Tronstad Road development Public Comment from Mark OdellTo whom it may concern,
The Tronstad Road development could possibly become a workable proposal and be implemented responsibly, but not at all as it currently stands. It is a disaster in the making as is. The
infrastructure necessary to support 380 homes in a 110 acre area is simply not in place, and it is not easily or quickly rectified. Roads, well access, EMS requirements, and the aesthetics
are all seriously wrong. The neighbors of that area are largely agreeable to a proposal of 2.5 acre lots with SFUs on them, but that has not been an acceptable response to the developers.
The argument that the houses to be built will be part of an affordable housing solution is specious because the law of supply and demand can't be ignored. 2.5 acre lots will be unaffordable
for most Flathead residents, but the 380 homes to be sold at a fair market value of what was stated at the planning council meeting of $450k isn't going to solve the housing problem
either because most residents can't even make that work. The reality is that those homes, whether 380 California-style on-top-of-each-other or 40+ 2.5 acre lots, will be purchased by
people with the means to do so, and that's going to be mostly people either not from here or the people here with the resources significantly above the norm. The supply of home will
not nearly be enough to drive prices down in the face of a demand many times over what's available. This will not make our children's ability to stay here in adulthood improve.
It is also frustrating to feel as though the invitation for public comment some weeks ago at the planning council meeting (as poorly as it was advertised) was a mere formality because
the decision to approve the proposal seemed a foregone conclusion. The multiple comments made for several hours against the proposal were irrelevant.
One thing I want to address from my professional vantage point: There is a small but growing body of empirical research showing a correlation of some size between mental health and environmental
stressors as manifested in traffic and residential density. This development, especially in contrast to the more open space environment that many people moving here are attracted to,
will be the creation of more urban dynamics that have been shown to increase anxiety, stress, depression, and more specific health and behavioral risks such as alcohol and drug use,
aggression, incivility, and an increased risk of violence. In my opinion, none of that is even on anyone's radar.
I plan to attend Monday's meeting and comment as it seems necessary. Thank you.
--
Mark Odell, PhD, LCPC, LMFT
GlacierHaven Counseling & Consulting, PC
P.O. Box 9864
Kalispell, MT 59904
406 755 5430