Lonepine
Lonepine, MT · Real Estate
Whitefish Pilot
Looking Back: Greenwood Mobile Park residents evicted
A look back at past Pilot articles by Julie Engler 50 Years Ago Feb. 19, 1976 How to convert the whole city to water meters was the only issue of any significance discussed at the City Council meeting. While reviewing city water rates, the general consensus was that placing the whole city on metered water was mandatory. Two possible alternatives were presented for discussion by Alderman Fred Stacey, chairman of the Water Committee. The council could simply set a time deadline by which date all city water users must have converted to meters, or a high flat rate could be set to encourage users to convert to meters more rapidly. “The difficulty with the deadline alternative,” said Stacey, “is that most residents will probably wait until the very last minute, resulting in a mass rush.” 40 Years Ago Feb. 19, 1986 A record amount of precipitation was recorded as moist Pacific air overrun cold Arctic air in a silent battle above the Flathead Valley. The National Weather Service recorded eight inches of snow during the storm, although wind speeds of 20 to 25 knots kept the white stuff blowing. About 15 inches of snow fell in the Whitefish area during
Hungry Horse News
Planning commission looks at ways to regular short term rentals, without harming owner-occupied units
The Columbia Falls Planning Commission began the first of what promises to be several discussions on how the city can better regulate short-term rentals here. The city currently has 121 short-term rentals, with 11 undergoing the permitting process, and 110 approved. Of those 98 have business licenses and 90 have paid resort tax, according to a report by City Manager Eric Hanks. However a search of sites like VRBO show more than that, he noted, as not everyone is complying with city law. In zoning areas where short-term rentals are allowed under zoning, there are 30 short-term rentals. Outside of that area, such as residential areas, there are 91 with conditional use permits. All told, that amounts to 4.7% of the 1,930 residential units in the city having short-term rentals. Of those without permits, the most common are no fire or no health inspections. Some are permitted, but do not have a required valid city business license (which has to be renewed annually). Some actually pay resort tax, but don’t have any of the above-mentioned permits, Hanks noted. Short-term rentals grossed $3.2 million in 2025, and paid $96,000 in city resort taxes. Ten grossed more than $50,000 annually; with 28
Flathead Beacon
In Kalispell, Main Street Businesses Struggle to Pencil Fire Service Lines, Stifling Downtown Development
When Paul Roybal bought what is today Abbey Carpet & Floor on Kalispell’s Main Street in 2012, the building was not tapped into the water main, a gap in service left over from previous work on the downtown throughway. The following year, he added a 1.5-inch line for water and a 6-inch line for a fire suppression system.
kgez.com
Izaak Walton Closes March 6th
The Izaak Walton Inn, in Essex, appears to be in trouble again…financial trouble that’s leading to its closure early next month. The historic hotel was acquired by LOGE Camps 3-years ago from longtime owner Brian Kelly for upwards of $13.5-million. The historic hotel, first opened in 1939, was...
Flathead Beacon
Whitefish Can’t Freeze Neighborhoods and Solve its Housing Crisis
Under SB 382, Whitefish is required to align zoning with its Growth Policy and realistically plan for the next 20 years of housing need. That is the legal framework we are operating within. Yet the last council meeting felt less like long range planning and more like a debate about preserving existing property conditions. The conversation centered on protecting single family character and maintaining aesthetic controls in already high value neighborhoods. In the same discussion, there was acknowledgment that developers are not building anything under $1 million.
Flathead Beacon
LOGE to Shutter Historic Izaak Walton Inn, Other Properties Amid Bankruptcy
Three years after a Washington-based hospitality company purchased the historic Izaak Walton Inn at Essex and invested heavily in renovating the three-story hotel, bar and restaurant, its board of directors discovered a real estate portfolio “in significant distress,” according to internal emails to investors. Facing a lack of cashflow and “the inability to continue paying required operating costs,” the board is winding down operations across all its properties, including the Izaak Walton Inn.
Flathead Beacon
Columbia Falls Planning Commission Begins Discussing Short-Term Rental Policy
Columbia Falls city staff on Thursday night presented an analysis of the city’s short-term rentals that served as the catalyst for the planning commission’s first of several discussions on how to best regulate what the community has deemed a problem for years. The city is in the early...
familydestinationsguide.com
The Slow-Paced Town In Montana Where Retirees Can Live Comfortably On $1,200 A Month
Montana might be known as Big Sky Country, but in Polson, it’s the small price tag that has retirees doing a double-take at their bank statements. Tucked away at the southern tip of Flathead Lake, this unassuming town has quietly become a haven for budget-conscious retirees who’ve discovered that living well doesn’t require emptying their savings accounts.
msuexponent.com
Historic Bitterroot hot springs to hit auction block in March
Medicine Hot Springs in Conner, currently listed for $7.95 million, will hit the auction block this spring with no reserve. The 119-acre property at the southern end of the Bitterroot Valley is bordered on three sides by U.S. Forest Service land and boasts a 2,046-square-foot hot springs pool, hot tub and historic bathhouse, 12 cabins, a 3,797 square-foot main residence, and a communal gathering space called the East Game Lodge, with a pool table, kitchen, one-bedroom loft and bathroom. The property’s location offers ample recreational opportunities with access to fly-fishing, hiking, skiing, horseback riding and ATV trails.
Flathead Beacon
Legal Challenges Remain as More Developers Want Say in Depot Park Townhomes Project
Whitefish is inching toward another step in the nearly 10-year journey to build affordable housing on land once known as the “Snow Lot” as city staff prepare for a potential public bidding process, despite simultaneously navigating a major legal roadblock in the project. City staff are preparing a...
Flathead Beacon
Kalispell’s Newest Leaders Outline Vision of Housing and Business Growth as Building Permits Break Records
The City of Kalispell’s newest city leaders on Tuesday outlined their visions to expand affordable housing, upgrade infrastructure and plan the municipality’s growth to an audience at the “State of the City Address” hosted by the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce. Late last year, the city hired...
Flathead Beacon
Habitat for Humanity Accepting Applications for Single-Family Homes in Columbia Falls
Starting this spring, construction crews will break ground on six new homes in Columbia Falls as part of Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley’s latest project, building upon the nonprofit’s fleet of below market-rate homes. Applications for the single-family residences on the corner of Railroad Street and Fourth...