MDT Rejects Traffic Study and Cell Tower Permitting Discussed

SEELEY LAKE - The Seeley Lake Community Council (SLCC) discussed its options after the state rejected the council’s request for traffic safety improvements on Highway 83 at its Jan. 11 meeting. The council also discussed the issue of new cell tower permitting in the area and welcomed newly appointed board member Carrie Sokoloski (see story page 6).

The council requested the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) make changes in speed limits and crosswalks on Highway 83 in Seeley Lake. The council spent much of the summer collecting public comment and putting together the 120-page document outlining the changes.

The document was submitted to the Missoula County Commissioners who then forwarded it to MDT.

MDT replied to the document with a letter dated Nov. 16. Council Member Klaus Von Stutterheim felt the letter was too depressing to read at the meeting but supplied a copy to the Pathfinder when requested after the meeting.

In the response, MDT’s traffic engineer does not feel that the council provided any data that would suggest the original MDT speed recommendations were done in error.

The response does state that MDT values the community’s desire to develop and enhance pedestrian facilities. Upon request, MDT would redo pedestrian counts over longer periods of time and work with the community to develop long-term strategies.

Attached to the response is a letter from a Seeley Lake resident who felt that the SLCC study was biased from the beginning and failed to provide fair representation of the community.

Von Stutterheim talked to the county commissioners who asked Greg Robertson, Missoula County Director of Public Works, to look at the issue. Robertson suggested that they put together a seasonal option that would have lower speed limits in the summer and revert to the faster MDT recommended speeds in the winter.

The next step that von Stutterheim feels is for Robertson to write a proposal that the SLCC would support along with the county commissioners. The proposal would then be taken to the MDT Transportation Commission’s next meeting. The schedule for that meeting was not available at the SLCC meeting.

Missoula County Community and Planning Services planner Jamie Erbacher attended the meeting to explain the process by which new cell towers are permitted.

Erbacher explained that there are two companies looking at two locations in the area, one near Salmon Lake and another on Redwood Lane in Seeley Lake. Neither company has officially filed for permits yet.

The proposed tower near Salmon Lake would be built on common area of the subdivision located along the highway near Woodworth Road. Erbacher said that when the land was subdivided there were building restrictions placed on that common area.

“When this subdivision was done, cell towers probably were not something that somebody imagined,” said Erbacher.

The residents of the subdivision can go through a condition amendment and a covenant amendment to change these restrictions. The amendments must be approved by the Missoula County Commissioners.

Aside from these covenants and conditions, the location would only have to go through a Land Use Permit. When reviewing those permits, the county looks to make sure the site is outside of the shoreline, not on top of easements like roads and they make sure sites are not located in any other riparian zones or no build zones.

The structure would need to have a building permit as well. Because the area is unzoned, there are no other restrictions on location or structure height.

This is the case when it comes to the proposed site on Redwood Lane near Highway 83. There are no deed restrictions and the area is unzoned.

“That [site on Redwood Ln.] is going to be a straight forward permit if they decided to move forward with it,” said Erbacher.

All towers have to go through a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) permitting process as well. The county will receive notification of this process and will be able to send comments in about the location.

The site on Redwood may also have to go through a Federal Aviation Administration review due to its proximity to the emergency landing pad located at the Seeley-Swan Medical Center.

Seeley Lake resident Karen Pratt asked Erbacher if the Seeley Lake Regional Plan has any impact on the permitting process. Erbacher replied that the plan is a guide but is not regulatory therefore cannot be used to stop someone from building something.

Pratt asked if the council would consider revisiting the possibility of zoning down town. Others in the crowd suggested that it might be time being that issues of cell towers will keep coming up again and again.

The council said they would put it on the next month’s agenda for discussion on what zoning would involve.

The SLCC meeting is scheduled for Feb. 8, 6 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Historical Museum & Visitors Center. Drinks and snacks will be provided starting at 5:30 p.m.

 

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