Commissioners to consider large subdivision plan south of Libby

Advertisements for land for sale in the proposed Schrieber Meadows North and South subdivisions south of Libby tout “stunning water views and an abundance of wildlife as well as a bird watcher's paradise.”

But those who may live there someday may also get to see grizzly bears up close and personal as well as watch helicopters using water from Schrieber Lake to fight nearby wildfires.

The Lincoln County Commissioners are holding a public hearing at 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, June 4, in the courthouse to share information and receive public comment about the subdivisions.

The commissioners have until July 2 to decide if they’ll approve the preliminary plat.

The two proposed subdivisions are located next to Schrieber Lake, off U.S. 2, about 23 miles south of Libby. Schrieber Lake is part of a mitigation site built by the Montana Department of Transportation from 2014 to 2015 to provide 13.4 acres of compensatory wetland mitigation credits and 36,741.85 stream mitigation credits for wetland and stream impacts associated with the U.S. 2 Swamp Creek – East project and highway impacts associated with future transportation project-related wetland and stream impacts in the Kootenai River Basin. 

The project was designed to create new wetlands, restore

degraded wetlands and provide upland buffers around all wetlands.

The north subdivision is planned for 12 lots on 89 acres while the south is looking at 15 lots encompassing a little over 158 acres.

The proposed minimum lot size in the south subdivision is 3.45 acres while the maximum lot size is 21.43 acres.

In the north subdivision, the minimum lot size is projected at 1.74 acres while the maximum could be as big as 47.57 acres.

According to the public listing by county Planning Department Director Jesse Haag, a copy of the proposal can be viewed on the department’s website at http://www.lincolncountymt.us/planning-homepage/. 

The owner of the land being considered for the subdivisions is Schrieber Lake Holdings LLC, based in Thomasville, Georgia.

The land was previously owned by J. Neils Lumber Company and Plum Creek before being bought by Southern Pine Plantations of Macon, Georgia, which then sold it to Schrieber Lake Holdings.

The developer is also seeking a variance to allow roads in the subdivision to exceed the maximum length of 2,500 feet, according to standards in the county’s subdivision road design plan. Access to the south subdivision would require 7,600 feet of roads. Access to the north subdivision would require 8,820 feet of roads.

A number of concerns were raised in the subdivision report, including that the proposed project does not appear to be in conformance with the county’s Growth Development Policy, which was updated in 2019.

Other concerns involved emergency services, future water usage, road improvement work involving existing U.S. Forest Service roads, wildfires and impacts to wildlife.

The May 18 report stated, “Affordable housing is a key issue in Lincoln County. While the addition of any housing helps with offsetting the lack of availability, the proposed project does not specifically address, or meet criteria generally associated with providing affordable housing.”

County Sheriff Darren Short, in a his letter dated Dec. 1, 2023, said his office would do everything it can to accommodate the development. But he also wrote that fees may be required for increased services because the effects of increasing development are taxing current law enforcement resources.

In terms of fire protection and emergency response, the Fisher River Valley Volunteer Fire Department would provide services. But the Fisher River Valley Fire Board must approve fire protection. It also asked the developer to install a 30,000 gallon cistern with a 500 gallon per minute submersible pump to provide water for fire suppression. The developer has agreed to the request.

Garbage hauling would be the responsibility of the owner to the county’s Green Box site 12 miles north on U.S 2 or by Evergreen Disposal.

According to the proposal, the Forest Service’s concerns with both subdivisions include human-caused wildfires spreading to public land, the risk of encroachment on to public land and the spread of noxious weeds from the development.

The Service also pointed out that it owns the primary access road which is an open system road available for public use.

The Department of Transportation is expected to submit comment before the June 4 hearing, but it is also concerned about maintaining Schrieber Creek water flows to downstream agricultural water users,

water quality effects, the disruption of wildlife movement through natural corridors and intrusion of motorized vehicles, garbage and domesticated animals.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture holds a water right, dating back to 1912, on Schrieber Creek for stock water for 11 head of cattle from June to September. The state Department of Transportation holds a water right, dating back to 1914, on a stretch of Coyote Creek within the Schrieber Wetland Mitigation for 71 acre-feet for purposes of flood irrigation from May 15 to Oct. 31.

The report also shared that about one mile downstream of the project, there are half a dozen or more water rights for flood irrigation, pumping and direct stock access. The rights date back to the 1950s. The Department of Transportation, which maintains the outlet of Schrieber Lake to ensure water delivery to the downstream users, has recently received complaints regarding decreasing water availability.

The plan indicates the developer will utilize wells and septic tanks. It also states no water can be pumped or diverted from Schrieber Lake, associated wetlands or Schrieber Creek with obtaining water rights from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

But the county planner report questions how ground water development for residential use could affect the aquifer and the agricultural water users.

In response, the developer provided a report from HydroSolutions. Four water wells were drilled, two on each subdivision. In the memo from the firm, evidence was presented that there is no direct hydraulic connection between the aquifer and Schrieber Lake. It suggests groundwater development in the subdivision would likely not impact water levels at the site or for downstream water users.

But the state Department of Transportation disputes the finding and county planners said the provided data is very basic.

The developer has said the proposed developments would not require more than 10 acre-feet of water for each subdivision through their well allotment.

In its report, the planning department concluded the impact of new water is unknown.

In response to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ concerns about wildlife disruption, a 150-foot no-disturbance vegetated buffer with 50 feet of building setback shall be imposed along Schrieber Creek

The area is used by white-tailed and mule deer, elk, moose, black and grizzly bears, mountain lions and wolves.

There have been at least two grizzlies euthanized in the general area since 2022. One was a female chicken-killer in the Silver Butte Creek drainage three years ago while a young male bear, also a chicken-killer, was put down in the West Fisher area in September 2024 after a series of conflicts.