Garbage disposal site and building fees top discussion

SWAN VALLEY - Missoula County Public Works officials presented information regarding a garbage disposal container site for the Swan Valley and the need for increases to building permit fees at the Swan Valley Community Council meeting April 19.

Container Site

Shane Stack, Public Works Director, led the meeting with the Condon Container Site proposal. The projected cost to create a Container Site with four bins to dump garbage is currently estimated at $612,000, Stack said. The annual operating costs are projected at $230,000. This breaks down to an assessment of approximately $300 per property annually. There are 704 properties within the district, the boundaries match School District 33, Stack said.

In 2018 the Swan Valley Regional Plan submitted to the Missoula County Commissioners included a recommendation to evaluate a container site similar to Seeley Lake to help with garbage accumulation in the area, Stack said. The Missoula County Commissioners tasked the Public Works Department with finding a site and evaluating costs.

Multiple sites were evaluated and the current proposal is to construct the site on Barber Creek Road at the existing gravel pit. Stack said there is an existing agreement with the Forest Service to do more mining and it fit. There is already power at the site.

Once the containers at the proposed site are full, Republic Services or another provider would haul it to Missoula. The proposal is for the site to be open two days a week.

One commenter suggested the site could be open one day a week in the winter months. This could help reduce costs. Stack said most of the costs are operations, the cost of hauling garbage from the site to Missoula, so not likely much of a savings.

To cover costs of the container site, a special tax district would need to be created. Stack said this would be created by either a resolution of the Missoula County Commissioners or a referendum or petition to get it on the ballot. A public hearing is required allowing public comment for 60 days. If greater than 50% of the property owners protest, there will be no more action for 12 months. If 10% - 50% protest, the Commissioners may order a referendum (put the question to voters). If less than 10% protest, the Commissioners may pass a resolution creating the district.

The special district tax may change over time once out-of-district and other fees are calculated into the budget, Stack said. There will be a fee schedule established for out-of-district users, amounts in excess of the limit and special items dropped at the site. These are unknowns at this time.

"We're here just as an effort to communicate to you what we found in that evaluation of a container site in the Condon area," Stack said. "We're not here to tell you you have to do it."

Public comment leaned against the new container site. Kim Myre, Seeley Lake Refuse District Site Operator, said Lake County, which operates the Porcupine Site, is planning to increase the fee for out-of-district users to $200 annually.

Another commenter spoke in favor of the proposal. They mentioned people don't drive the 60-to-70-mile round trip to haul away garbage on a weekly basis. This leads to bear conflict in the area. Most conflict comes from attractants such as garbage.

Stack ended his presentation reminding people to take advantage of the public comment period which started April 19th. To comment visit https://missoulacountyvoice.com and select the Condon Container Site.

Building Permits

Building Official Dave Larkin outlined the reason building permit fees will need to increase.

"The people that are moving to Montana...they're bringing some dollars here. They want things that aren't as simple as people were willing to put up with or live with happily, living in Montana previously," Larkin said. "In order to deal with that level of sophistication and the designs that they're bringing on [and] the ever-changing codes that we're dealing with, I need really good professional staff."

Larkin's proposal will increase building permit fees from 25% to 35% and plan review fees from $50 to $75. The change would align with state building permit fees. Larkin said building permit fees had not been increased for several years.

An audience member noted fees increased 10% a few years ago. Larkin noted it should have been 30% to keep up with costs and that was the problem.

The Missoula County building department is $350,000 short on the reserves required by state statute. Larkin said it takes $1.1 million annually to run the department. With increases to fuel costs, needed vehicles and pay increases, he needs a way to generate revenue.

Previously budget shortfalls have come from the reserve, Larkin said. It is necessary to stop the bleed off.

Public comment questioned the need for highly certified plan reviewers since all plans had to be stamped by an engineer.

Larkin said a contractor draws most plans the department receives.

The commenter stated he knew of someone who recently submitted plans which were rejected because they weren't on the right size paper.

Other comments revolved around the length of time it takes to get a building permit. One contractor voiced frustration over the short building season in an area like Condon. He recently had one building permit take two months for approval. Another person stated they were six months into the process before getting approval.

"I'm trying to help my department first," Larkin said. "I can't be whipping up on the health people. I can't be whipping up on the zoning people. You know, it's uncomfortable to stand up here and say, 'We're doing a great job.' But maybe some other people need to step up a little bit more."

Larkin is going around the County presenting his proposal to various communities for public comment. Larkin said in a previous interview he hopes to present the proposal to the Missoula County Commissioners for approval in June. The building department is not required to seek approval from the Commissioners since their fees are not part of the general fund, Larkin said.

Stack said they would work to add the building permit fee increase proposal to the Missoula County Voice website. It was not there at press time.

In other business, the Council learned the County still had not responded with an update on the submitted Swan Valley Regional Plan. Acting Chair Kathy Koors is hoping to have an update at the May meeting.

Koors also advised that the April 19 meeting was Lacy McNutt's last meeting. The loss of McNutt brings the board to three members. Marcia Tapp, a past member, applied to the Commissioner's seeking appointment to the position vacated by Nathan Richardson who moved out of the district. Community member Grace Siloti advised she would apply for the position being vacated by McNutt and bring the board back to five members.

The next council meeting will be 6 p.m. May 17 at the Swan Valley Community Hall.