Swan Valley Community Council
SWAN VALLEY - At the Oct. 20 meeting of the Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC), the council discussed concerns about high water washing out the road near the Cold Creek Bridge and received a progress report on the traffic safety issue on Highway 83 in front of the Swan Valley Elementary School (SVE). Kali Becher from Missoula County Community and Planning Services (CAPS) and land use planning consultant Dave DeGrandpre also spoke to attendees about the Missoula County Growth Plan Survey due by Oct. 30.
Chair Ken Donovan told attendees he was contacted by a concerned Swan Valley resident about the area where the Cold Creek Bridge crosses the Swan River. Donovan said that where the river makes a sharp left before going under the bridge, there is a possibility of the road washing out when the water gets forced out on the road. He added that the quality of the water can be compromised when road sediment washes into the river and bull trout habitat is threatened.
The SVCC voted to investigate possible solutions to the road washout problem.
Council member Marcia Tapp reported on the citizens committee that was formed to request that the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and others address the safety concerns of those travelling to and from SVE. The committee created a letter and petition for Swan Valley residents to sign who agree with a longer no-passing line approaching the front of the school, a flashing light to warn motorists of the school zone and a reduced speed limit during the time buses and parents are entering and leaving the school area.
Donovan said, “Cars get stacked up from the many no-passing lines on the rises so many motorists see the short single line and they speed up. They are going very fast as they duck in before the double line in front of the school. The committee is requesting the double line be extended from in front of Mountain View Log Homes south to Buck Creek.”
“We have received letters from the SVE school board, the Parent Teachers Association, SVE parents and many businesses in the area,” said Tapp.
“A couple hundred have signed the petition,” said Donovan.
Tapp said that packets of the letters and the petition were mailed Oct. 21 to seven officials including Montana Governor Steve Bullock, MDT director Mike Tooley, Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau, Missoula County Sheriff Sergeant Bob Parcell and Representative David Moore and Senator Sue Malek.
Tapp said that citizens can write their own letters about this issue and send them to Mike Tooley, 2701 Prospect Avenue, Helena, MT 59620.
“Hopefully they will listen to the citizens, agree that this is a problem and that something needs to be done about it,” said Tapp,
In other business, Dave DeGrandpre land use planning consultant of Land Solutions from Charlo, Mont. and Kali Becher rural landscape scientist from Missoula County Community and Planning Services (CAPS) spoke about progress with the Missoula County Growth Plan that is nearing its completion stage. According to DeGrandpre, the Growth Plan includes the entire county except the city of Missoula which has its own plan.
“It [the Growth Plan] doesn’t carry weight of law; it is a guidance document,” said DeGrandpre. “It must contain trends and projections into the future. It looks at the challenges and tries to figure ways to address them. It is also used to set policy for the county such as zoning and subdivision rules, water quality and economic development.”
Missoula County has been trying to address this growth with help of the citizens DeGrandpre said. They want help with actions in a work plan for the next five to seven years with assessment on these actions built in.
There will be more opportunities for citizens to have input at public hearings this fall and winter before it goes before the County Commissioners for adoption. The public hearing on the Growth Policy before the planning board is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 1. Once approved, it will move to the Board of County Commissioners for consideration at a public hearing, which will be scheduled after Jan. 1.
DeGrandpre encouraged the public to visit the website http://www.mcgrowthpolicy.us to view the document and to take the online survey which needs to be completed by Oct. 30. Citizens can also send in general comments about the entire growth plan project.
The next meeting of the SVCC will be held at the Swan Valley Community Hall Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.
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