Committee Works Through Third Element - Completion Deadline Set

SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee continued to work through the Land Use element of the draft growth plan. They also agreed to have the document ready to submit to the Missoula County Commissioners by Nov. 1 at their meeting July 12.

The SVRPC agreed to review the numbers and charts included in the first two paragraphs of the Land Use Element’s section entitled Vacant, Unencumbered Parcels by Acreage at a later date. The chart refers to the number of vacant lots that vary from less than one acre to more than 80 acres. The ensuing paragraphs states the projection of how many years it would provide sufficient housing growth without additional subdivision.

The committee voted unanimously to delete the third paragraph which was already explained in the Housing Element.

They also removed the final paragraph of the section addressing property rights. Former alternate Sara Halm filled the late Dwayne Forder’s seat on the committee. She said that it offered no information about property rights. The rest of the section remained unedited.

The committee accepted the original wording in the section entitled Clustering. Clustering is the strategic placement of lot and building sites in order to maximize open space. It can be used to protect wildlife habitat and other sensitive lands. The section also warned against unsustainable septic system density that would compromise the public’s health. They deleted the last sentence that referred to another community’s sanitation problems.

In the final section of the Land Use Element entitled Access to Public Lands, the committee voted to remove excess verbiage in the first paragraph.

In the final paragraph, the first sentence was deleted because it contained an opinion about how an easement is revoked and public access is usually lost when property is developed or subdivided. The remainder of the paragraph, which stresses the importance of public access even after development and also preserving traditional public access to public lands, was unanimously accepted.

The committee tabled the discussion about whether to submit Missoula Attorney Colleen Dowdall’s edits to the public regarding the second growth draft plan. The idea was proposed to speed up the process so it can be presented to the public for comment.

Attendees voiced opposition to submitting just Dowdall’s comments and agreed that it “isn’t fair to the public.” The comments “are not just [Dowdall’s] alone [but from all the residents].”

Halm suggested they set a deadline for the draft plan to be completed. The committee voted to have the draft plan finished by Nov. 1. Member Diann Ericson voted in opposition.

“It is too arbitrary,” Ericson said, “However, I hope it happens.”

In other business, the committee used a new sound system that was purchased with money donated from a group of Swan Valley residents. Donovan hopes it will help the committee members and attendees hear each other better during the meetings. The organizations that use the Swan Valley Community Hall will decide the parameters for its use.

The next SVRPC meeting will be Aug. 2, 7 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall.