Supreme Court Orders Removal of North Shore Bridge
Justices affirm District Court ruling that bridge to
private island had invalid permit when built
The Montana Supreme Court reaffirmed a Flathead District Court judge’s determination that a bridge on the Flathead Lake’s north shore must be removed, after a lengthy court battle over the bridge’s permitting and building process.
A local nonprofit, the Community Association for North Shore Conservation (CANSC), has been seeking the bridge’s removal since it was built in 2015, and said they are mostly happy with the justices’ opinion.
“We’re really pleased with the court’s decision. We think it’s the right decision on affirming the district judge’s decision on the merits of the case,” said Dave Hadden, CANSC co-chair.
The Supreme Court order didn’t give CANSC the attorneys’ fees they asked for “for the considerable private cost of forcing the County to follow its own rules,” and Hadden said there may still be a way to get them paid.
https://flatheadbeacon.com/2019/07/17/supreme-court-orders-removal-north-shore-bridge/