Growth policy is a step forward

Flathead County's draft growth policy has been criticized by some for not being specific enough, but that is a natural result of using an inclusive approach in writing the policy.

The policy is not meant to represent the interests of either developers or no-growth advocates, but is instead supposed to find a reasonable middle ground that accommodates inevitable growth and yet gives voice to the community's general concerns about how that growth should happen.

Some of the critics of the new policy are members of the planning board, who apparently were looking for a list of do's and don'ts for development.

At a recent workshop, one planning board member said, "A lot of people were expecting this growth policy to change the way we do business, and I don't think that's going to happen." Another lamented, "There's nothing in here that says you have to do certain things… [I]t needs to be a lot more defined."

But the fact of the matter is that the growth policy does not make policy for the county; that still falls to the county commissioners, and they still get elected every six years to represent the interests of the county's citizens.

No growth policy is going to solve all the issues facing us regarding a booming population, declining open space, and water quality, among others. The policy only outlines the goals and wishes of the public that should be considered when land-use decisions are made by the commissioners. Subdivision review, zoning and neighborhood plans remain the best tools to address specific concerns.

It is worth remembering that Flathead County would not even have a growth policy had it not been mandated by the Legislature. Yet we would still have the same problems. Up till now, we have tried to resolve those difficult and pressing problems by referring to a master plan that is 19 years old and terribly out of date.

Now we have a new tool, freshly minted, to help the commissioners make the tough choices about what is and is not appropriate development.

Remember, they are not just voting to approve projects which they personally like or to reject those they find offensive. They have to be more like judges when making these decisions - making sure that the law is followed appropriately regardless of the outcome.

There will continue to be disagreements - sometimes heated disagreements - about particular developments proposed or approved in Flathead County. That is inevitable.

There will also be many more opportunities to clarify the intention of the public in this document. Neighborhood plans, maps and other tools are envisioned as part of a continuing process. This growth policy - even after the word draft is removed - does not have to be the final word.

Public input should continue to guide the commissioners as they make tough decisions in the future about the future of the Flathead Valley.