Swan Valley Community Council starts zoning plans, sheriff hopes to add officers

The Swan Valley Community Council is going ahead with a long-term process to add potential zoning and community plans to the area, which split the crowded room over what would be appropriate to keep landowner rights.

The council also heard a plan to get 24 hour coverage from the sheriff's department, got an update from its Montana State legislature representatives and listened to the community club during a two and a half hour meeting on Oct. 17.

Missoula County Planner Andrew Hagemeier told the audience that any decisions on zoning plans could still be years away. His portion of the meeting was focused on seeing what residents wanted out of potential regulations.

The debate went over several topics, including how the county would interact in the process and how Condon residents could get involved. One conflict that presented itself was whether to have an efficient zoning tool used, or have a tool that can't be abused by the government.

Resident Kate Lewis said she doesn't care about the tool, but she wants it to be efficient, fast locals have control.

"I am concerned because I am a resident, 365 days a year, and all of the sudden two residences down there will be a resort," Lewis said." That's not why I moved to Condon."

Other residents were concerned with the speed and efficiency of any regulations, citing past government plans to build a waste transfer station in Condon and concern that the Swan Valley Community Council was not the proper place to create the rules.

"This is not the venue, you need to advertise that this is what you are doing, because we do not have segments of business owners and landowners," resident George Craig said. "Expedience in this matter is not the ideal."

The process is just at the beginning stages, and it will involve several public steps. The Swan Valley Community Council will first create a committee with residents to make a detailed plan, with the help of Hagemeier. Those meetings will be public by law.

After creating a plan, the zoning committee would then give recommendations to the Swan Valley Community Council. If the council approves the plan, then it goes to the Missoula County Commissioners, who have the final say.

It is unclear who will be on the board, or if the council has a specific time goal. The inspiration for zoning comes from the now-failed expansion of Holland Lake Lodge.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush, it is really common when you get a threat in your community for interest in planning to come along," Hagemeier said.

More planning meetings with both the zoning committee and the community council will continue for the next few months.

Earlier in the meeting, Missoula County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Bob Parcell went over crime in Condon and a plan to get more law enforcement into the area. He passed out a crime log documenting all calls in Condon for the year.

Some notable parts include five burglaries, although Parcell said at least one of the reports was a false alarm. Parcell went on to say the Sheriff's Office plans to add a fulltime Seeley-Condon deputy by November.

While the department failed to hire another resident deputy, the new "duty officer" will work in Seeley Lake full time. More cars will be routed up from Missoula, which Sheriff Jerimiah Peterson said in a letter will allow for 24 hour coverage.

"We have a plan to add additional coverage to zone five, which includes Seeley Lake, Potomac and the Condon area," the letter read at the meeting said. "Traditionally this zone has had 10 hours of coverage, right now we are working on a plan to have a deputy working in zone five 24 hours per day, historically this has never been done."

With the additional law enforcement, Peterson said response times will improve, and he said any person taking advantage of slow response times will face consequences. Peterson will be at next month's meeting to discuss the sheriff plan in greater detail.

During the meeting, one resident asked Parcell if he had received any reports of death threats from the Holland Lake Lodge. He said he has not been involved in any hate mail or death threat reports at the site. He added that he cannot speak for social media posts spreading hate.

Both Condon's current representative Mike Hopkins and his potential replacement Connie Keogh talked briefly about their plans for next year. Hopkins, who has served as the House District 92 rep for four terms, cannot run again and will likely not serve in the legislature.

After Hopkin's term, House District 92 will transform into a new area. The new district will exclude Seeley Lake, but still include Condon, Potomac, East Missoula, Bonnor and Clinton. The Rattlesnake was added to the district.

Keogh, who lives in the Rattlesnake and served as the House District 91 Representative, has now been moved into HD 92, and plans to run.

At the end of the meeting, resident Rhonda Craig gave a statement from the Condon Community Club, which has been the stewards of the Swan Valley Community Hall and other buildings on the site.

"All decisions regarding the day-to-day operations, the maintenance and improvements of the community hall and grounds are proposed, voted on and approved at our monthly meetings," Craig said.

She added that all community members are welcome to attend the meeting and vote during the first Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m.

Up until 2022 the community club had been completely self-sufficient and privately funded. The county recently helped pay for the installation and materials for a propane heater and tank. Propane is still paid by the community club.

The Pathfinder previously reported that the American Legion Post 63, with support from the county, was in charge of the community halls. That information was incorrect. Ed Klassen, the Legion Commander, apologized for any misstatements he said at the September meeting.

"I know the ladies are upset about some things that were said in the last meeting," Klassen said. "I do appreciate, the American Legion does appreciate, everything that everybody does in this community."

Next month on Nov. 21, Sheriff Peterson should speak, and possibly University of Montana recreation researchers Will Rice and Jesse Stevenson.