Comments and Future of Second Draft Discussed

SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Council answered questions and addressed other concerns pertaining to the second draft of the Swan Valley Regional Growth Plan at their March 20 meeting. Missoula Community and Planning Services (CAPS) planner Andrew Hagemeier also presented the beginning stages of the Missoula County mapping update. He explained the project will be a “visual of the policies and visions” of the future of the county.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the second draft of the regional plan as presented by the planning committee and the process that the council will go through in preparation of delivering it to the county.

The council voted to have the public comments posted on the Missoula County website, as they were for the first draft, so that they are easily accessible for the public. The due date for comments is April 10.

Members of the council and the planning committee answered questions from the public (bold).

Would handwritten comments be accepted and printed on the website? Hagemeier said handwritten and all other comments would be scanned and be available on the county website. Council Chair Ken Donovan said that he had a form for written comments that breaks the plan down by element and sections. Contact Donovan to obtain a form at 754-5647 or email at info@nordiqueloghomes.com

What do we do with our comments? Council member Henry Westra is charged with collecting the comments to be sent to the website. Email comments to Henry.Westra@gmail.com. They can also be mailed to Swan Valley Community Council, P.O. Box 1156, Condon, MT 59826.

Are comments from Lake County residents accepted and given as much weight as those who live in the Missoula County area of the draft plan? Their comments have been accepted in the past and will be included. “ We look at them the same as all others because we share the same river and resources here,” said regional planning committee member Diann Ericson.

What are the options for the SVCC going forward with the draft plan? It can be accepted as it is and sent to CAPS. It can be adjusted based on comments. If there are many comments, it will be sent back to the planning committee.

Will there be a meeting for spoken public comments? No. Written comments will be accepted until April 10.

Council member Kathy Koors asked if there is a deadline for the council to make a decision as to how the draft plan will go forward. Westra said that it would be better to wait until they see how many comments they receive and what concerns they express.

Hagemeier said that CAPS is focusing on the interactive mapping of the urban area ranging from Bonner to the Smurfit Stone mill site near Frenchtown. They are breaking up the county into separate sections because of the wide diversity in the county and are not updating the Swan at this time.

Hagemeier said that it would be beneficial, however, for Swan Valley residents to participate in workshops or an online tool. “Most of you frequent the area and your input would be helpful,” he said.

He said that a pin appears on the map according to what area a person has chosen to comment such as housing, jobs, agriculture and open lands. The map shows a pattern of comments with the comment visible without names of the respondents. Hagemaier said he requires email addresses, that are not visible to the public, in case he needs to respond to the post. It is possible to like or dislike the other comments anonymously.

For a list of workshops held in Missoula visit: https://www.missoulacounty.us/Home/Components/News/News/13037/17?backlist=%2 or email Hagemeier, ahagemeier@missoulacounty.us

The online map is available at: http://www.missoulaareamapping.com

Hagemeier was asked how the Community Wildfire Protection Plan applies to the draft plan. Hagemaier said the CWPP addresses wildfire risk and the wildland urban interface and was initiated under the direction of the Emergency Service office. The Seeley Swan has its own CWPP. He will use the Missoula CWPP draft in the area planning maps when it is adopted in May.

Another attendee asked why the Flathead National Forest Plan is not mentioned in the CWPP. Hagemeier said he would mention it and that comments should be sent in about it.

“How do we reconcile the objectives and actions of the three plans: CWPP, the FNF plan and the Swan Valley Growth plan?” asked Swan Valley resident John Keller. Hagemeier said it was the job of CAPS to figure it out.

“We have one size fits all when it comes to subdivision rules. We need some leadership in this area,” said Keller. “We need a different set of rules for these frontier communities [so different than urban areas]”

Hagemeier agreed that different subdivision and design regulations may come out of the separate areas mapping plan project.

The next regularly scheduled SVCC meeting is April 17 at 7 p.m. The council will discuss the comments they have received and how they will proceed with the process.

Copies of the Second Draft Plan are available:

• Download the second draft plan at http://apps.missoulacounty.us/go/swanplanfeb2018

• Email Henry.Westra@gmail.com for a .pdf file

• Hard copies are available at the Swan Valley Library and Swan Valley Connections.