“It's the first time I've seen this,” said WGM Group's Nick Kaufman, who worked on the plans to build 14 houses near the corner of Seventh and Tower streets.
Kaufman said it's seldom that council members refuse to annex a property when the contract sewer committee recommends a development and council members themselves adopt a resolution of intent to annex. But that's what happened Monday night at the council's regular meeting.
“I've been digesting this a little bit as the day has gone on,” said Mayor John Engen. “I think what happened last night is that the council members heard a lot of folks talk about values that are important to them and struggled to reconcile those values with this project and their own values.”
The decision cheered neighbors, who said four homes per acre would be too dense for their rural neighborhood. But it doesn't mean Orchard Homes is finished growing or that developers with annexation requests in the works have a clear mandate for the kind of developments acceptable to the city in that area.
On Monday and Tuesday, interpretations of the council's unusual decision varied. But the decision didn't discourage the landowner at all.
“Tonight (Monday), for the first time, we think we were listened to,” said Laura Howe, president of the Orchard Homes Community Association, which opposed the project as it was proposed.
“I guess from my standpoint, (the arguments) finally convinced enough council people that all the annexation they're doing isn't necessarily the best answer in every situation,” said Ward 4 Councilman Jerry Ballas, who has opposed the way the city annexes land, taking in islands of city parcels within a sea of county land. Montana law does not allow cities to do wholesale annexations.
Ward 1 Councilman Dave Strohmaier said the decision indicates that council members do not rubber stamp projects. In this particular case, Strohmaier said he was not convinced that the zoning was appropriate for that land or the area.
“Just because they're proposed does not mean they'll automatically be approved,” Strohmaier said.
But Kaufman said 30 years of planning and expensive capital improvements in the Orchard Homes and Target Range areas point to growth for the area. And Engen said while four homes per acre is a density, it is not in fact, dense. So Kaufman expected council members to approve the proposal.
“How could you expect anything but for the approval of these kinds of densities in the sewer service area?” Kaufman said Tuesday.
Here's how, Engen said: “The elegance and ugliness of our system is that it can be unpredictable. And folks can make decisions based on the information they have at the moment.”
Ward 1 Councilwoman Heidi Kendall said unlike with subdivisions, where council members must consider findings of fact, annexation requests can simply be voted down. And voting yes is not fun when a room full of people will be unhappy.
But Kendall said she believes the City Council must take the long view and make decisions that build a city. That means higher densities, homes connected to sewer lines, and things like sidewalks.
“If we can't make the leap to look at subdivisions that way, we're doing a huge disservice to the people who come after us,” Kendall said.
Kim Chambers and her husband, Leon Chambers, own the land. Kim Chambers said Tuesday that while she was disappointed that she and the neighbors did not see eye to eye, she was happy to hear their points of view.
Chambers said she doesn't want to take away those residents' large yards, but she does want to serve the people who for many reasons no longer want to maintain big yards. And she wants to build something she and her family can be proud of, too.
“I'm just trying to give 14 other families a house and a piece of Montana, like I had,” Chambers said.
It's too early to tell what the next plan will be for that parcel, but Chambers said she is open to visiting more with interested parties. She respects the community members' input and also knows that the city needs to accommodate more people.
“I think that they have some very powerful messages or powerful emotions that need respecting. At the same time, I think they need to be realistic,” Chambers said.
“Old Man Higgins” never expected the city to stay at Higgins and Front, she said.
Reporter Keila Szpaller can be reached at 523-5262 or at Keila.Szpaller@missoulian.com.
|
 |
 |
Add your comment now! Write your comment in the form below.
(Email address is for verification only. If you'd like to email a story, look for the link above)