Residents and Missoula Lawyer Comment on Regional Plan Draft

SWAN VALLEY- Missoula lawyer Colleen Dowdall, recognized in the state of Montana as an authority on land use, along with several residents presented their comments on the Swan Valley Regional Plan (SVRP) draft at the Swan Valley Community Council (SVCC) meeting Feb. 16. The public meeting regarding the draft plan will be held March 2 at 7 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall.

Swan Valley resident Harry Blazer asked Dowdall to be present at the meeting. Blazer offered to pay Dowdall and the committee agreed to review her comments along with those submitted by others in the community.

Blazer has been involved with the Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (committee) by funding Applied Communications Planner Bob Horne to assist with the revision of the regional plan starting in August 2013. In February 2015, Blazer dismissed Horne. He and committee member at the time John Keller presented an alternate approach to the committee. The committee voted to stay with Horne after Missoula County agreed to fund Horne through the first draft.

Dowdall focused on the wildlife section of the document and said the plan had inadequacies based on what Missoula County is now considering for its county-wide plan. She said that resources such as wildlife and fish habitat need to be more clearly identified as what they are and where they are located. The plan needs to give guidance on how impacts to resources can be mitigated. The plan should be site-specific because every wildlife and fish habitat is different. She said that there were not enough maps to show these habits.

Dowdall added that the goals and specific actions needed to be clearly implemented for subdivision reviews. These areas should be clear and adaptable for the Board of Missoula County Commissioners’ use when they consider adopting the final plan.

SVCC board members agreed with board member Marcia Tapp who said it would be beneficial to have comments from Dowdall from a legal point of view and helpful to the commissioners.

Committee Chair Cilla Moseley wrote in an email to the Pathfinder: “Blazer will submit Dowdall’s comments to the committee in the same manner as agencies, non-government organizations and residents. Comments are to be submitted by letter, email or verbally at the March 2 meeting. After reviewing the comments, the committee will make changes to the plan after discussion and agreement as to what reflects the majority view of the community.”

Tapp asked for questions and comments from the attendees.

Blazer said, “The plan is too broad and will give license to regulators to turn it (Swan Valley) into a reserve. Private citizens are the best custodians. We need to be concerned about the people.”

Swan Valley resident Jimmy Boyd said that the plan needs to be shorter and to address the growth (job and population) of the community that is suffering.

Committee member Diann Ericson said that when the process began approximately eight years ago there was fear if the Swan Valley residents didn’t rewrite the growth plan, Missoula County would do it for them. She added Ken Donovan was the first chair of the growth plan committee. The envisioning part of the plan came from training that members of the committee received.

Horne said that the plan was developed from the envisioning comments from the community and neighborhood meetings’ approval of the drafts.

”The community wanted to have its own plan, its own statement and its own vision,” said Horne. “We didn’t reinvent the wheel, companion documents are already out there, readers can go elsewhere to obtain professional [maps and] documents.”

Ericson encouraged residents to read the plan and come to the public meeting March 2.

Moseley said, “It [the plan] won’t be read or interpreted for you. Come with your comments and concerns.”

Dowdall recommended that residents study the plan carefully and follow it all through the adoption process and speak at public hearings.

When the draft is approved by the SVCC, it goes to Missoula County Community and Planning Services (CAPS) for comments and recommendations. The plan will be finalized with the committee before being forwarded to the Missoula County Planning Board and then to the Missoula County Commissioners for adoption.

The SVRP is available at the Swan Valley Library or online at http://www.tinyurl.com/svplanupdate.

In other business, three candidates Elda Greenough (Ellie), Lacey McNutt and Henry Westra filed for the SVCC seats vacated by Cilla Moseley and Dwayne Forder. They were introduced. Two SVCC members will be chosen at the election held May 3.

The next SVCC meeting will be March 15 at 7 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall.