Seeley Lake Community Council
SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council discussed unanswered questions on the proposed 60-lot subdivision near the airport at their Feb. 12 meeting and voted to host a candidate forum ahead of this spring’s primary and local special district elections. The council also heard an update on the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act (BCSA) and received a demonstration of the county’s Property Information System.
Developers of the proposed 60-lot subdivision presented and answered questions at the January council meeting. During the meeting, Councilman Lee Boman handed over a list of questions that he had received from area residents. The developers said they would answer them in writing instead of taking the time at the meeting.
Several weeks had passed with no reply so Boman called the developer’s attorney to inquire about the questions and left a message. A few days later Boman received an email reply from the attorney that he read to the council.
In the email, the attorney wrote, “The questions you raised along with our written response would be forwarded to the authorized decision maker, the Powell County Commissioners, as part of our formal subdivision application. A courtesy copy will be forwarded to you at that time.”
“It’s really troubling to me because if we work together we can find a win-win deal,” said Boman. “If we don’t have open and honest sincere communication it’s going to be painful.”
A large part of the discussion at January’s council meeting centered around the fact that the subdivision is proposed in Powell County but arguably most of the public resources used by residents of the subdivision would come from Missoula County. Resources like emergency response, law enforcement, schools and road maintenance are generally funded through taxes paid to the county. Tax dollars would flow to Powell County while Missoula County would foot the bill.
Martin Cahoon, a partner in the development, said he was willing to answer all the questions at the council meeting but was advised by their attorney against it.
“We came [to the January meeting] as a gesture of good will to the community. We didn’t have to come here at the time that we did,” explained Cahoon. “It’s not proper protocol for us to give a written notice to this council before we give a written notice to the county in which we are doing the project. It’s not that anybody is trying to hide. We’re digging up the answers.”
Councilwoman Sally Johnson agreed, stating that Powell County will have to make some decisions that involve Missoula County. At that point it would be appropriate for the Council to be involved because they are under the Missoula County Commissioners.
Cahoon explained that they are aware of the issue of the impact on public services and that they are working out the method in which they can pay Missoula County for all the services received.
The Council took no action on the subdivision issue.
With the upcoming special district elections and primaries the Council discussed holding a candidate forum as they have in the past. Councilman Duane Schlabach recused himself from any discussion or voting on the candidate forum because he himself is a candidate for House District 92.
Former councilman Klaus von Stutterheim volunteered to run the forum. He feels the forum is a way to help voters make informed decisions. Von Stutterheim recommended holding just one forum ahead of the primary because there seemed to be less interest in the past when it came to the general election. In theory, voters have already decided how they will vote when their party picks its candidate in the primary.
The council voted to hold a candidates forum with Von Stutterheim’s help. The forum will be held sometime in April ahead of the May 8 special districts election.
Boman gave a short presentation on the BCSA and played a video of Senator Jon Tester testifying on behalf of the BCSA in the Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee.
The BCSA has roots in Seeley Lake roughly 16 years ago when snowmobilers wanted access to the bowls near Lake Elsina. A compromise was worked out giving snowmobile access and protecting other areas. The people involved in that effort came together and birthed the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Project.
Boman said around $33 million worth of timber and forest restoration work has already been done as a result of the project. To complete the collaborative, Congress is being asked to protect approximately 80,000 acres by adding it to the Bob Marshall Wilderness, Scapegoat Wilderness and Mission Mountains Wilderness. The BCSA would also open 2,000 acres for snowmobiling as the Otatsy Recreation Area and create the Spread Mountain Recreation Area with nearly 4,000 available for mountain biking and other non-motorized uses.
In the video, Tester stated that the bill would preserve one of the most unique landscapes in the country for future generations, increases trail and recreational opportunities and strengthens the local timber industry. Tester felt that more importantly, it provides a blueprint for how to break the gridlock that has plagued our national forests.
Seeley Lake resident Ken Kronsperger asked how many of the trails are for motorized users.
“Zero. This land is probably not appropriate for motorized [use],” said Boman.
Kronsperger expressed his frustration with the lack of motorized trails. Kronsperger said it was fine to have millions of acres for horses and hikers but they didn’t need any more. Adding 80,000 acres to the millions of acres of existing wilderness does nothing for elderly people, like Kronsperger, who can’t use it.
Another member of the audience asked for more information on the area for snowmobiling. Boman said if the bill passes, it would open up the Otatsy Recreation Area to snowmobiles. That area is currently closed to snowmobiling. No land that is currently open to snowmobiling would be closed by the BCSA.
What is the land being protected from and what is happening right now that is threatening it? Boman said the land is a pristine environment and is currently being managed as wilderness. The added protection of the wilderness designation would ensure that resource extraction such as oil or gas drilling could never happen.
Would there be an impact on hunting and hunting regulations? Boman felt it would protect land historically used for hunting. Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks would have to address if the new wilderness area would be added to the early season hunts currently in the existing wilderness.
Why do we need more wilderness area when we are already sitting by one of the largest in the nation? Boman said that as population grows, demand for these places would go up. Today there may seem like an abundance of wild lands like these but in 50 years Boman thinks people will be thankful that we protected what we have.
Won’t it be harder to maintain trails, like the one into Grizzly Basin, when you can’t use a chainsaw because of the wilderness designation? Boman said the Forest Service currently does a lot of trail work in the wilderness and didn’t see why they wouldn’t be able to maintain trails in added areas.
Deborah Bell of Missoula County Public Works demonstrated the county’s Property Information System website. The interactive mapping website includes information on property in the county including ownership, building and septic permits, tax records, road maintenance, certificates of survey, zoning, flood plain information and more.
The Property Information System can be found at https://gis.missoulacounty.us/propertyinformation
The next council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., March 12 at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum & Visitors Center. Pizza and beverages will be provided starting at 5:30 p.m.
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