Another view: Cougar Ridge Subdivision is well-planned

This past Tuesday I witnessed a small town board in action. I have to admit that I had hoped for, and indeed expected, more logic and realism than what occurred at that meeting. After all, just because we're a small town doesn't mean we can't be reasonable and logical.

The Polson City/County Planning Board held a public hearing for comment on the proposed Cougar Ridge subdivision by developer Mike Maddy and associates. This is a proposal for an aesthetically excellent residential and commercial development on Polson's south hill area. After extensive research and compliance with all previous requests from the Planning Board, Maddy had submitted a comprehensive proposal for approval and recommendation before seeking final approval of the city.

Those making public comment fell mainly into two groups: those who oppose any change because they perceive that it will detract from what they personally want (views, animal habitat, road conditions, etc.), and those who want to block the project by introducing doubt into the volumes of data that were presented. (Concerns about road safety on Claffey Dr. and on 15th Ave. were real, but would probably be more effectively handled in a city venue that could affect the changes needed.) There were also some positive comments by a few who felt the project was well planned and a fine addition to the city.

The disappointing thing is this: After requiring three years of work on compliance and hundreds of thousands of dollars in studies and mitigations, the Board, knowing that in good conscience they couldn't deny approval, abdicated by declaring the proposal incomplete and requiring five ad infinitum new studies!

This Board, having no function other than recommendation, could not come to the logical conclusion that the subdivision proposal, albeit controversial, is reasonably supported by public information, is a definite asset to the City of Polson, and has complied with all rules and regulations placed before it.

The chairman of the Board was obviously looking for reasons to block and was predisposed to non-growth, citing any small detail ("very concerned" over lead shot that may or may not exist, in an area that can't be found, over which several regulatory agencies "laughed" at its mere mention, and that the developer had already voluntarily agreed to cap anyway).

Every concern voiced was more than adequately answered by the developer and various city superintendents.

So here's where the realism comes in: Polson will grow. It's a beautiful place to live and is attracting a diverse citizenry. When one lives in a city, one expects to have neighbors (even sometimes in one's view), and one does not expect to find bear, deer and fox in one's yard.

One also expects infrastructure (roads, water, sewer, etc.) and that the city will provide and maintain this infrastructure in exchange for tax dollars. So why not have a development that is planned, aesthetically beautiful, close to commercial services, and accessible to a range of incomes? This development is a "class act."

I applaud the dissenting voice on the Board for seeing that the concerns raised and the detailing could and should be dealt with by experts who can make the best recommendations, and for seeing the promise and possibilities that this development holds.

One only needs to be able to visualize the finished project to know how wonderfully it would benefit both the city and the county.