Asset-Based Approach and Attendees' Input Addressed

SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) addressed the remaining paragraphs of the Asset Based Approach to Future Development section of the Land Use Element in the draft growth plan May 24. They tabled the final paragraph of the section until the next meeting which deals with natural resources and residential densities. Residents also shared their thoughts about the process of editing the draft plan.

The committee unanimously accepted Colleen Dowdall’s edits to the third paragraph of the section. They agreed to replace “the county wants” to “the residents strongly desire” to the wording. It now reads “For purposes of this regional plan, rural/wild character is one that is defined more by the natural environment than by the built environment. The mountains, forests, rivers and streams, wildlife, open spaces, and scenic views and vistas are so valued by the community that residents strongly desire to see them preserved, and even enhanced, into the future:”

The edits to the Clean Air section were accepted. The committee voted to remove the final words “mobile as well as static” from the sentence which now reads “Development should mitigate any impacts to air quality, whether from road dust, smoke, fumes, or other emissions from any and all sources.” The remainder of the section remains as originally written.

The committee voted to accept the edits to the first paragraph of the Clean Water section and deleted the second paragraph. It now reads, “Development should mitigate an impact to soil and/or vegetation that might adversely impact the environmental and/or hydrologic functions of a steam or river, including raising water temperatures of cold water streams, causing harm to the aquatic life in a lake, pond, stream or wetland.”

The first paragraph of the original wording in the section entitled Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat was accepted. The second paragraph was deleted.

The committee accepted the original wording of the section entitled Scenic Vistas/Scenic Qualities except for the final sentence of the first paragraph which reads “It should be noted that exploring regulations to address site development standards and appearance is a recommended action item.”

A few residents in attendance expressed their thoughts about the draft growth plan process at the meeting.

A resident stated displeasure about the over-use of one of the public comments submitted by Missoula attorney Dowdall. “You are treating it like it is more important than the other 64 comments.” The resident did not think it was appropriate for another resident to have paid for her services.

Chair Ken Donovan and member Dave Johnson both said they didn’t see it that way.

Johnson said that she was a scribe for the resident who paid her. “She looked at it from top to bottom and took out a lot of extra language. I can’t fault using it. It is still the community’s plan. The committee’s work is still right here.”

Donovan said, “Her [Dowdall’s] edits were professionally done. County eyes have been on her work over the years.”

Another resident agreed that the other public comments should be taken into account more frequently or if there is no comment on the text of the draft plan that the committee should move on to other text that does have comments about it.

One more resident said that he thought the committee was moving too slowly and wasting time on insignificant parts of the plan. “We need to accelerate this process,” he said.

In other business, committee member Diann Ericson gave each SVRPC member a copy of her proposed draft appendixes made from information removed from the growth plan. The committee agreed to study it and discuss it at their next meeting June 14, 7 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall.