Interjurisdictional road issues beckon joint meetings
by ANTHONY QUIRINI - Ravalli Republic
Subdivisions in Missoula County that rely on Ravalli County roads was the theme of a Ravalli County Commission discussion last week.
You could call it an interjurisdictional puzzle.
Or you could just call it a lack of communication between the two boards. Either way, Ravalli County commissioners are questioning why they should pay for roads that are primarily used by Missoula County residents who live in subdivisions just over the Ravalli County line up the Eight Mile corridor east of Florence.
Both boards were scheduled to meet in January of this year to come up with some type of inter-local agreement, but that meeting never happened. Missoula County officials asked Ravalli County officials for some type of document or agreement so both governing bodies would have something concrete to consider.
That document was never produced, so the issue remained stagnant until last week when a group of homeowners in Missoula County came to talk about participating in Ravalli County’s road improvement program. The sole access to their property and homes is via Upper Woodchuck Road, a Ravalli County road.
But Ravalli County commissioners had a hard time justifying spending county taxpayer dollars for the road improvement.
“This is still a road that accesses Missoula County,” Commissioner Carlotta Grandstaff said. “I don’t see the point in having the road department do the labor and the work when the road accesses houses in Missoula County.”
The homeowners agreed to pay for the materials for the road, and the county would do the labor.
“I know that folks from Ravalli County go up there and recreate,” Commissioner Alan Thompson said. “If we turn this down, do we also turn down Rye Creek or Kootenai Creek?”
Commissioner Greg Chilcott said both counties should share the cost.
“Really, the primary use is to access those homes,” Chilcott said. “It seems like it would be fair and right that both counties share the cost.”
Upper Woodchuck Road resident Niki Sardot said the road is dangerous and needs to be repaired.
“We basically thought this was a last ditch effort to fix the road so it’s safer,” Sardot said. “It’s pretty dangerous. We have grand kids and our children driving up this road and I am afraid someone will get killed.”
Back in January the residents asked the commission to be included in its gravel road improvement program, which prompted the joint meeting that never happened with both commissions.
“The dust is horrible,” Sardot said. “It’s overwhelming how every time we tried to improve something, the commission has done nothing to improve the road.”
Commissioner Jim Rokosch said that a meeting between both county governments is necessary.
“Well, it seems like we are past due for us to go to Missoula County,” Rokosch said. “Here we are looking at $90,000 out of your budget for this project, and we are looking at a $200,000 reduction to your budget. This is a hard one for us.”
There was no resolution to the issue. The commission decided to take on the issue again when all five members of the board are present. Another meeting has not been scheduled.
Northern Ravalli County is the fastest growing area in the county and it is where the most housing is in demand, the Ravalli County Growth Policy states.
According to Ravalli County and Missoula County subdivision regulations, developers are responsible for road upgrades on roads leading into subdivisions in accordance to county standards, or donate funds for upgrades.
However, when a subdivision is approved in Missoula County that relies on Ravalli County roads, the developer doesn’t have to improve the roads in the other county.
There has not been a meeting scheduled with both commissions.
Reporter Anthony Quirini can be reached at 363-3300 or aquirini@ravallirepublic.com
Reader's Comments >>
John Mills wrote on Sep 2, 2008 1:41 AM: