By Jim Rokosch, President, Bitterrooters for Planning; Carlotta Grandstaff, Communications Director; Board of Directors: Kelsey Milner, Doug Soehren, Sarah Roubik, Kathie Roubik, Marilyn Saunders, Bill Nelson, Russ Lawrence, Skip Kowalski, Bill LaCroix, Stewart Brandborg, Larry Campbell
Bitterrooters for Planning is a 501-c-3 qualified, Montana non-profit, dedicated to advocating for comprehensive land-use policies, a county-wide Growth Policy, and reasonable zoning in Ravalli County.
In view of that purpose, BfP wishes to congratulate the Ravalli County Economic Development Authority, and the Board of County Commissioners, for implicitly recognizing the value of planning and zoning by proposing this Targeted Economic Development District (TEDD).
Creation of this TEDD will require a comprehensive development plan, and appropriate zoning. Planning and zoning are two things that Ravalli County sorely needs.
This specific proposal benefits from the recently-passed HB 289, which eliminated the requirement that a TEDD be zoned in accordance with a Growth Policy in counties that lack one, and instead must be zoned in accordance with the development patterns and zoning regulations within that district.
While we appreciate this nod toward a degree of planning and zoning, our mission statement points toward a higher value: Comprehensive planning.
This proposal, as good as it is, highlights why prior to passage of HB 289, TEDDs were only to be considered in the context of a comprehensive Growth Policy—and why that’s still a superior approach.
The tortuous boundaries of the proposed district include several distinct and isolated parcels, including land that is currently unproductive; land currently in agricultural production; and an active airport. This introduces many questions – foremost among them, how can one discern a “pattern of development” in such dissimilar parcels?
The “Statement of Infrastructure Deficiency” accompanying the “Resolution Declaring an Infrastructure Deficient Area” states that “Ravalli County seeks to develop a well-defined plan for economic growth and to provide predictability for business expansion by providing appropriate space for industrial businesses, technology businesses, value-added commodity businesses education, and housing that is readily available at a realistic cost for the workforce when considering the average wages in the area.”
Bitterrooters for Planning believes that the “well-defined plan for economic growth” should come first, before designating a specific district for inclusion within it. That designation should come only after a thorough, comparative study to ensure that the proposed district comprises the best location for technology and value-added businesses – noting also that technology-focused businesses may have entirely different geographical and infrastructure needs than light manufacturing or other, traditional value-added businesses.
Further, in a county that could reasonably be deemed “infrastructure-deficient” in its entirety, why start here? In the absence of a well-defined, comprehensive plan for economic growth, Ravalli County may well be overlooking a potentially more-advantageous site for Tax Increment Finance (TIF)-style financing. The proposal fails to make that case.
Without a Comprehensive Growth Policy in place, this well-intentioned proposal becomes a case of “Ready – Fire! – Aim.”
It is Bitterrooters for Planning’s opinion that HB 289, in an attempt to provide a reasonable avenue for creation of a TEDD in Ravalli County, ironically makes the case for creation of a Comprehensive Plan instead. In the absence of such a document, this represents nothing more than “spot zoning” by another name – a practice that is prohibited in Montana.
Other questions remain to be answered as well, presumably following adoption of the Resolution of Infrastructure Deficiency. Foremost among these is the issue of financing – if bonds, loans, or other instruments are to be used to provide the needed infrastructure, how are general fund taxpayers protected from becoming responsible if the tax-increment revenues are insufficient?
Also, what opportunities will there be for meaningful public participation in the creation of the required Area Development Plan? Ravalli County has a well-documented history of deficiencies in meeting reasonable standards for public participation.
In view of all the above considerations, and of this organization’s chartered purpose, Bitterrooters for Planning must regretfully oppose the Resolution Declaring an Infrastructure Deficient Area, and any further work on the TEDD in the absence of a county-wide Comprehensive Growth Policy.