By Michael Howell
At its last council meeting Hamilton City Council members pondered the scoping meeting that was previously held as a first step in updating the city’s Growth Policy. Council president Jenny West called it “a tough meeting.” The dominant issue raised by the public concerned the possibility of extra territorial zoning by the city in the ‘donut’ area outside the city limits that some people have suggested to address the potential of strip development along the highway south of town.
“I feel like there was a lack of education among some people in that room,” West said. “just a lot of hard feelings between the county and city. I wish there was just some way for them to see that we are just planning for growth.” She thought maybe a meeting between the county and the city should be held for discussion of the matter.
“It won’t make any difference,” said Mayor Jerry Steele. He said the county commissioners got “crucified” by the public when they considered zoning in the county, and that the city council would be crucified too if they considered any zoning beyond the city limits. He said 99% of them are “so ill-informed it’s pathetic and you won’t get anywhere because they won’t listen.” He said the protestors are simply coming from the gut and saying this is the way things have always been and it’s the way it will be.
“It’s unfortunate, but I don’t know how you deal with that,” said Steele. “Zoning is a death sentence, as it were. You mention it outside the city limits and you have the militia lined up against you.” He said the repeal of the county’s Growth Policy set the county back 100 years.
“It’s unfortunate because zoning could help everybody, but it’s not going to happen in the county at this time,” said Steele.
West said she just hated the hard feelings.
“It’s not the county versus the city,” said Steele, “so much as the Z word.”
Councilor Al Mitchell agreed that there appears to be no interest in zoning on the part of the county commissioners. He said things might change a few generations down the road.
Councilor Ken Bell said that having a particular issue in which everybody thinks something should be done could make a difference.
Steele suggested that annexation was the only way zoning could be extended in the face of this kind of “typical mob reaction.”
“Don’t say mob,” cautioned Mitchell.
“That’s right, you got into some trouble recently…” said Steele
“Yes, there’s a lynch tree out there with my name on it now,” said Mitchell.
But the City has to have a Growth Policy,” said West.
“We can plan out there, but we can’t zone,” chimed in Steele and Bell at once.
“But we aren’t going out there and telling people what to do,” said West. “We are just trying to plan.”
Steele said, “But their minds are made up and they are not going to listen.”
Bell added, “It’s like trying to talk to kids. When you are confronted with trying to talk to that much concentrated ignorance, you are just not going to get anywhere. They are just not hearing what you are saying.”
“It’s just depressing,” said West.
Bell said, “It is depressing. That was a real depressing meeting, that there could be so much ignorance in one room.”
Steele said, “No one’s going to change this situation overnight.”
In other business the Council approved increasing the contract with WGM for improvements on Ravalli Street to include $18,050 for a concept design for improvements on 9th Street as an extension of the Ravalli Street project. The improvements planned on 9th Street will include curb, gutter and sidewalk improvements. The total cost of the 9th Street project can’t be determined until the concept design is completed.
The Council also approved some construction and maintenance projects by Montana Rail Link on the lines in town.