02/29/00 Hedges to Board of Land Comm/Concern Regarding ProposalsALTERNATIVE ENERGY RESOURCES ORGANIZATION ® CITIZENS FOR A BETTER
FLATHEAD ® CLARK FORK COALITION ® FLATHEAD RESOURCE
ORGANIZATION ® GEORGE OCHENSKI ® GREATER YELLOWSTONE
COALITION ® MONTANA AUDUBON ® MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL
INFORMATION CENTER ® MONTANA WILDLIFE FEDERATION
NORTHERN PLAINS RESOURCE COUNCIL ® PLAN HELENA
February 29, 2000
State Board of Land Commissioners
1625 llth Avenue
P.O. Box 201601
Helena, MT 59620-1601
Dear Commission Members:
We are writing to express our concern regarding recent ongoing proposals to,
develop state lands adjacent to urban areas. We request to be placed on the
agenda for your next meeting. We would like to share research regarding how
other states are addressing this issue. In addition, we would like to request the
Board of Land Commissioners place a moratorium on the development of
state lands near urban areas until the Board adopts a plan for how the state
will proceed with these types of projects in the future.
At your September 1999 meeting Citizens for a Better Flathead and the
Montana Environmental Information Center raised issues specific to a
proposed project on the outskirts of Kalispell and the precedent this could set
for other projects around the state. We remain concerned because we believe
that the decision to move forward with this development by drafting a local
memorandum of understanding is sure to be problematic absent a policy
framework established by the state in the form of a.formal plan. And the
more recent decision to move forward with developing a parcel of state land
near Bozeman is also being done without clear statewide guidance.
The unprecedented growth in many Montana communities in recent years
has stressed local government's ability to adequately address infrastructure,
traffic, economic and environmental needs. Local governments are under
pressure to plan for growth to protect their economic resources and
community values. Last years passage of Senate Bill 97 indicated that even
the legislature is concerned with how our rapidly growing communities are
developing. We believe the state should show an equal interest in managing
growth on its lands.
Many communities around this state have spent countless dollars and time
creating and reviewing growth management plans, zoning, and subdivision
proposals. The state should have in place a plan that provides for
complimenting local decision -making and addressing the community's
concerns. Currently the public has no guarantee that the State will listen to,
let alone abide by, community wishes.
Our concern stems from the exemptions from local review that are statutorily
provided states lands. The Department of Natural Resources and
Conservation (DNRC) indicated at the Board of Land Commissioner's
September meeting that although the issue of developing state lands near
urban areas was a new issue for the board, additional proposals are likely in
the future. Although DNRC admits that it will continue developing urban
fringe state lands, it has no plan to ensure that these developments will
receive adequate public scrutiny.
Some states already have addressed the public's concerns regarding state land8
and sprawl. For example, the State of Washington developed a. detailed plan
in 1988 that gave the public some assurances about how development would
occur on these parcels. The State of Montana needs to create a similar plan
before it proceeds to develop these parcels on an ad hoc basis.
We strongly believe the State should take a step back before it proceeds any
further with any proposals to develop state lands near rapidly expanding
urba.. centers. A moratorium should be placed on any current or future
development projects until the State has a chance to adopt a plan for
addressing any type of development of state lands near urban -yeas.
This issue provides the Land Board the opportunity to proviae input into the
issue of growth in our state. The time has come in this state for more
thoughtful discussions about how we intend to grow. School trust land
development needs to be part of this equation.
We look forward to discussing these important issues with you at your next
meeting. If you have any questions please contact Anne Hedges at MEIC (443-
2520). Thank vou.
Sincerely,
1"e��
n
Anne Hedges
Montana Environmental Information Center
Signing for:
Mavre Flowers
Citizens for a Better Flathead
Marga Lincoln
Alternative Energy Resources Organization
Tracy Stone -Manning .
Clark Fork Coalition
Tom Smith
Flathead Resource Organization
George Ochenski
Dennis Glick
Greater Yellowstone Coalition
Janet Ellis
Montana Audubon
Craig Sharpe
Montana Wildlife Federation
Derek Kampfe
Northern Plains Resource Council
Steve Hendricks
Plan Helena