Project Summary
Location Saint Lawrence Estates is located south of Montana Highway 200, approximately five miles east of Bonner School, within the Blackfoot River corridor. The site consists of 78.72 acres that has historically been used for agricultural purposes (alfalfa/grass hay field), pasture, outdoors opportunities, and single-family residences. Saint Lawrence Estates proposes five lots on 78.72 acres legally described as North ½ of the Northwest ¼ of Section 17, Township 13 North, Range 17 West: less that portion condemned in Book 7 Micro, Page 219.
Two houses exist on the site along with some farm sheds.
History The subject site is a small ranch/farm with the original home still standing in the center of the property fronting Montana Highway 200.
The 78.72 acres has two geocodes for tax purposes, however, there is one tract of record.
The Vision for Saint Lawrence Estates The developer/owner Kirk Mace, has retained WGM Group, Inc. (WGM) for engineering and planning services with Dustin Hover, P.E. as the representative.
The goal of Saint Lawrence Estates is to provide market rate housing that is affordable for Missoula County residents. The actual price of the dwelling units will be a function of the cost of labor and materials at the time of dwelling unit sales.
Zoning/Comprehensive Plan The site is currently unzoned. The Missoula County Growth Policy classifies the site as two dwelling units per acre, and a small portion as parks, open space, and open resource. Saint Lawrence Estates complies with both the zoning and growth policy. Each lot will have one dwelling unit. It is possible that Lot 2 will have a duplex with the sanitary drainfield that will be able to accommodate it.
Water and Sanitation Report Saint Lawrence Estates is not located near a public water supply or sewer main. Individual wells will be used for water service to each dwelling. Two wells exist on site and three new wells will be installed for Lots 2-4. Individual septic tanks and drainfields will be utilized for each dwelling. Lots 2-4 will utilize pressure dosed drainfields and the existing septic system serving Lot 1 is pressure dosed. The septic system serving Lot 5 will be properly abandoned. Water samples of the existing wells have been tested and are acceptable, and test pits have been monitored in the drainfield areas. Sanitary Lifting will be completed following with the subdivision review process for Lots 2-4. Lot 1 has an existing septic system and well and is therefore exempt from review per Montana Code Annotated. Lot 5 is exempt from review because it is greater than 20 acres in size. A draft version of the Sanitary Lifting submittal is included in Section 7 of this application.
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Primary Review Criteria Report, Summary of Probable Impacts, and Subdivision Regulation Compliance 1 and 2. Agriculture and Agricultural Water User Facilities The site is currently in agricultural use as an alfalfa/grass hay field, pasture, and residential residences. Site soils are designated as prime farmland if irrigated and not prime farmland. The prime farmland if irrigated portion runs along Montana Highway 200, west of the existing house on proposed Lot 5 and is currently irrigated for alfalfa/grass hay. Lot 5 will remain in use as a hay field at this time. Historical agricultural water use for this site is from Saint Lawrence Creek which runs through the site between Lots 3, 4, and 5. There is a diversion structure in Saint Lawrence Creek upstream from Lot 3 and ditch to several ponds located on Lot 5. Recent agricultural water use has been provided through a sprinkler pipeline supplying an irrigation sprinkler on Lot 5. All water rights for Lots 1-4 will be severed in the deed for each lot and will not transfer. All water rights will remain with Lot 5.
3. Impact on Natural Environment The use of this property has been agricultural for alfalfa/grass hay, pasture, and single-family residences. There are trees and vegetation on site which will be maintained where possible while fulfilling the defensive space requirements of the wildland urban interface. The existing cultivated hay vegetation will be preserved. No known critical plant communities exist on site. No wetlands on site per the Montana Natural Heritage Program. No critical plant communities were identified on site a visit within the Lots 1-4. A Weed Management Plan has been coordinated with the County Weed District Manager to preserve existing vegetation. There is a riparian resource on site identified as Saint Lawrence Creek. A Riparian Resource Management Plan has been prepared per Section 7.6.4 of the subdivision regulations and is included with this application.
4. Impacts on Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat Common birds and mammals utilize the site at times. The Blackfoot River corridor has several species listed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) at various levels of concern. However, due to the habitat characteristics of the site, there is a low probability any of the FWS listed species would utilize the subject property where development is proposed. There will be some displacement of wildlife with the development. The low density development proposed is not anticipated to create significant adverse impacts to wildlife nor wildlife habitat.
5. Impacts on Public Health and Safety Site access has been coordinated with Montana Department of Transportation and with this development several approaches will be consolidated increasing public health and safety. Site access and fire suppression has been coordinated with the Missoula Rural Fire Department to ensure public health and safety. The site is designated as very high risk for wildfire hazard. Mitigation includes thinning trees on Lots 1 and 2, and Class A fire rated roofing material.
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6. Impact on Local Services The traffic increase from three additional single-family lots will have no impact on Montana Highway 200 traffic volume. Bonner School district enrollment has been decreasing and could benefit from additional single-family residences.
7. Sewer System Individual septic tanks and pressure dosed drainfields are proposed for Lots 2- 4. Lot 1 has an existing septic tank and pressure dosed drainfield which was installed in the fall of 2018. Lot 5 is not proposed to be developed at this time, however, if a drainfield is installed in the future that will be permitted through the Missoula County Health Department because Lot 5 is greater than 20 acres and exempt from sanitation review.
8. Water System Individual wells will be used to provide water for each lot. Lot 1 has an existing well and Lots 2-4 have proposed well locations as indicated on the Sanitary Lot Layout. Lot 5 has an existing well that is not planned to be used at this time. Existing surrounding wells yield 30-75 gallons per minute.
9. Utilities Missoula Electric Cooperative serves the site for electric service.
10. Storm Drainage A storm drainage analysis has been prepared. The two, 10, and 100 year reoccurrence 24 hour storms were analyzed. No increase in runoff volumes is anticipated, and if anything runoff should decrease due to undeveloped land being converted to lawn space.
11. Summary of Roads Montana Highway 200 fronts the property. Coordination with Montana Department of Transportation has resulted in several changes to existing approaches to accommodate the new proposed approach for Lots 2-4. Lot 1 access will be reconfigured so the approach will connect to the existing river access to the east instead of approaching directly to Highway 200. Lot 5 existing access will be abandoned to facilitate consolidation of approaches. Lot 5 will maintain access on the west property line approach and also has the option to access from the Lots 2-4 proposed approach by way of an access easement and culvert or bridge to cross Saint Lawrence Creek. Lot 5 also has additional access from the same river access Lot 1 approach is proposed to be connected to. This access for Lot 5 extends to additional parcels above on the mountainside outside the subdivision boundary but under the same ownership.
12. Non-motorized Facilities There is no non-motorized facilities to connect to within a reasonable distance.
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