't think anybody wants to wake up in ten years are realize we've over built and that it's just too crowded here."

He says that the growth in the past 15 years show slow and steady trends, but in the past five, it has hit an upsurge.

For instance, since 2000, the increase in the City of Kalispell's population accounts for almost half of the overall increase in the county's population.

Whitefish comes in second in terms of growth, followed by Columbia Falls.

Note the Flathead Valley is in Flathead County - yes, it is a big county in land size but only one county of 56 counties in Montana.

Someone told me yesterday that they had heard that almost half the people currently living here has lived here 5 years or less. I wouldn't be surprised if this is true.