Citizens filled the City of Polson Commission Chambers on Monday, Oct. 5, to express their opposition to the proposed 90-lot single-family subdivision off Skyview Lane. 

Monday night events kicked off with a public hearing where Community Development Director Rob Edington presented the item to the commission. The 56-acre development is owned by Tracy Yost and Park Schara. According to Edington, the development is the remainder of the Loves Mission View subdivision and is planned in three phases. 

Phase one, which includes 41 lots, is planned for completion at the end of 2027; phase two, with 34 lots, is planned to take approximately five years; and the final phase, with 15 lots, is aimed to be completed in 2033. 

This proposal was also submitted for expedited review under Montana law, which requires the commission to approve it unless public comment or other information shows that the application fails to comply with zoning or adopted ordinances. 

The expedited application also exempts it from an environmental assessment and a primary impact review, which includes impacts on agriculture, local services, public health and safety, wildlife and the natural environment. 

Edington added that when a subdivision is expected to generate 300 or more trips, the subdivider must submit a preliminary plat traffic impact study. He said the study is part of the applicant's documentation. The study estimates 849 trips per day after full development and recommends installing traffic warning signs. 

The subdivision also includes a 3.9-acre public park that the landowners' association would maintain. 

To stay on schedule, the commission allowed no public comment on the agenda item during the public hearing, but project manager Joel Nelson spoke about the development. Nelson explained that this subdivision is 20 years in the making, having received preliminary approval in 2007. It received multiple extensions, but the final one expired in 2017. 

Nelson added that expedited subdivisions are somewhat unique because legislation has created these laws to ease the burdens of typical subdivision review. While Nelson explained that this development is not claiming to be an affordable housing project, the expedited process does reduce the upfront costs of a typical development. 

“Subdivisions like this provide an opportunity for use to use review and development tools specifically authorized by the law, and of course, the City of Polson,” Nelson said. “There are several practical benefits both for the applicant, the city and the community. It's a more efficient review process. It reduces unnecessary time and expense.” 

He added that they are ensuring the project complies with all the city’s long-term planning, zoning, subdivision, and public safety requirements. The project will also extend city water and sewer service and has proposed that the city take over street maintenance once the project is constructed. 

The project aims to complete Skyline Lane, which will allow traffic through the adjacent and proposed subdivision. The city will also have jurisdiction over implementing traffic control signs. 

Commissioner Lisa Rehard asked whether the current city sewer can accommodate the increased usage. Edington said the city is completing its preliminary engineering report and may update any pinch points or restrictions once the report is complete. 

Currently, the city is willing to sever the subdivision, and it will determine and clarify adequate capacity during the engineering portion of the review. Edington said they estimate the engineering report will be completed by the end of the year. 

Moving on to the regular commission meeting, resident Dale Engstrom, who lives near the development, noted that the original development was intended to be low-density and believes the current sewer pump station serving the area lacks the capacity to handle this development. He, along with many other residents, also voiced concerns about increased traffic and water capacity. 

Resident Burt Price added that the traffic “is just crazy.” He sometimes has to wait five to 10 minutes just to leave Mission View Drive. 

“There’s got to be some other outlets in order to control and mitigate traffic to some degree,” he said. “I would think that’s got to be a priority.” 

Dale Barrett, a nearby resident, also raised concerns about water pressure and explained that one house he built in the area required a water pressure tank. He said that if more houses are built, water pressure will be a major problem. 

Another resident, Missy Lake, also said that heavy traffic prevents her and her husband from using their driveway. She explained that this has forced them to use a wraparound road to get a safe, clear view to pull out of their subdivision. 

During the commission discussion, Commissioner Carolyn Pardini noted that expedited review is part of state legislation and that the city had to change its subdivision development laws to comply with state law. City Attorney Dave Michie confirmed that this is a relatively new feature of Montana state law. 

“As a commission, we can listen to a lot of public comment concerns, but we have very little power to deny, at least the beginning approval of this subdivision because the state legislature has passed this expedited review,” Pardini said. 

Pardini also asked what the next steps are if there isn’t enough water, sewer capacity is insufficient, or traffic becomes a major issue. In response, Edington explained that prior to final plat, this application will demonstrate that “they’ve dotted all the i's and crossed all the t’s, demonstrating that they’ve addressed traffic, constructed the roads, various infrastructure, water, sewer, etc."

Commissioner Jen Ruggless moved to approve this preliminary plat, and Commissioner Lori Schrader-Young seconded. 

During the commission discussion, Rehard asked for clarification on whether this application includes installing sidewalks or extending the current walkway. Pardini added that she believes the current subdivision has paved pedestrian paths, but that is very different from a curb and sidewalk. 

She said a curb can divert a speeding car and channel stormwater. Pardini added that she feels nervous about pedestrian pathways because it’s not what she wants in Polson. 

Mayor Laura Dever clarified that the Polson municipal code sets safe development boundaries around pedestrian paths. Edington added that the development code requires a pedestrian pathway. However, Pardini said a pedestrian pathway still doesn’t address stormwater runoff, which is a big concern for her. 

Resident Arlene Atkins also raised concerns about the pedestrian pathways and explained that it is difficult for people to cross the street carefully to access the pathway. 

“I mean, we see enough in the middle of the night … the sirens and people crash. We don’t want to see somebody die,” Atkins said. 

In response, Nelson, the project manager, said he agreed that people would have to cross the street to access the sidewalk. As Atkins expressed it wasn’t safe, Nelson said, “I had to cross the street to get into this building today.”

Regarding Nelson’s last comment, Pardini said she was going to vote for this item, but she decided to vote against it because she doesn’t believe Nelson has “our safety in mind.” 

In further discussion, Dever explained that the city operates under state laws, and they can’t simply refuse to approve the application because they don’t want 90 homes. They have to legally operate under state law, she said. 

While Commissioners Jake Holley and Tracie McDonald were absent, the commission approved the preliminary plat 4-1. Pardini voted against it, and both Rehard and Dever said they voted for it only because they felt legally obligated.