SEELEY LAKE - The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled property owners can go directly to Federal Court if they believe local government regulations....such as the onerous health department septic regulations here in Seeley Lake..... have deprived landowners of the right to use their property.
The Missoula County Health Department has regularly for years deprived us of the right to use our properties up here with its constantly-changing regulations without public hearing or input.
Just two years ago it created a Special Management Area up here which effectively shut down ALL septic development in and around the downtown area. It held no hearings, allowed no public input and gave no notice to local landowners. The move was an obvious effort by the health department to force us to a central sewer system.
Until now, our only option was to go to state court which is generally favorable to local government entities such as the health department. That has changed. Now we can take our case directly to Federal Court. Federal Court is viewed as friendlier for such property claims.
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