Darby School District to vote on zoning
by ANTHONY QUIRINI - Ravalli Republic
Darby School District residents will cast ballots in a straw poll election to see if they want to have zoning in southern Ravalli County.
Monday, county commissioners decided 4-1 to place the straw poll measure on the May 6 school district ballot after more than 80 people packed in the commissioners’ office during a meeting.
Commissioner Jim Rokosch was against placing the measure on the ballot.
Commissioners said they would honor the straw poll election and so if Darby district residents vote to not have any zoning in the district it will be excluded from the countywide zoning process.
The Darby Community Planning Committee will still meet but will work on formulating the ballot language and work on expanding community involvement, instead of working on the zoning process like the other six CPCs, its members said.
During Darby CPC meetings and at other public meetings in Darby, citizens have continually said that want out of the process.
CPC members and Darby residents brought those concerns to the Board of County Commissioners on Monday.
“A vast majority of the residents attending our CPC meetings have requested that Darby School District not be zoned,” Darby CPC members wrote to county commissioners. “The Darby CPC would like to request that the Darby School District be removed from the rest of the county zoning.”
Residents at the commission meeting said they wanted to be excluded from the process.
“Quite frankly, I think I have heard from the Darby community very strongly that they don’t want zoning,” Bill Grasser of the Darby CPC said.
Other county citizens said the process in Darby needs to be continued.
“Let’s look at this issue and allow all sides of the issue to be adequately expressed,” Lyle Pelon of Hamilton said. “I don’t want to see a sheriff at these meetings, but rather a warm robust community.”
Darby residents insisted that the commission vote on the issue.
“Based on our conversation last night, we would like to have a consensus from you five,” Darby CPC member Chris Cobb-Taggart said before the commission as the jam-packed room full of citizens listened.
Citizens aired concerns about the speed of the process, and what zoning would mean for mobile homeowners or homeowners who lose structures in a fire or a flood.
The majority of the commission heard the Darby residents loud and clear.
“It’s always been my intention from the beginning to see what each CPC wanted,” Commissioner Alan Thompson said.
Greg Chilcott said the zoning process is about what each community wants.
“I think with every community - whether it’s Darby, Hamilton or Florence - it’s about what every community wants,” Chilcott said. “I agree with everyone, if Darby wants out, I agree with them. I think we hear the Darby CPC loud and clear.”
Commissioners Kathleen Driscoll and Carlotta Grandstaff agreed with Thompson and Chilcott.
Commissioner Rokosch didn’t favor placing the straw poll vote.
“I guess the question we all need to ask ourselves is ‘are we listening to everyone and is everyone speaking?’” he asked the board. “I’ve just got some real reservation that we are not going to honor all of the inputs... I have got some real concerns we are going to shift horses midstream in this process.”
After some more discussion the board decided to allow the straw poll measure.
The commission decided it will help draft the language of the ballot measure.
Reporter Anthony Quirini can be reached at 363-3300 or aquirini@ravallirepublic.com
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