Draft Plan Edits Continue, Further Study Needed

SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) met to address and edit more of the Swan Valley Regional Draft Plan (SVRP) May 11. Edits and comments from Swan Valley Elementary District No. 33 School Board and residents were utilized.

The committee voted to table Section 1.2 Habitat Types of the SVRP until the next meeting. It was agreed the comments needed further study. SVRPC member Dave Johnson said that since none on the committee were well versed in habitat types, the committee should come back to it. He said the challenge from the school board was that wildlife and habitat types cannot be mixed together as they are in section 1.2. of the SVRP. The school board’s comment said that the two definitions need to be separate.

The committee approved moving paragraphs pertaining to bull trout habitat and grizzly management to sections in which they were a better fit.

The SVRPC discussed the comments about the last paragraph in 1.6 Grizzly Habitat which were restrictions Missoula county was encouraged to implement in subdivisions to benefit grizzly habitat. While some comments from residents were in agreement, most comments from locals and in the envisioning process said they were not in favor of any regulations.

Johnson said, “Brushing these regulations across the whole valley isn’t fair.” He said they may work if the site where the grizzly frequent is specifically stated.

SVRPC member Dwayne Forder said that it applies more to land use than grizzly habitat. The SVRPC voted to delete them from the plan.

Changes to the plan will be attached to the Missoula County website after the meeting’s minutes are approved at the following SVRPC meeting.

To view minutes and changes made at that meeting visit: http://missoulacounty.us/government/community-development/community-planning-services/projects/active-projects/swan-valley-plan-update

The next SVRPC meeting will be held May 26 at the Swan Valley Community Hall at 7 p.m.