Christian Wohlfeil, majority owner of the lodge, said his interest is in selling the property to an owner who has the ability to invest in much needed upgrades and who shares his values of stewardship. Ive seen (mergers and acquisitions), Ive been in nonprofits, Ive been in publicly traded companies, I was the VP of a massive global media conglomerate. That means the current proposal should include anticipated expansion plans for the next decade, he said. Justin Sibley, CEO of POWDR, said the changes would be soulful. Montana people are sort of sensitive to all the people moving in and all the crowds coming with Covid, he said. She says she doesnt trust POWDR to change something so important to locals in the area. Holland Lake Lodge is located along the shores of majestic Holland Lake on 10.53 acres of US Forest Service land with a perpetual, renewable special use permit. The Lodge is currently accepting bookings for the 2023 season, with limited availability. On my way out of town, I made one last stop and visited with a resident who says hes not at all surprised by the backlash. Together, they look forward to expanding guest services and activities, while preserving the unique and special character of what is here now. Holland Lake Lodge Facility Improvement & Expansion A proposed tuition freeze for Montana students flew past one hurdle this week in Helena. But the Forest Service later said the permit was for 10.53 acres, and Thursday, MacKenzie said the agency still needs to confirm the acreage in question. The existing 4,600-square-foot lodge was built the following year and includes nine guest rooms and a restaurant. But the plan has not been popular with the public, in part because the Forest Service said it may not complete a full environmental assessment or more extensive environmental impact statement, or EIS, before approving the project. Mark Hodge, McCain's marketing director, said: 'When we saw how popular cooking our chips in air fryers had become, it was a no-brainer to move quickly to include air fryer instructions.' The Forest Service has promised a full environmental review of the new plan, and more opportunities for the public to weigh in. She said she didnt know if a lawsuit would end up being filed, but one of the concerns with granting an exception to an environmental assessment or more in depth environmental impact statement is work can start right away and the proposal notes changes will begin in 2023. "It was an amazing opportunity," said new owner Michael Gardner. With six cabins and nine rooms, the Lodge has plenty of options for accommodations that help you experience Holland Lake and the surrounding area to the fullest during your all-inclusive stay. Variations of that theme that the proposed expansion is just too big for Condon emerge as I continued my trip through town. There are a lot of people that believe the use of a categorical exclusion would be illegal, said Akland, a lawyer for the Center for Biological Diversity. Our plan will also incorporate several modifications that came from the previous public comment period - constructive ideas from those who want the best for the Lodge and the land. So we have people going out to do the mapping portion of it, she said. Seriously. The Forest Service announced the Holland Lake Lodge expansion proposal this fall. Thursday, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality noted it had received the lodges application to construct two public water wells so they can be tested for quality and quantity. We look forward to continuing this legacy, Sibley said in a statement. One of its most striking attributes is actually something its missing noise. Holland Lake Lodge, Inc. and its joint venture partner, POWDR, announced that they have submitted a Master Development Plan (MDP) to the U.S. Forest Service to improve accommodations at Holland Lake Lodge, a rustic lakeside resort located in the Swan Valley, which was originally built in 1924 and last updated in 1947. Next Milestone: The memo states it is not suggesting POWDR has acted illegally. email, from realtor.com and, Home buyers reveal: 'What I wish I had known before buying my first home', Selling your home? We plan to resubmit our plan for future investment and infrastructure improvements at Holland Lake Lodge that is very much in line with our previously submitted Master Development Plan. Many locals were outraged after they learned of Utah-based resort company POWDRs plan to buy and triple the capacity of the lodge in September five months after the company submitted the plan to the Forest Service. I think the next step is for us to really get deep into the public comment, MacKenzie said. We will continue to look into this concern regarding current ownership and if something has changed we will take appropriate action.. Thousands of people are raising objections to a controversial plan to expand Holland Lake Lodge, especially after the U.S. Forest Service admits it made errors at the beginning of the process. I want to continue the legacy of this special, magical, wonderful lodge, he said. The current Lodge and surrounding structures were built in 1947. The expansion proposal has drawn significant opposition, in part because of the resorts location in the Swan Valley and its possible effects on grizzly bears, water quality and other resources. Frequent letters to the editor in newspapers across western Montana show voices in opposition to the project. "It needs enough income structure here to be a viable, healthy business. We recently received a request from the U.S. Forest Service to provide more detail on our Master Development Plan. However, she said typically, a categorical exclusion doesnt include a second period of public comment, but she said the Forest Service will hold one open in this case even if it grants the exception. So we have to ask for as much as we want to do now, he said. Holland Lake Lodge is a rustic lakeside resort nestled between the Swan and Mission mountain ranges, with access to a number of incredible outdoor recreation opportunities. He lives just down the road from Holland Lake at the south end of town. Some members of the public have called for him to scale back the project, and Wohlfeil said its possible to downsize, but doing so would mean pushing up rates for the project to pencil out. PublishedDecember 28, 2022 at 6:00 AM MST. The old gift shop and cabins would be removed. Location Summary. One dog-gone expensive hound is slated to be stationed near the entrance to Missoulas newest dog park. Hutchinson declined to provide specifics, but said many community members have approached POWDR privately to express support for its plans at Holland Lake. More than 6,500 public comments have been submitted to the Forest Service, and Save Holland Lake estimated nearly 99 percent of them opposed the project. take the lodge with you The Holland Lake Lodge Gift Shop specializes in both local and customized apparel, gifts, novelties and souvenirs. Its a place where many Montanans have spent their family weekends and vacations. I just have no trust there.. But, to Parcell, that argument just doesnt work. You can cancel at any time. The main lodge (9 guest. Driving north from Seeley Lake to Condon, the first sign pops up about 6 miles before the turn onto Holland Lake Road. At public meetings and in press interviews, POWDR has reiterated that it wants to build that trust with the community. Over the years, he said hes worked 70 or 80 hours a week at the lodge and worn every hat, so its not easy for him to hear impassioned public comment against the expansion. In an earlier interview, he said he recently sold minority shares to POWDR, which operates ski resorts and bills itself as an adventure life company. update to your home value. The current plan does not mention helicopter skiing, but Akland said that doesnt preclude the company from making a request in the future. Early in 2018, VidCon was sold to Viacom. Save Holland Lake, an advance group thats grown out of the communitys frustration, released a press release raising concerns over the Forest Services handling of the public process, potential violations of the lodges permit to operate on public land, and pushing for a full environmental review of the proposal. As a resort company known for its ski hills seeks to expand the 1940s historic Holland Lake Lodge, locals are pushing back. But the big white signs with blue text that read Hands off Holland represent a campaign of a different kind. While we believe there will not be adverse impact to the environment, the mechanism for how to evaluate the impacts against NEPA guidelines has always been less important to us than the conclusion. The presentation made in Seeley and provided to the Daily Montanan notes a permit amendment dated August 2022 was signed by both Wohlfeil and the primary contact for the proposed expansion, POWDRs Brian Stewart. Plot thickens in Holland Lake Lodge expansion debate Plus, he said, the exclusion wont bypass a review, it will allow for a less intensive analysis. A Utah-based corporation wants to expand the Holland Lake Lodge into more of a year-round resort destination, but it needs Forest Service approval to do so. The Daily Montanan is a nonprofit, nonpartisan source for trusted news, commentary and insight into statewide policy and politics beneath the Big Sky. Construction, reconstruction, decommissioning, or disposal of buildings, infrastructure, or improvements at an existing recreation site, including infrastructure or improvements that are adjacent or connected to an existing recreation site and provide access or utilities for that site. The Forest Service announced the Holland Lake Lodge. Montana Public Radio | Directions: North on MT-83 N, East onto Holland Lake Road, continue onto Holland Lake Lodge Road. Some of the hottest neighborhoods near Brookfield, IL are Garfield Ridge, South Maywood, West Village, Seminary District, Old Town North. However, she said the boundary for the permit is still pretty unknown because modern mapping tools havent been used on the property. New owners propose expansion of Holland Lake Lodge In Montana, liquor licenses can be sold for tens of thousands of dollars. The owner of Holland Lake Lodge, who sold significant ownership shares of the facility to POWDR, told the Montana Free Press that POWDR needs to be able to expand the facilities in order to turn a profit. Bob Parcell joined the Missoula County Sheriffs Office as a deputy 40 years ago, and spent 33 of those patrolling along Highway 83. About 2 Save Holland Lake Wohlfeil, majority owner of the lodge, said his interest is in selling the property to an owner who has the ability to invest in much needed upgrades and who shares his values of stewardship. Holland Lake Lodge is a soulful place, where families spend time in the outdoors with the people they love.