by Kristin Kruse
It was a full house at the Grange Hall in Hamilton on Monday, Feb. 19 as the owners of the Bitter Root Stock Farm hosted a meeting to present their development plans to the public. Concerned and curious residents listened as Peter VanTuyn addressed the crowd.
The Stock Farm was created in 1886 by copper magnate Marcus Daly, and is currently under the management of VanTuyn and his wife IIona Bessenyey, who is a fifth generation owner of the Stock Farm along with her sister Christina, who was also in attendance. VanTuyn stated at the beginning of his presentation that there have been many changes to the property over the decades, and all change comes with great thought, including this particular proposal.
The proposed 26 acre development, D Lazy S Meadows, would be located northwest of the intersection of Fairgrounds Road and East Side Highway and would address several issues the community currently faces, said Vantuyn, the first being the lack of housing in the area which is putting a strain on the community and was deemed “critical” according to the county. VanTuyn stated that development is the highest and best use for the land, and if they were to sell the property, they would lose control of how it is developed.
“We want control over the development,” said VanTuyn. “We want to address the acute need to substantially diversify housing options in Hamilton and do it in a functional neighborhood way. We want it to be designed and built with the most modern tools available to respect the land.”
The Stock Farm owners are working with IMEG Corp for engineering, design and surveying, Opticos Design Inc. for planning and architecture, and Biomimicry 3.8 for engineering and environmental design, along with other experts.
D Lazy S Meadows is a development plan that is based on “Old Hamilton,” according to VanTuyn. The proposal includes 212 housing units, along with ample open space, live-work units, and green infrastructure. The open space areas, trails and green spaces would be owned and maintained by a homeowner’s association, and the alleys and roadways would be owned and maintained by the City of Hamilton. There would be a variety of housing types, including studio units. There would also be a mix of rental and ‘for sale’ units, intended to offer a variety of prices and provide much needed workforce housing. The Stock Farm has given the the city an easement on their property for an unrelated project, and a sewer line is currently going in, although approval for D Lazy S Meadows would come later after the proposal goes through the City’s review process and a traffic impact study is completed. The Hamilton City Council would make the final decision.
An unusual aspect of the proposal is the use of Biomimicry 3.8 consultants, whose focus is on how this project will impact the environment, and minimizing the effects as much as possible. They look at air quality, biodiversity, climate, soil, water quality and water quantity, among other things. All of these factors are evaluated and rated. They have rated the proposed site as 74% undeveloped. The proposed design has a rating of 56%, which is substantially higher than the average Montana development, which carries a rating of just 18%.
After the presentation concluded the floor was opened up for questions from the community. The biggest concern was in regard to traffic, which will be addressed by the traffic impact study, according to VanTuyn. There was also quite a bit of excitement and support for the plan.
VanTuyn encouraged the public to visit their website which outlines all of the details of the project along with the decision making process. For full details of the D Lazy S Meadows development proposal, go to d-lazy-s.com. A video recording of the meeting is available on the Stock Farm’s facebook page.
Hobo Hilton says
As you sleep tonight, there is an airplane flying a grid at 7000 feet while mapping every square inch of your county. The developers are not thinking in square miles or even square feet, they plan on something in every square inch. Every natural spring is highlighted with plans to consume the water onsite and never allow a drop to get into a nearby stream. No one should be surprised since this has been going on since a 1928 act of the state Legislature to establish Metropolitan through the Metropolitan Water District Act, known as the MWD Act, or simply the Act. It created Metropolitan as a special district to build the Colorado River Aqueduct. 100 years ago the value of water became evident in the West. The young people will witness a transformation from cattle ranches to a metropolitan community. If you build it, they will come.
Debi Hansen says
These housing units.should be.affordable to our citizens that are struggling to make ends meet in the service industry. Maybe have a section for those residents of 5 years or more and working in the valley. If these units are priced high and purchased by those relocating to the valley or wanting summer residence only, I oppose this subdivision.
Coral Maxwell says
Being a 4th generation Bitterrooter and having a 6th generation succeeding me, I don’t like seeing what has become of the Bitterroot. Yet I also realize as the request for better paying jobs is answered the need for housing is a must. We have seen the better jobs through Bitterroot Health, Rocky Mountain Lab and GSK to name a few. The increase in the workforce of these companies, the demand for services in the food service sector and day to day living has put a crunch on the housing situation. Included in the housing issue is the purchases of summer homes and homes becoming VRBOs. There is a great need for median income housing. This development has been well thought out and will bring about needed housing. Hamilton is growing and with that growth comes needs. The open spaces people desire come in the form of lands protected by conservation easements which protect not only the surrounding neighbors view but the habitat of wildlife. Their parcel up for review may have the neighbors desire for the open space but it really is not a good wildlife habitat area.
As one Bitterrooter to another fellow Bitterrooter ( Bessenyey’s/Daly’s) I support your vision of growth.
Janet Beckman says
Traffic is but one part of the problem, water is the most critical those of you who have lived here must see how we are already in short supply. What is wrong with this 5th generation is they see $$
And expect everyone else to sit and be quiet.