SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Community Council met Nov. 6 to review the remaining elements in the Swan Valley Regional Draft Plan entitled Transportation, Public Facilities and Services and Implementation and addressed comments about the four appendices. The draft plan was approved and will be sent to Missoula County Community and Planning Services for further review and adaptation.
In the section entitled Road Maintenance, the comment objected to the arbitrary number of roads in the planning area. The Council agreed to remove the number which can change and amended the sentence to read that Missoula County maintains county roads in the planning area.
The comment to the third action of the Transportation element objected to the use of dust abatement that uses chemicals that can harm the environment and offered other solutions such as lower speed limits, better winter tires, vehicles with four-wheel drive and adding gravel to unpaved roads. The Council agreed to change action three to read along with seeking funding sources to also look for other solutions and alternatives to dust on the roads.
In the section entitled Parks and Recreation in the Public Facilities and Services Element, the Council voted to eliminate the wording pertaining to Community Ball Fields because the area is not owned by Missoula County as the section stated. It reads now that the Community Hall and Library is a single community park without the ball fields. The sentence that contained the site’s acreage was removed as it is no longer accurate.
The Council agreed to change the name of the section entitled “Museum” to “Museum and Heritage Site” because of a comment and explanation from a former board member that the heritage site refers to historical buildings on the site besides the museum itself.
In the section entitled Site Planning and Design Guidelines, the comment suggested that “Swan Valley citizens” should be added to the sentence that read a design manual could be produced by Missoula County with the Community Council. Council member Lacey McNutt agreed when she said that the Council’s job is to assist the valley’s citizens so it should be added. The Council agreed and voted to add the suggestion.
The Council agreed to add the comment suggestion to Appendix A entitled Element 1 Natural Resources and the section entitled Surface Water Quality. The first two paragraphs were deleted because of the reference to Jim Creek being on the 303(d) list of impaired water bodies from which it has now be taken off and other unnecessary information. The section now reads “Certain creeks in and around the planning area have been removed from the 303 (d) list because of the success of restoration programs that were joint efforts of the DEQ, Federal and state agencies, plus local participation. While most water bodies in the planning area were placed on the 303 (d) list were originally impacted by industrial logging activity, future threats will likely come from wildfires and insect decimation of our forests. Built impacts (human caused) on water quality will continue to be carefully analyzed and monitored by government agencies including county, state and federal. Reference the Flathead National Forest Plan.”
In Appendix C under the element entitled Natural Resources and the section Ground Water Quality, the Council voted to delete the last sentence because they felt the plan shouldn’t speculate that all citizens were concerned and want a ground water investigation conducted.
The Council discussed the wording of Appendix D, Element 3 Land Use and the section entitled Additional Information regarding Regulatory Framework (or land use regulations) in Missoula County. The members agreed that the wording in the latter paragraphs was not useful. McNutt said that she didn’t think it was the plan’s job to spell out regulations for the Lindbergh and Cygnet Lake area.
Council member Kathy Koors said she didn’t think that the sentence saying that the lack of zoning codes means that any land use could be established anywhere in the planning area would make both pro and con advocates nervous. “I think less is better.” she said.
The Council members agreed that the first paragraph in the Additional Information would remain. It says that even though there is no general zoning code in the planning area, there are best management practices for protecting stream bank and water quality. The rest of the section was deleted.
Donovan thanked the Council members for their participation and completion of the job reviewing the Swan Valley Regional Plan. The members were pleased that the task was complete.
Due to the upcoming holidays, the next meeting is Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall.
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