Growth plan draws mixed reaction

By BRENT SHRUM Western News Reporter

Plans to begin the process of developing a county-wide growth plan drew comments ranging from supportive to suspicious during a Wednesday meeting of the Lincoln County Commissioners.

About 50 people, many of them involved in the real estate business, attended the meeting. Elected to speak on behalf of many of those present, Russ Barnes — who pointed out that his title company deals with people involved in all aspects of real estate transactions — said he hoped the commissioners could clear up some concerns and confusion regarding the proposed growth plan. Real estate and related construction is currently of the strongest industries in the county, Barnes said.

"There's just a fear that something's going to happen outside our control that will damage our industry or cause it to shrink," Barnes said.

Commissioner Marianne Roose said the county is required under state law to have a growth plan in place by October 2006. To start the process of developing a plan, the county will be advertising for three weeks a public hearing on the issue scheduled for January. After the hearing, applicants representing various areas across the county will be sought to make up the planning board. The board will work on development of a plan for presentation to the commissioners for final approval.

Numerous opportunities will exist for public input, Roose said.

"It is not something that your county

commissioners just do," she said.

The growth plan provides guidelines under which regulations can be enacted or amended. One of the fears of developers is that the plan will include "the Z-word — zoning," Barnes said.

Whether or not zoning is desired — and if it is, in what form — will be part of the plan, said assistant county planner Mary Klinkam.

"There are several different types of planning tools that you can use, and zoning is only one," she said.

The commissioners want to see "a very broad representation" on the board that draws up the plan, Roose said.

"We don't want it to represent just one industry or be all people who have lived in Lincoln County all their lives or all new people," she said. "We think it should be a combination of both."

Commissioner Rita Windom said the commissioners are supportive of private property rights and want a board that understands those rights.

Dario Scarbosio related a bad experience with zoning in Oregon and said he's fearful of the door being opened to more and more restrictive property regulations.

"There's no such thing as a little bit of zoning," he said. "It's like a little bit pregnant."

Some of the most rapidly growing counties in Montana — like Ravalli County, where two 600-lot subdivisions are in the works — have had growth plans in place for years, Commissioner John Konzen said.

"It doesn't stop growth," he said. "It gives it maybe a little bit of direction."

Anyone dealing in subdivisions has noticed a change in attitude among county officials over the past year, making it harder to get anything done, Jack DeShazer said. He expressed concerns about roadblocks being thrown in the path of resurgent growth after years of stagnation.

"Finally we're seeing something, and we're seeing the potential of you folks stopping it or slowing it," he said.

DeShazer also questioned the phrase "elite residences" used by Roose at a Nov. 30 meeting to describe some of the growth in the Eureka area.

"I don't know what one is, but I don't think they're making meth and I don't think they're stealing my chain saw at night, so I don't see what the problem is," he said.

Windom suggested DeShazer's longing for an easier subdivision process may be misguided.

"Subdivisions shouldn't be easy to do," she said. "Subdivisions should be a thoughtful process."

That process needs to take into account things like access to emergency services, Windom said.

"But that's their problem," said Ron Brown.

Konzen disagreed, and said people moving to new subdivisions have expectations about the availability of services. Those services aren't cheap, and impact fees may be needed to provide funding, but such fees can't be instituted without a growth plan, Konzen said.

Stan Evans supported the move to develop a growth plan.

"I don't care what state law says," he said. "In spite of state law, we need one."

Clyde Miller said he's not against development but sees the need for a consistent plan. He said he has seen the access road to his subdivision, intended for use by only a few residents, turn into a community road used by many more people following the development of another subdivision in the area.

"I can see where the growth in the county and the proposed growth in the future is astronomical," he said.