Subdivision prompts emotional testimony
'Do not allow this valley become another Bozeangeles'
SAPPHIRE HEIGHTS
An overflow crowd of more than 60 people filled the Ravalli County Commissioners Chambers and adjoining hallway on Wednesday night to comment on a plan to turn a ranch into a housing subdivision.
It was the second meeting of the Ravalli County Planning Board regarding the proposed 121-acre 12lot Sapphire Heights Subdivision northeast of Hamilton. Ten lots are proposed to be built on 84 acres on the north side of Hamilton Heights Road, and two lots would be built on 37 acres on the south side.
The land was formerly part of the Foley Ranch and borders other historical agricultural lands in the valley, including the 472-acre Webber Ranch which is preserved under a conservation easement. The property is located within the Corvallis School District and Corvallis Rural Fire District. The proposed lots are to be served by individual septic systems, and individual wells to provide water for domestic use as well as irrigation. In addition, the proposal states that irrigation water will be provided from an existing ditch system that traverses through the subdivision.
Nearly 20 community members gave public comment at the three-hour meeting, many of them neighboring residents and ranchers concerned about the impacts the subdivision will have on the area. Water availability and water rights topped the list of concerns, along with impacts to wildlife, increased traffic on Hamilton Heights Road and the affect additional septic systems could have on water quality.
In testimony that was emotional at times, many residents also lamented the loss of agricultural land in the valley. For Brian Webber, whose ranch borders portions of the proposed subdivision, the issue was deeply personal. Webber approached the podium to give his public comment but was unable to speak as tears rolled down his eyes. His wife Gail came to his side, joining him at the podium.
"We're very, very emotional about property," Gail said.
She went on to describe the process of putting their 472-acre property under the conservation easement. The Webber Ranch has been in the family since 1913, and the water rights date back to 1845.
Jeff Smith and Jamie Erbach of WGM Group addressed the crowd, proposing mitigations designed to address concerns voiced at the previous meeting. Mitigations include low-yield wells with flows limited to 2-3 gallons per minute.
"Based on what we've heard and have learned, we proposed limiting the withdrawal rate at the wells at Sapphire Heights somewhere around 2 to 3 gallons per minute," Smith said. We'll do that by working with Ravalli County Environmental Health and require an engineered inspection of the installed wells and pumps to verify that they're operating at 2 to 3-gallon range, the actual number based on a bit of a bit of testing."
Many in the audience questioned whether enough water currently exists in the Calf Creek Basin and the unnamed basin to the south to support additional development in the area.
"As a native Montanan, water is a precious commodity everywhere" said Jill Deppel who lives nearby the proposed subdivision. "This development will threaten agriculture and ranching, which should be the primary source of any irrigation or water use. I have personally seen the water tables drop over the last 15 years on this property and my friends are going to have to have a system replaced."
Deppel, a Gallatin County native, described the changes she has seen happen there since the '60s and implored the Ravalli County Commissioners to take action.
"The time has come for a planning plan, so that things do not get out of hand," she said. "We need something comprehensive. Please do not allow this valley become another 'Bozeangeles.'"
Jamie Erbach of WGM group addressed questions related to the subdivision's impact on wildlife.
"We have included numerous mitigation efforts for wildlife and not just in reference to elk," Erbach said. "For example, nuisances, such as discharging firearms, fireworks, garbage and rubbish all have been restricted. Given the nature of Montanans and the elk herd, I would propose that we add a restriction on bow-and-arrow use on the property as well."
Subdivision covenants currently recommend cutoff lighting to be installed, but after hearing from the public last week that this would be tough to enforce, Erbach said they would open to amending the language to say the down lighting is required rather than just recommended.
Erbach also said that they were "amenable" to changing recommended language to "required" in regard living with wildlife.
"This section includes planting vegetation that does not invite animals, collecting fallen fruit, fencing specifically for garden areas and securing garbage cans in animal resistant containers. So these would all be shall statements and again required versus recommended."
Additional modifications to "living with wildlife" section of the covenants includes requiring pet food and livestock feed to be stored indoors, barbecue grills stored indoors, and boundary fencing with a limitation of no higher than three and a half feet.
The Sapphire Heights subdivision is currently in review process. Another public meeting on the subdivision is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 17 at the Ravalli County Commissioners Chamber. However the venue may change due to the amount of public interest.
