Flathead County Commissioners Grant Lakeshore Permit Extension for Lakeside Marina
Despite a stop work order on the project as details surrounding the dock’s length proceeds in court, commissioners approved the extension for the lakeshore permit that was set to expire at the end of the month
By Maggie Dresser
Flathead County commissioners on Thursday approved a lakeshore permit extension request for a developer planning to build a commercial marina on Flathead Lake in Lakeside, even after a district court judge last month issued a temporary stop-work order on the project.
Commissioners Brad Abell, Randy Brodehl and Pam Holmquist unanimously approved the permit extension, which was set to expire on April 24, 2026.
Flathead County planners told commissioners at the April 9 meeting the developer’s objectives include the demolition of the current dock followed by the construction of three new docks.
County officials clarified that the permit allows development to proceed if the stop-work order is lifted but does not allow construction to resume at this time.
“With the extension, there are a couple things that could happen,” Flathead County Planning and Zoning Director Erik Mack said. “If this dock needs to be removed, they still need a permit for that — that is a requirement of the regulations. They are not doing any work right now, but they would like to keep it open so they can deal with whatever comes in the future with this permit and not have to reapply with whatever comes down the line.”
According to the lakeshore permit application, the construction of the dock is “well underway” but may not be completed within the timeframe due to delays caused by a property transfer and the stop-work order.
In February, county commissioners approved a variance for the permit, which is separate from the lakeshore permit, that would extend the marina’s dock 159 feet from the shoreline as opposed to the 100 feet allowed by the county’s lakeshore regulations.
Two weeks after commissioners granted the variance, a barge mobilized to the site on Feb. 16 and pile driving work began on Feb. 19. Many of the steel pilings are already in place. Steel pan decking is currently being installed, according to the application, while wood timbers for wave wall construction are on site awaiting installation.
But after local watchdog group Citizens for a Better Flathead challenged the commissioners’ approval of the variance, Flathead County District Court Judge Dan Wilson last month granted an injunction against the county, temporarily prohibiting the continued construction of the dock as the case proceeds. Wilson on March 12 said in an oral ruling from the bench that the variance violated public participation and environmental review mandates required under the Montana Lakeshore Protection Act.
The permits for the marina were requested by Discovery Land Company and submitted under the name Flathead Lake Land Partners, who said the marina will be for members of a luxury private golf club in Lakeside. The development of the marina has prompted widespread opposition from conservation groups and neighbors who argue the proposal hasn’t gone through an environmental assessment as required by the Lakeshore Protection Act.
During public comment at the April 9 meeting, Citizens for a Better Flathead Director Mayre Flowers called the lakeshore permit extension request a “bait-and-switch” tactic, framing the application for a permit extension as an effort to “bypass a court order.”
“The application is actually not seeking to renew the three-dock system approved … the application specifically states they are asking for an extension to continue to construct a structure the Eleventh District Court has already enjoined,” Flowers said.
Several other Lakeside residents spoke out in opposition to the permit during public comment, arguing the marina should undergo an environmental impact study.
“[There are] long-term environmental consequences from the immediate disruption of pile driving to the permanent habitat degradation caused by dock shading and the concentration of boat traffic in this quiet bay, which serves as critical habitat for the protected bull trout,” North Shore Water Alliance Director Jennifer Tipton said. “By extending an outdated, incomplete permit, the county is bypassing transparency and environmental oversight required by law.”
The proposed marina is planned for future members of the Flathead Lake Club, a 359-single-family-home subdivision in Lakeside. Commissioners in August 2025 approved a preliminary plat for the project, which is planned to also includes amenities like restaurants, a club house, a spa, fitness areas, offices, retail stores and other faculties, along with open space totaling 864 acres.
The company has a large portfolio of clubs around the world, which include Montana properties at Crazy Mountain Ranch in Shields Valley, Iron Horse Golf Club in Whitefish and the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky.