Two Sections of Land Use Element Addressed

SWAN VALLEY - The Swan Valley Regional Planning Committee (SVRPC) members addressed the Wildland-Urban Interface and Regulatory Framework sections of the Land Use Element contained in the draft growth plan at their April 17 meeting.

The committee agreed with the wording of the original Wildland-Urban Interface section and voted to accept it.

The Regulatory Framework section generated a lengthy discussion about the community’s aversion to regulations and zoning in the growth plan as expressed in the visioning comments and neighborhood meetings. The SVRPC member discussed how to express the community’s wishes to the Missoula County Commissioners who have the final word on the draft plan.

Chair Ken Donovan said residents often tell him that they want to be self-sustaining.

“We don’t want to give up our power to Missoula,” said Donovan quoting what he has heard. “They don’t know what our lifestyle is like.” He said he hears that residents want to have a local board that would deal with subdivision regulations.

The committee agreed with Suzanne Vernon’s edit to move two sentences from the fourth paragraph as the opening paragraph to the section. It now reads, “Participants in the visioning sessions and neighborhood review meetings indicated a decided preference for new development to respect the character and qualities of the community and for it to be compatible with existing development. However, there was no significant support for regulations to accomplish these objectives.”

The committee voted to reduce the wording in the first paragraph which they felt contained too much explanation of regulations, zoning, codes and permits required by the county. Also eliminated was an explanation of best management practices in and around waterways. The paragraph now reads “Missoula County does not administer a general zoning code in the planning area. However, the county does administer a building code (including plumbing, electric, and energy codes), sanitation standards and floodplain regulations along the Swan River.”

The third paragraph deals with the “citizen initiated zoning” that exists in the Lindbergh Lake area. The members agreed to keep the information that a zoned area does exist in the planning area and when it was formed. They voted to eliminate further explanation of the zoning and its history.

It reads “In addition, there is a “Part 1” zoning district in the Lindbergh Lake area (Zoning enacted pursuant to Part 1, Title 76, Chapter 2, MCA is often referred to as “citizen initiated zoning”.) The Lindbergh and Cygnet Lakes district was formed in 1970 and expanded in 1994.”

“We are not promoting zoning, we are just stating that it exists.” said SVRPC member Dave Johnson.

The committee began to discuss the fourth paragraph’s first sentence. It reads, “The lack of a zoning code (other than in the Part 1 district) means that any land use (residential, commercial, industrial) can be established anywhere in the planning area, regardless of the adjacent and nearby land uses, access or environmental factors of the site.”

Some of those present thought the sentence was encouraging zoning while others on the committee thought it was for informational purposes for those moving into the valley as to what they could expect.

Johnson said, “[Residents] want to protect water, air and wildlife without any rules. You can’t have both.”

SVRPC member Pat Sinz said, “It addresses what can happen if there is no zoning. It is an informational tool for those who are making plans to live in the valley.”

Donovan told those in attendance that they would begin with the fourth paragraph at the next meeting May 10, 7 p.m. at the Swan Valley Community Hall. The SVRPC will have the Missoula County Growth Plan booklet to which they can refer. The Swan Valley Community Council paid $120 to Missoula County for 10 booklets to be printed.

Donovan said that the committee can now refer to the current up-to date Missoula County Growth Plan booklets while making edits. “We need to mesh with the county or it will be [thrown] out,” he said.