Three Rivers Major Subdivision Request Before County Commissioners
 | Author:
Nancy Marks, Reporter
Nancy Marks: MT43 News Secretary and News Editor |
Three Rivers Major Subdivision Request Before County Commissioners
Nancy Marks, Reporter
The drumbeat of another subdivision forming near Three Forks is sounding loudly for South Broadwater residents.
At the October 18 regular County Commissioner meeting in Townsend, Community Development and Planning Director Nichole Brown presented a preliminary plat approval request for discussion for Three Rivers Major Subdivision to be developed by Faron Henderson, FH Ventures, LLC of Chinook, Montana.
Wheatland Meadows lot owners Duane ”Butch” Barton and Ken Dykema of Dykema Land Company expressed their concerns about the lack of water in the area and questioned subdivision regulations that allow 20-acre lots to be subdivided by future owners.
Three Rivers Major Subdivision, if approved, would be located one mile north of Highway 287 and would access Wheatland Road. The 325-acre parcel is planned for 16 lots, just over 20 acres each.
Henderson is also the developer of Wheatland Meadows and Village at Elkridge subdivisions. The proposed new subdivision will not be subject to the jurisdiction of the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) but will need to meet county sanitation standards. Brown read a long list of conditions to be met by Henderson before the subdivision would be approved. The list included the need for a hydrological survey.
In September 27 Broadwater Planning Board public comment, Barton, Mike Neely and Tim Benjamin all brought up drainage problems in the proposed subdivision. The problems included low-lying areas that have flooded with water up to 3 feet deep in this summer’s heavy rains. Benjamin, Barton and Steve Kurk questioned whether water would be available for more houses in the area. Kurk said some wells in the area are being drilled at 800-1000 feet. Many wells already in use are going dry.
The commissioners made no decision on the Three Rivers Major Subdivision request.
Boundary Relocation Exemption requests for Dykema Land Co. off Price Road and Stefan Yutzy parcel near Toston were both approved.
Public Works Supervisor TJ Graveley received permission to purchase a used transfer trailer to replace one that must be rebuilt for use as a backup. The cost will be $96,884.
