Welcome to Territory 1889 Golf & Lake Club

Territory 1889 is a private mountain and summer destination by Discovery Land Company located in northwest Montana near Flathead Lake. The development spans 1,800 acres and will include approximately 359 lots and offer a variety of amenities and services, including golf and a comprehensive wellness program.

We’ve proposed a 50-foot buffer zone between the edge of the golf course and the intermittent stream area. In addition, a 100-foot vegetative buffer zone will be maintained around the wetland areas to further reduce runoff and protect sensitive ecosystems. There is also a 130-foot building setback to all delineated wetlands which aligns with the recommendations from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP). We will also implement Best Management Practices (BMPs) to ensure minimal impact. Some of these BMPs include nutrient management planning, fertilizer application techniques, and turfgrass/landscape management.

Territory 1889 will primarily host seasonal residences (3-4 months per year), resulting in minimal daily commuter traffic. All internal roads on the property will be owned, managed, and maintained by the community HOA and not impact county roads. Additionally, due to amenities being offered onsite, residents are naturally encouraged to stay on the property, which limits further external traffic.

Discussions are ongoing with the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) to warrant a right hand turn lane from Highway 93 into the development, highlighting the positive improvement this will make on the community. Although the preference is to have a right hand turn lane, ultimately MDT must warrant the improvement via their analysis of the traffic impact study.

The development will fund an on-site fire and EMT substation to respond to emergencies within the community and support surrounding areas as needed. The substation will work with the Lakeside Somers Fire District to address emergency situations. Additional fire protections include over 150 fire hydrants throughout the property, over 1 million gallons of above ground water storage, surface water ponds, and active forestry management practices to reduce fire fuels.

Of the property’s 1,800 acres, only 230 acres are slated for development—over 80% of the property will remain as open space. The proposed plan aligns with the Lakeside Neighborhood Plan and reduces the density from the previous property developer's approved 2007 plat by 50%.

Territory 1889 has been working closely with the Lakeside County Water and Sewer District (LCWSD) who has agreed to provide service to 150 residences, or Equivalent Dwelling Units (EDU). EDU is a standard measurement used by utilities providers to quantify impact on service infrastructure. Territory 1889 has paid the standard impact fees required by LCWSD for the 150 EDU’s. An additional 250 EDUs will be served upon completion of LCWSD’s new phase 2 treatment plant to accommodate regional growth and planned by LCWSD prior to Territory 1889. In addition to the standard impact fees associated with the 250 EDU’s, Territory 1889 has agreed to fund 100% of the costs for installation of new community gravity mainlines, force mainlines, and lift stations to accommodate the increased capacity of the new phase 2 treatment plant. The public collection system contribution from Territory 1889 reduces any potential costs to the public and existing ratepayers.

In 2024, the adjacent Eagle’s Crest community underwent a vote to decide whether or not to remove the existing runway which exists partially on the Eagle’s Crest Subdivision, and partially on Territory 1889’s property. The supermajority of the Eagle’s Crest HOA voted in favor of removing the runway. However, a small group of Eagle’s Crest residents have since filed a lawsuit against the HOA in an attempt to retain the runway. In response, Territory 1889 has relocated all proposed lots away from the runway area pending the outcome of the litigation.

In compliance with Flathead County Subdivision Regulations, Territory 1889 has been carefully designed to minimize impacts on the local wildlife and habitat. Over 80% of the site—approximately 864 acres—will be preserved as open space, protecting natural terrain, vegetation, and wildlife corridors. Each homesite includes a defined building envelope to ensure that the remaining portion of the lot remains in its natural state. The development’s design guidelines also prohibit fences or barriers between lots, enabling unimpeded movement of wildlife throughout the property.

Native vegetation will be disturbed only in active construction areas; temporarily disturbed areas will be revegetated with native species as soon as possible after disturbance.

Territory 1889 has acquired a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan Permit (SWPPP) from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) for infrastructure construction activities in order to preserve the water quality. The development will also be reviewed for short and long-term stormwater control measures by the Subdivision Section of MDEQ. All on-site wells have been tested for water quality, and the implementation of vegetative buffers and setbacks in wetland areas will further protect water resources from irrigation impacts.

Territory 1889 is in the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Water Rights approval process. As part of our due diligence, on-site test wells have been drilled and evaluated for both aquifer capacity and water quality. DNRC’s technical review confirmed the aquifer’s physical and legal capacity is sufficient to support the proposed development.

Marina 1889 located on Lakeside Boulevard was approved to include 36 boat slips. Territory 1889 has requested variance to reduce the number of boat slips from the approved plan of 36 down to 17 while extending the dock by 59 feet to better protect the lake and aquatic life. By reducing the number of slips and extending the length of the dock, boats will be able to launch from deeper water significantly reducing or eliminating silt disturbances. The docks will also feature open designs and pilings rather than the traditional rock walls found in other local marinas to allow water and aquatic life to flow freely through the marina.

While the proposed development plan will create additional demand on certain Flathead County government services, the county government is projected to spend $356,008 per year serving the development against over $8.3 million in incoming annual property tax revenue, creating a total annual county surplus of nearly $8 million. 

Due to high property valuations, the project will generate $14,250,329 in annual property tax revenue for local schools. Because 90% of the homes are projected to be seasonal, the student yield is estimated at just 8 students, costing $52,418 annually to educate and creating a net annual school surplus of $14,197,911.