Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Post-Election A Mixed Bag in Ravalli County

Missoulian -- Ravalli Growth Policy Appears Headed For Repeal

The morning after a historic Presidential election that filled many millions of Americans with a new hope for the future, some Ravalli County residents are left with a mixed bag of feelings. The Growth Policy, a necessary component to protect the land, rivers, and streams of the Bitterroot from developers and other private interests and a stepping stone to Streamside Setbacks and Zoning, went down in defeat. This result was aided by the State of Montana and the ruling of the county attorney who again excluded county residents living inside a municipality from voting - a slightly skewed example of 'taxation without representation' (think Boston Tea Party). Pete Talbot from 4&20 blackbirds sums up the feeling correctly when he writes: "Bitterrooters continue their quest for Paradise Lost".

Insult was added to injury in the Ravalli County Commissioner's race where the two Democratic candidates, Roger DeHaan and John Meakin, running on a Pro-Growth Policy platform went down in defeat to their anti-zoning Republican counterparts, J.R. Iman and Greg Chilcott.

So, who wins with the defeat of the growth policy and the election of a set of commissioners that will more than certainly stand in the way of any structured land use regulations? Developers, the wealthy, and the "land rich". Of course, they couldn't defeat the Growth Policy on their own. They did it with the help (or, on the backs) of valley residents who believe that helping out wealthy neighbors is part of their civic duty. Which reminds of me of this little rant from The Onion. ...Back to square-one.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your right - and re-electing Chilcott and electing Iman only adds insult to injury.

How someone (Iman) who is on the Conservation District Board comes out against streamside setbacks, well, Bitterrooters beware, that's all. He doesn't give a flying you-know-what about anyone but himself and rich landowners who are buying up riverfront and stream frontage property.

WTF, man, WTF.

Francis H. Woods said...

I'll be interested to see what the two newly elected commissioners have to say in the paper tomorrow.

Did they see a 'mandate' in their election?