Missoulians Say They’ll Pay Plenty for Open Space

By Dana Green, 5-18-06

In the first public dialogue on a proposed $10 million open space bond, Missoula made its feelings known – open space was well worth paying for.

The tentative county bond measure will go through a round of public hearings this summer, before it is likely to be placed on the November general ballot.

The vast majority crowded elbow to elbow into Missoula’s tiny courthouse meeting room Wednesday evening voiced strong support for the bond.

“I’d be glad to not go to dinner one night to leave a lasting legacy for my kids,” Chuck Tribe told assembled officials, adding that he would support upping the bond amount to $15 or $20 million.

The proposed bond is a county measure – the city of Missoula, which already passed an open space bond in 1995, would receive half the funds, while the county would get the other half.

A handful of business owners told officials that open space was a good investment in Missoula’s economy.

“Our employees come here for open space,” said Ken Wall, owner of a small high-tech firm. “They don’t want to work in Atlanta. It’s important for businesses.”

UM economist Steve Seninger argued open space played a critical role in the local economy – by encouraging tourism and in-migration.

And a developer added that open space was a win-win for real estate development and the city – by raising property values and local taxes.

“A $100,000 lot becomes a $150,000 lot next to open space,” he said. “That’s a huge benefit to Missoula.”

Although they were largely preaching to the choir, county planning officials laid out the case for a bond measure – pointing out that the very best land in Missoula County would be quickly gobbled up by developers if it wasn’t protected.

Lake views. Riverfront. Wildlife. Recreational opportunities. Beautiful farmland.

That’s what the public wants to enjoy in and around Missoula – but it’s also prime targets for developers, too, they said.

“We’re seeing development in all the good places,” Missoula County planner Patrick O’Herren told the crowd, pointing to a chart showing double-digit growth in Potomac, Evaro, Seeley Lake, and even the remote Swan Valley.

Many speakers focused on the fact that county officials had very few tools to control growth – but securing open space was one of those tools.

“The county desperately needs a crack at saving those special places,” said Karen Knudsen, chair of the Missoula Open Space Advisory Committee.

There were some who questioned whether $10 million left enough to maintain future open space – arguing that the city of Missoula had left only a meager budget to maintain and manage its own parks and public space.

And City Council member Jerry Ballas was a lone voice against the bond – or at least the city’s part in it – saying Missoula taxpayers were already paying off open space, fire, and aquatic bonds.

“The city has already stepped up,” Ballas said. “Police and fire protection is a higher priority.”

But most folks said the money wasn’t the important thing. It was preserving the very qualities – access, wildlife, views, and farmland – that still made Missoula one of the last best places to live.

“There are very few places in America where people can hike from their home and see grizzly bears,” said one resident. “People move to this ecosystem because it sustains our souls and our way of life.”

But even if the bond does pass, the city and county will have to set priorities for how to spend the money.

Missoula’s City Open Space Advisory Council and Missoula County Open Space Working Group are currently drafting plans to guide purchasing of open space – and those plans are set to be released in June.



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