Symposium addresses development

The Daily Inter Lake

How should Montana respond to closed communities, restricted access and recreational developments?

These questions about real-estate development in Montana and the role of state and local governments will be addressed Oct. 7 at a Whitefish symposium, "The New Realities of Development in Montana."

The symposium is the annual fall business roundtable sponsored by the Burton K. Wheeler Center at Montana State University.

The session runs from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish

Symposium presentations will focus on the realities of development from the local, state and national perspectives.

John Shepherd of the Sonoran Institute in Tucson, Ariz., and Steve Thompson of the National Parks Conservation Association will talk about policy.

Joe Unterreiner of the Kalispell Area Chamber of Commerce will moderate a panel about real estate and recreation in the Flathead that will include Dan Averill of Trails West Eagle Bend Realty in Bigfork.

Developers Pat Donovan of Iron Horse Golf Club in Whitefish and Matt Guzick of Stock Farm in Hamilton will speak.

Dale Beland, a Bozeman-based planning consultant and former planning director for Gallatin County, will present an overview of development in Montana.

Jane Jelinski, director of the Local Government Center at MSU, will moderate a panel on Montana government's perspective.

Registration before Oct. 4 is $25 and includes all conference materials, lunch and breaks. After Oct. 4, the registration fee is $40.

For more information, call the Wheeler Center at (406) 994-0336. To register, go to http://www.montana.edu/wheeler.