Growth and planning

Missoula County Commissioners Uphold Zoning Regs in Pattee Canyon

By Stefanie Kilts, 2-14-07

At their weekly meeting Wednesday, Missoula County Commissioners upheld zoning regulations for Missoula’s Pattee Canyon area, voting down a citizen-initiated density increase variance.

Greg Martinsen, who requested the variance, asked for a density increase so he could subdivide his 98.8 acres of land into 20 lots.

The current zoning regulations for Pattee Canyon allow for one dwelling per five acres. The Office of Planning and Grants suggested denying the request and allowing only 19 lots on the property.

Martinsen said he had originally owned 125 acres and had planned on subdividing the property into 25 lots since the 1970s. However, he made a mistake when he sold more acreage than originally planned and was short just 1.2 acres to meet the zoning requirements.

Alex Clemnow, a landowner who lives by Martinsen’s property, said the issue of approving either 19 or 20 lots “…doesn’t seem like that big of a deal” but that letting this variance pass would have opened the door for others. “Give consideration for people in the future,” he added.

Dub Jones, another neighboring landowner speaking against the variance, said, “If we let this go we have set a precedent and then we’ll be back here about the issue again. I’m afraid of losing what we have up there.”

County Commissioner Bill Carey, who opposed the variance, said, “Zoning is about all we got that has any teeth to it” and that the county should uphold zoning regulations for future cases.

The County Commissioners also voted to approve the Ponda Rosa Subdivision for 52 lots on 286 acres west of Missoula on Wednesday.

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