Mission Valley Homesites gets go-ahead from council
BERL TISKUS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year AGO
Reporter Berl Tiskus joined the Lake County Leader team in early March, and covers Ronan City Council, schools, ag and business. Berl grew up on a ranch in Wyoming and earned a degree in English education from MSU-Billings and a degree in elementary education from the University of Montana. Since moving to Polson three decades ago, she’s worked as a substitute teacher, a reporter for the Valley Journal and a secretary for Lake County Extension. Contact her at btiskus@leaderadvertiser.com or 406-883-4343. | October 19, 2023 12:00 AM
The Ronan City Council unanimously voted to approve preliminary conditional approval for Mission Valley Homesites, an 11-phase, 221-unit subdivision, planned for the southeast side of Ronan.
Mark Carstens outlined a proposal to wait until Phase 1 is completed before putting the last coat of asphalt on the streets, backing this up with a letter of credit from the developers. The council supported that plan.
Carstens also said they would add a street to break up the longest block in Phase 1.
Council member Julie Moore said the length of the block was a major concern voiced by members of the public.
Carstens said, “It seems reasonable to go through all the tiers,” meaning abbreviating the long blocks of homes in all phases of the development
The Steve and Deborah Miller development on Ag Lane was also discussed. The council approved a resolution to annex the property.
The council also considered the implementation of new impact fees for new developments. Public Works Director Dan Miller had a list of costs for water and sewer hook-up fees in nearby towns and cities.
Miller said he’d “been kicking around an impact fee of between $4,000 and $5,000.” Any extra income would be for a new well, which Ronan will need in the next five to 10 years.
A wise developer looks to the future, according to Carstens, who said Ronan has always been reasonable and sensible. He added that he didn’t see an impact fee stopping development in Ronan.
According to paperwork required for developments, an impact-fee advisory committee must decide the impact fees, and a member of the development community must be on the committee. After a little arm twisting, developer Sage Dorrington volunteered to serve on the committee, and a meeting will be organized as soon as possible.
In other unfinished business, the council heard an update from Neil Putnam, KLJ Engineering. The engineering firm has been hired to create a Main Street Master Plan and a five-year economic development plan. Attending the meeting with Ronan Chamber President Whitney Liegakos, Putnam said they’ve been doing pop-up events around Ronan, including stops at the fairgrounds, St. Luke Healthcare, Harvest Foods and the Pizza Cafe, and taking an inventory of the community.
Council members asked about the survey online. It’s on the Ronan Chamber of Commerce website, but Liegakos said she would send it to council members.
The next council meeting will be Oct. 25 at 6 p.m.
