Last Wednesday’s meeting of the Ronan Planning Board focused on Mission Valley Homesites' proposed 221-lot subdivision. In addition to the planning board and representatives of the developer, several community members were present.

Dan Miller, Ronan’s director of Public Works, presented basic information on the subdivision, and noted that the preliminary plat application and supplemental materials appear to conform to the Montana subdivision planning act.

“That’s state law,” he said.

No variances were requested on the proposal, and all standards of the Ronan City subdivision regulations appear to have been met in the preliminary plat application.

The property is currently unzoned, but B residential is proposed, which allows for multi-family units.

“To do a fourplex, you’d have to have two lots,” Miller explained. “It does allow for modular homes – truly modular, not manufactured homes.”

Miller continued with requirements for the subdivision, which are available in the City of Ronan’s Growth Policy.

Then he asked the group for any questions or comments they might have, beginning with the Planning Board.

Board members had questions regarding the Flathead Indian Irrigation Project, noting that their information said the subdivision would be removed from the project. They also asked about the irrigation fee of approximately $75 per household.

“We certainly will make an effort to have the irrigation district take the irrigation project fee out of there,” surveyor Mark Carstens told the board.

He noted that DNB Developers has retained engineers for this project, who would be dealing with the Flathead Irrigation Project going forward.

Impacts on growth

Ronan resident Amy Simpson asked if the development would impact the city’s growth plan.

“I don’t think the growth policy will set how many houses we need in Ronan,” Miller replied. “I think the market will.”

He noted there are very few lots available within the city limits, and this development will not stop other subdivisions from evolving. He mentioned a small 10-lot subdivision that’s in its very early stages.

“Truly, what is it that gets approved or needs to be approved?” asked Simpson, “and how much does my opinion, so to speak, influence that process?”

Miller replied that the Ronan Planning Board is an advisory board. “Tonight they give a recommendation to approve or deny this subdivision.”

Next week, on Oct. 18, the subdivision will appear on the city council agenda. “This is not new to the council,” said Miller. “They’ve been looking at it for nine months. They’ve taken a good hard look at it.”

Ronan resident Dean Vey mentioned that he came to the last meeting and was amazed at the number of proposed lots.

“I don’t know where all those people are going to come from,” Vey said.

Miller said he had attended a meeting with representatives from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Lake County and Sanders County last year regarding housing. That meeting “showed a housing unit deficit in our area of about 2,000 houses,” Miller said.

Ronan City Council member Julie Moore noted that the city council had to change their ordinance after hiring a new police chief. The old ordinance said the police chief needed to reside in the city of Ronan, but the new chief couldn’t find a place to live in the city limits.

According to Miller, Ronan schools are having trouble finding places for new teachers to live and so is St Luke Healthcare.

Planning board chair Jackie Smart noted that a couple of men are bicycling out to Rocky Mountain Twist from the Bunkhouse of Ronan, and one man is living there while his family lives somewhere else.

Green space and traffic

Green space was also mentioned, with Vey saying he’d like to see a shelter and a couple of picnic tables to accommodate young families with children.

He added that he personally would contribute to a fundraiser to add a play structure in the subdivision.

“One thing I really love is the design of the alleys – they’ll be closed off to traffic,” Miller said.

Since the lots are big enough, Moore said there will be yards.

Sage Dorrington, the developer of The Peaks and Mission Peaks Estates, which are north of where the proposed development will be located, asked about the traffic impact on 4th Ave. S.E. – the street that runs north and south, four blocks east of Hwy. 93.

The development plan, according to Miller, is to install Ingersoll Street as part of phase one to ferry subdivision residents to and from Hwy. 93.

Another attendee asked if a traffic light or roundabout was planned. “It’s going to be a nightmare with 225 people exiting a subdivision at the same time,” he said.

“By the time there are 225 people (in the subdivision), things will be a lot different,” Miller predicted.

Although the current plan to expand Hwy. 93 through Ronan doesn’t include the new subdivision, it will be on the highway designers’ radar when they pick up the plan again, Miller said. The city will push for additional stop lights – one by the Boys and Girls Club and another at Timberlane Road.

Will tax revenues improve?

Dorrington had comments and more questions about the proposed development, which he prefaced by saying, “I’m all for the project in general.”

He expressed concerns about roads and schools – “everything kind of needs work on it now” – and wondered if the expansion in tax revenue from the new development would enhance the city’s revenues much.

“Is it going to be enough to help Ronan keep the roads up and keep them plowed, and keep the schools going? Has there been any research on taxation?” he asked. “I mean, we live here, we want it to improve, not get worse.”

“I don’t see how this is going to make things get worse.” Miller replied.

Dorrington also asked if the new subdivision would have to adhere to the same standards he had to meet with his development when it came to street length, alignment with existing roadways and block size.

“These street lengths are within the Ronan City Planning and Zoning Guide,” Carstens said.

“Well, we realize that,” Dorrington agreed. “But we were made to do one thing, now they are not being made to do it.”

Miller acknowledged that the city’s very small planning department isn’t perfect. “Part of wearing all those hats is that we don’t always get it right,” he said.

“We’re not asking for perfect, but we are questioning is there a standard practice here for all developments?” asked Carlene Vey.

She also asked who was responsible for building a sewer lift station for the development.

The developer pays, according to Miller, and then donates the lift station back to the city. They also pay for the new streets and the water lines.

Carlene Vey also urged the council to reconsider the maximum number of houses proposed for each row (up to 14) and the block lengths in the new subdivision.

The Ronan Planning Board unanimously gave preliminary conditional approval to the subdivision, which now advances to the next meeting of the Ronan City Council on Oct. 11 for its consideration.