Draft growth policy edges closer to final passage

Shortly before the Dec. 5 Libby City Council meeting a public hearing on the city's draft growth policy solicited public feedback before making plans to pass the final resolution later this month.

After reviewing changes recommended by the Planning Board, and modifying the policy in response to the public in the Dec. 5 meeting the council has decided to revisit the draft on Dec. 19.

The city has been helped through this process by Joel Nelson, of Land Solutions.

“Before we should start out there is still some misunderstanding, the planning area boundary that’s shown on our map is not an annexation boundary. There's no plan to do any large annexation,” Mayor Peggy Williams said.

She noted that if there were an interest in annexing areas it would not be possible for many areas that are beyond where the city can provide water, sewer, police protection or other services.

There were several in-person comments on annexation afterward. Some residents expressed concern services would be expanded, which would, allegedly, open the door to annexation in the future.

The city council explained that there is a capital improvements plan, and this plan can be a more accurate map of where the city will be expanding services.

“I think we should focus some more on doing some things right, before we start to do more,” Benjamin Vaillancourt, a member of the public said.

Some of these comments were also tied to rumors about Police Chief Scott Kessel that the city council said were not true.

Resident Gale Burger said there are several other organizations besides the city that have done the beautification work in town.

Burger asked the city council to recognize beautification efforts from other agencies within the plan, such as the Garden Club, Chamber of Commerce and Libby Business Association.

The City of Libby has had a comprehensive plan since 1972. The city has to anticipate growth, and they drew a boundary about one mile out of the city limit that anticipates growth.

The city does not annex without services, the two go hand in hand, Council Member Kristin Smith said.

"Most of the time when we annex a property it’s because property owners have asked to be annexed," Smith said.

Failing to plan is planning to fail, Smith said.

Beth Archer, community involvement coordinator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wrote to the city saying the former asbestos mine site needs to be addressed in the plan so agencies investigating contamination would be aware of it.

“We wanted to flag that the former mine site still needs to be addressed, however it's up to you if you would like to include this since the former mine site is outside of the city,” Archer wrote.

The city council appreciated the Chamber of Commerce's written comments.

“The Chamber has reviewed the update and applauds the city’s effort in updating the 2010 Growth Policy,” the chamber wrote to the council.

The city considered the chamber’s comments – which stressed highlighting the rebranding of their efforts for the City of Libby.

The council said the city would “re-engage with the chamber of commerce for their rebranding initiatives.”

The chamber also submitted comments about combatting wildland fires, but the council was not sure if this would fall under city or county planning.

In the end, Nelson will update the city growth policy so that there is a formal resolution. It will be re-assessed by the city council on Dec. 19 at their next meeting.

The effective date of the City of Libby 2022 Growth Policy will be decided after it is passed, and the final resolution of the growth policy passed by the City Council shall become effective no less than 30 days after it has passed.