A California couple has been cleared to resume construction on a three-story home inside Glacier National Park after a protracted legal dispute that united an otherwise fractured Flathead Valley community in shared outrage about several different things simultaneously.

The partially completed structure had become the valley’s most-discussed building since the Kalispell Costco, with residents objecting on grounds ranging from environmental impact to aesthetic disruption to the more general principle that California people should not be allowed to have things in Montana.

“It’s not that they’re from California,” said Whitefish resident Darren Poole, 54. “It’s that they’re building a three-story house. In a national park. And they’re from California.” He paused. “Okay, it’s partly that they’re from California.”

The couple, whose names were not released in the ruling, reportedly purchased the inholding parcel — private land within the park boundary — in 2023 for an undisclosed sum. Construction began in 2024 before being halted by a legal challenge from neighboring property owners who argued the structure was too large, too visible, and “fundamentally incompatible with the character of the area.”

The court found that the couple had obtained proper permits and complied with applicable building codes. The neighbors’ objections, while heartfelt, were not legally actionable.

“The law is the law,” said Flathead County commissioner Brenda Goss. “We may not like it, but the property rights framework here is clear.” She then noted that she personally found the house “a bit much” but that this was “just an opinion.”

Belgrade contractor Kyle Nettles, who is not involved in the project but has opinions about it, called the structure “what happens when you let zip codes with a median income over $200K discover Montana real estate.”

Local real estate agent Pam Sorensen said the case has generated significant interest from other out-of-state buyers. “Every time one of these stories makes the news, my phone rings,” she said. “Usually it’s someone asking if there are any other parcels available inside the park.”

There are not. The couple’s property is one of fewer than a dozen private inholdings remaining within Glacier’s boundaries.

“That’s probably for the best,” Poole said.