# East Bench Overlook - Complete Site Content

> **Important:** An NOI (Notice of Intent to Appropriate Groundwater) is not a water right per MCA 85-2-102(32)(b). It is authorization to drill a domestic well and develop a water right. Domestic use only, 0.40 acre-feet per year. Well completion deadline: February 9, 2031.

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## About East Bench Overlook

East Bench Overlook is a 15-lot premium residential subdivision on the east bench above Red Lodge, Montana. The developer is East Bench Overlook LLC.

The subdivision is split into two phases:
- **Graham Subdivision South (Phase 1):** 5 lots, recorded plat (Plat No. 2557, Carbon County Doc #405623, November 2025)
- **Graham Subdivision North (Phase 2):** 10 lots, currently in engineering, not yet platted, expected 2027

Every lot includes grid power, a private gravel road with engineered bridges, a DNRC-authorized NOI for well authorization, a DEQ-approved onsite wastewater design with designated drainfield areas, and a recorded subdivision plat. Day-one governance is owner-driven with no association dues collected at listing, under covenants recorded with the plat.

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## Location

- East Bench Road, Carbon County, Montana, near Red Lodge
- Elevation: approximately 5,500 feet
- South parcel: NW 1/4 NE 1/4 of Section 14, T7S, R20E, PMM
- North parcel: SE 1/4 of Section 11, T7S, R20E, PMM
- 8 minutes from downtown Red Lodge
- 65 miles from Billings Logan International Airport (BIL), approximately 1 hour drive
- 160 miles from Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN), approximately 2.5 hours drive
- 65 miles from Yellowstone National Park (Northeast Entrance) via the Beartooth Highway (seasonal)

The property sits on an elevated bench east of Red Lodge, facing west and south with direct views of the Beartooth Range. The terrain is open grassland and sage, gently rolling, with good southern exposure and natural drainage. The Fort Union aquifer runs beneath the property at 300 to 400 feet, and adjacent wells produce 20 or more gallons per minute.

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## Red Lodge, Montana

Red Lodge is a genuine Montana mountain town at the base of the Beartooth Range. Key features:
- Red Lodge Mountain ski area: 2,400 feet of vertical, short lift lines
- Beartooth Highway to Yellowstone's northeast entrance (seasonal, late May through mid-October)
- Rock Creek blue-ribbon trout fishing
- Walkable downtown with independent restaurants, shops, and bars
- K-12 schools, medical clinic, grocery store, hardware store
- Mix of full-time residents and part-time owners
- Not a resort village; a real working mountain town

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## Lot 1

- **Net Acreage:** 7.55 acres (7.95 gross, less county road right-of-way)
- **Price:** Coming Soon
- **Status:** Coming Soon
- **Approved Building Area (impervious surface cap):** 7,700 SF
- **Road Frontage:** Pleasant Drive (near entrance), east boundary on East Bench Road
- **Views:** Beartooth Front and Absarokas, with the Pryors and Bighorns visible to the east on clear days
- **Septic (DEQ approved):** Level 2 advanced treatment unit with ongoing O&M contract, shallow-capped drainfield (max 10 in. deep), 300 ft mixing zone. Adds roughly $15,000 to $25,000 over a conventional install, plus annual service.
- **Stormwater Retention:** 2,739 cubic feet
- **Tier:** Standard

The first lot you reach after crossing the entrance bridge on Pleasant Drive. East Bench Road frontage along the east boundary, with morning light arriving early across the open bench. Same Beartooth Front view as the rest of the subdivision, with the Pryors and Bighorns catching sunrise to the east on clear mornings.

Septic note for Lot 1: the DEQ-approved design is a Level 2 advanced treatment system with an ongoing O&M contract, a higher-end nitrogen-reducing setup that many buyers specifically ask for. It runs roughly $15,000 to $25,000 more than a conventional install, plus annual service.

**Features:**
- 7.55 net acres (7.95 gross)
- East Bench Road frontage along the east boundary, first lot past the entrance bridge
- 7,700 SF Approved Building Area (impervious surface cap)
- Level 2 advanced septic design already approved by DEQ

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## Lot 2

- **Net Acreage:** 9.51 acres (9.81 gross)
- **Price:** $525,000
- **Status:** Available
- **Approved Building Area (impervious surface cap):** 10,000 SF
- **Road Frontage:** Pleasant Drive (direct)
- **Views:** Ridgeline panorama over the Beartooth Front, Absarokas, and Red Lodge Mountain
- **Septic (DEQ approved):** Absorption trenches, max 36 in. deep, 500 ft mixing zone
- **Stormwater Retention:** 4,550 cubic feet
- **Canal Rights:** Pleasant Valley Canal runs through the parcel. No irrigation rights convey with the lot.
- **Tier:** Premium
- **Listing Agent:** Tera Reynolds, Coal Creek Realty, 406-425-3913, rlski@live.com

The flagship homesite. 9.51 net acres with Pleasant Valley Canal running right through the parcel and splitting it into two sides, so the property extends to the west as you enter the subdivision. When the canal is flowing through spring and summer, the clear water reads almost like a moat along the center of the lot. The building area sits on high ground with a ridgeline panorama that takes in the Beartooth Front, the Absarokas behind it, and Red Lodge Mountain to the south, with the Pryors and Bighorns to the east on clear mornings. A dedicated second bridge near the cul-de-sac (Easement A) carries the driveway across to the parcel, shared only with Lot 3.

**Features:**
- 9.51 net acres (9.81 gross)
- Pleasant Valley Canal runs through the parcel (visual and ecological feature only; no irrigation rights convey)
- Dedicated second bridge near the cul-de-sac via Easement A, used only by Lots 2 and 3
- Direct Pleasant Drive frontage
- 10,000 SF Approved Building Area (impervious surface cap)

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## Lot 3

- **Net Acreage:** 8.88 acres
- **Price:** $489,000
- **Status:** Available
- **Approved Building Area (impervious surface cap):** 10,000 SF
- **Road Frontage:** Pleasant Drive (direct)
- **Views:** Sweeping Beartooth Front and Red Lodge Mountain views
- **Septic (DEQ approved):** Absorption trenches, max 36 in. deep, 500 ft mixing zone
- **Stormwater Retention:** 3,877 cubic feet
- **Canal Rights:** Pleasant Valley Canal runs through the parcel. No irrigation rights convey with the lot.
- **Tier:** Premium
- **Listing Agent:** Anita Dolan, BHHS Floberg, 406-860-5576, anita.dolan@floberg.com

8.88 net acres with the same signature feature as Lot 2: Pleasant Valley Canal crosses the property, giving you a stretch of clear moving water through spring and summer that draws birds and deer. Tucked along the western boundary of the subdivision, with a sweeping view of the Beartooth Front and Red Lodge Mountain and direct Pleasant Drive frontage. A dedicated second bridge near the cul-de-sac (Easement A) carries the driveway across to the parcel, shared only with Lot 2.

**Features:**
- 8.88 net acres
- Pleasant Valley Canal runs through the parcel (visual and ecological feature only; no irrigation rights convey)
- Dedicated second bridge near the cul-de-sac via Easement A, used only by Lots 2 and 3
- Direct Pleasant Drive frontage
- Maximum privacy along the western boundary
- 10,000 SF Approved Building Area (impervious surface cap)

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## Lot 4

- **Net Acreage:** 9.82 acres (largest lot)
- **Price:** Contact for Pricing
- **Status:** Available
- **Approved Building Area (impervious surface cap):** 10,000 SF
- **Road Frontage:** Pleasant Drive (cul-de-sac)
- **Views:** Ridgeline panorama of the Beartooth Front, Absarokas, and Red Lodge Mountain
- **Septic (DEQ approved):** Absorption trenches, max 30 in. deep, 500 ft mixing zone
- **Stormwater Retention:** 2,728 cubic feet
- **Tier:** Premium
- **Contact:** East Bench Overlook LLC, info@eastbenchoverlook.com

The largest homesite in the subdivision at 9.82 acres and the one with the most house-siting flexibility. A gently sloping ridgeline runs across the parcel, so a house placed at the top takes in the full arc: the Beartooth Front and the Absarokas behind it, Red Lodge Mountain and the ski runs to the south, the Pryors and Bighorns catching sunrise to the east on clear mornings, and open bench country to the north. Sits at the quiet cul-de-sac end of Pleasant Drive.

**Features:**
- 9.82 net acres (largest lot in Phase 1)
- Gently sloping ridgeline; siting on the ridge delivers the fullest mountain panorama in Phase 1
- Quiet cul-de-sac setting
- 10,000 SF Approved Building Area (impervious surface cap)

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## Lot 5

- **Net Acreage:** 5.82 acres (smallest lot in Phase 1)
- **Price:** Coming Soon
- **Status:** Coming Soon
- **Approved Building Area (impervious surface cap):** 10,000 SF
- **Road Frontage:** Pleasant Drive
- **Views:** Beartooth Front, Absarokas, Red Lodge Mountain, and the eastern ranges on clear days
- **Septic (DEQ approved):** Shallow-capped drainfield, max 15 in. deep, 500 ft mixing zone
- **Stormwater Retention:** 2,949 cubic feet
- **Tier:** Standard

5.82 acres at the northern boundary of Graham Subdivision South, adjacent to the future Graham Subdivision North. The smallest lot in Phase 1, and that is the selling point: less land to mow, less to steward, and the lowest entry price in the subdivision for a buyer who cares about the view more than the footprint. Same mountain arc as the premium lots: Beartooth Front and Absarokas to the west, Red Lodge Mountain to the south, and the Pryors and Bighorns to the east on clear days.

**Features:**
- 5.82 net acres (smallest lot in Phase 1, lowest anticipated price)
- 10,000 SF Approved Building Area (impervious surface cap)
- Less acreage to manage; simpler landscaping and upkeep
- Adjacent to future Graham Subdivision North (Phase 2)

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## Infrastructure Included with Every Lot

### Well Authorization (DNRC NOI)

Each lot includes a DNRC-authorized Notice of Intent to Appropriate Groundwater (NOI), authorized in February 2026. This gives you authorization to drill a domestic well and develop a water right on your lot, with an allocation of 0.40 acre-feet per year for domestic use.

The Fort Union Formation beneath the property sits at 300 to 400 feet. Adjacent wells in the area produce 20 or more gallons per minute, which is a strong yield for residential use in this region.

The buyer has until February 9, 2031 to complete the well and put the water to beneficial use.

> **Important:** An NOI is not a water right. It is authorization to drill a well and develop one. The water right is perfected by drilling the well and putting the water to beneficial domestic use before the February 9, 2031 deadline. Under current Montana regulations, new NOIs for domestic groundwater are extremely difficult to obtain, making these authorizations a significant asset.

### Onsite Wastewater (Septic)

Every lot has a DEQ-approved onsite wastewater design with primary and secondary (reserve) drainfield areas already located and sized for a single-family dwelling. Soil testing, percolation, mixing-zone analysis, and DEQ sign-off are complete (COSA file EQ #24-1245, October 28, 2024).

Per-lot system types:
- Lot 1: Level 2 advanced treatment unit with ongoing O&M contract, shallow-capped drainfield (max 10 in. deep), 300 ft mixing zone. Adds roughly $15,000 to $25,000 over a conventional install, plus annual service.
- Lot 2: Absorption trenches, max 36 in. deep, 500 ft mixing zone.
- Lot 3: Absorption trenches, max 36 in. deep, 500 ft mixing zone.
- Lot 4: Absorption trenches, max 30 in. deep, 500 ft mixing zone.
- Lot 5: Shallow-capped drainfield, max 15 in. deep, 500 ft mixing zone.

Annual effluent sampling is required (nitrate, nitrite, ammonium TKN, conductance, pH, CBOD). No sewage systems within 100 feet of streams, ditches, or water supply sources. Houses, outbuildings, and paved surfaces are sited around the designated drainfield areas; landscaping within the drainfield zones stays shallow-rooted to protect the system.

### Grid Power

Beartooth Electric Cooperative (BEC) power is installed to the subdivision and paid for by the developer. The primary infrastructure is in place. To build, the buyer contacts BEC directly for transformer placement and meter installation.

This eliminates the $45,000 to $65,000 cost of an off-grid solar and battery system, plus the ongoing maintenance and limitations that come with it.

### Road and Bridges

Pleasant Drive is a private gravel road within a 60-foot easement, built to Carbon County standards. It carries year-round traffic to Lots 1, 4, and 5 and ends at a cul-de-sac.

Two engineered bridges serve the subdivision, both built and paid for by the developer:

- **Entrance bridge:** off East Bench Road, carries Pleasant Drive into the subdivision. Every lot crosses it.
- **Easement A bridge:** a second bridge near the cul-de-sac that crosses over to Lots 2 and 3. Only those two lots use it, and only for the final driveway stretch to their parcels.

Both bridges are permanent engineered structures designed for residential traffic and emergency vehicle access. Buyers do not need to construct or finance access infrastructure on any lot.

### Recorded Plat

Graham Subdivision South was approved by the Carbon County Commission in October 2025 and the plat was recorded in November 2025 as Plat No. 2557.

Subdivision-level regulatory work is complete: no rezoning, no subdivision hearings, no environmental review. Lot boundaries are surveyed and recorded. Building envelopes are approved. Buyers still pull a standard Carbon County building permit for their specific home design, but go into that permit process without any open subdivision or entitlement risk.

### Estimated Value of Included Infrastructure

| Infrastructure Element | Typical Raw Land Cost |
|---|---|
| DNRC well authorization (NOI) | $15,000 - $25,000+ |
| Grid power extension | $20,000 - $65,000 |
| Road construction | $30,000 - $75,000 |
| Engineered bridges (2) | $40,000 - $80,000 |
| Subdivision plat and approval | $25,000 - $50,000 |
| Environmental and geotech review | $10,000 - $20,000 |
| **Estimated Total** | **$140,000 - $315,000** |

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## Covenants Summary

Covenants are recorded with the plat. Governance today is owner-driven with a defined road-maintenance structure and no association dues. The Declarant reserves the right to form an owners' association later if owners want one. Full covenants available on request.

- Residential use only (home office permitted)
- 1,200 SF minimum finished, heated, habitable dwelling
- Guest house permitted per lot up to 1,200 SF of interior living area, subject to the lot's Approved Building Area (impervious surface cap) and applicable Carbon County ordinances. Whether a guest house physically fits depends on how much of the cap remains after the primary home, driveway, outbuildings, and patios are sited
- Horses and livestock permitted on lots of five or more acres (all five South lots qualify)
- Up to 2 recreational vehicles per lot for personal recreational use, stored unobtrusively, not used as a dwelling
- Natural materials and earth tones required; no vinyl siding; no exposed untreated corrugated metal as primary cladding; permanent foundation required
- Shielded, downward-directed exterior lighting for dark-sky preservation
- No further subdivision of lots (density preserved in perpetuity)
- 30-year term with automatic 10-year extensions
- Setbacks: 30 ft front, 20 ft rear, 10 ft side

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## Phase 2: Graham Subdivision North

10 additional homesites expected 2027, extending northward along the east bench. Currently in engineering, not yet platted.

Location: SE 1/4 of Section 11, T7S, R20E, PMM

Contact info@eastbenchoverlook.com to register interest.

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## Contact

**Developer:**
East Bench Overlook LLC
Email: info@eastbenchoverlook.com
Website: eastbenchoverlook.com

**Lot 2 Listing Agent:**
Tera Reynolds
Coal Creek Realty
Phone: 406-425-3913
Email: rlski@live.com

**Lot 3 Listing Agent:**
Anita Dolan
BHHS Floberg
Phone: 406-860-5576
Email: anita.dolan@floberg.com

**Lot 4:**
Contact the developer directly at info@eastbenchoverlook.com