[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6202611,"mediaKeyId","3786464-b00381135ded44e1ebc04cd1f6076cd4","parentId",3786464,"title","Lolo Community Council adds county growth-policy update to regular agenda","audioSeconds",87,"startMs",3753000,"endMs",3840000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3786464-b00381135ded44e1ebc04cd1f6076cd4&start=3753&end=3840","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3786464-b00381135ded44e1ebc04cd1f6076cd4/thumbnail_3753000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6202611/Missoula/Missoula-County/Montana/Lolo-Community-Council-adds-county-growth-policy-update-to-regular-agenda","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202611-829b3b96c324a1bb95dffe1598bddc08/orig.mp4?Expires=1776611059&Signature=NFaK1W8k~A4Od5BP12PsawOC2~fBmgMzsH9mEMaA20hmzA8QBhOD2LF2-~loIGHKN1HErILt9vP~n-m6fCJ2lv29wjBTL42WiR125CPLd82VOjaeCasoqsaSvnm8uDtIillzknu-fKAVQqU23XokziSfkkn5s331LpBfJtqxmsV-asixWgt6QcfuzM8fkeoDZZGcGCRHhcusHa4LIefh8m540qSiAO2B8XsrM-clnRgw3hwWk6yH3XNO3Upsmc2bQrTlQ3vdGHUehEVcmg6DcN0CGTnpGiR7LJiYeOjfCXTwhgiogXKBPh5EoVXpmXX1FclFrmn0ilWCgHdVInM4EQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Missoula, MT","date","2025-06-12T20:21:12.533Z","article","The Lolo Community Council voted on June 10 to add a standing agenda item for Missoula County planning department updates on the county growth policy and the Lolo Regional Land Use Plan.

Karen Hughes of the county planning staff had proposed that the council review sections of the existing growth policy and offer local input as Missoula County works on its update. A council motion to add the planning-department briefings to the council’s standing agenda passed by voice vote.

Council members who spoke urged a measured approach. One member noted the Lolo Regional Plan is “grossly outdated” and recommended sectional reviews with mailings to affected neighborhoods so residents can participate when their area is discussed. The motion directs staff and council liaison work to facilitate repeated public outreach and regular updates at future council meetings.

Why it matters: The council will now receive regular briefings and will coordinate local input as the county updates its growth policy and considers incorporating updates to the regional plan, a process that could inform future land-use and zoning choices for Lolo.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lolo Community Council 06-10-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council voted to add Missoula County planning department briefings on the growth policy and a potential Lolo Regional Plan update as a standing agenda item to ensure community review and input.","taxTitle","Missoula, Missoula County, Montana","taxId",4050,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6202616,"Lolo-area schools report summer programs; Woodland wins $1M literacy grant and expands preschool",1598,1438000,3036000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3786464-b00381135ded44e1ebc04cd1f6076cd4&start=1438&end=3036","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3786464-b00381135ded44e1ebc04cd1f6076cd4/thumbnail_1438000.jpg","/articles/6202616/Missoula/Missoula-County/Montana/Lolo-area-schools-report-summer-programs-Woodland-wins-1M-literacy-grant-and-expands-preschool","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202616-7b005031f7b5b23c5693a74fa382769a/orig.mp4?Expires=1776611060&Signature=kq-dHMpuFPPPGMcaJ-mKhxTBh-91Zi79FhJjHHDiQaHweBHIE7esSs5eLstk-vIshvw3GIepAeMFJLzLhWGcRsbC233azvsWSrWPM5RJR0Ma0MqJND0nGq1maZXy~IPF2Q3UQNbSu2kNvfA5wjowImSQyWA~9q7YJEa44Pq48iN7JV3KMooWWOemGARDlcvbSLVNQT4zQTfdh1fwaeh0KuxO~nXje~kTVqqyaM~xKY-C8UPMSXcuew2kG61cyIrZBfRPRRxcfLxsk7Prg9JXLGgb1L-mf2jjGRhi3PRzpNgGWJD9zWxzzuwRS3o~Q7hNr2P4fBrzlBixGznf7ZLIgA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representatives of two Lolo-area schools updated the council on summer programming, facilities work and a state literacy grant.

Dale, representing Old New York Lolo School, said the school is running a four-week “Jump Start” tutoring program for early graders, kindergarten‑readiness activities, weekday grab-and-go summer meals for anyone 18 and younger from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and maintenance projects including soccer-field repairs and gym refinishing. “Anybody 18 or under can come get free breakfast and lunch ... it's grab and go. No questions asked,” Dale said, adding the meals are federally funded and not levied from local tax revenue.

Principal John Martin of Woodland School reported the district received a literacy grant from the Montana Office of Public Instruction that will provide just over $1 million over four years to buy curriculum, literacy supplies, fund teacher professional development and pay for an instructional coach. Martin said the district will use grant funds to expand preschool services by adding a 3‑year‑old preschool slot and will hire an additional teacher, a full‑time paraeducator (starting pay $18/hour) and a school counselor. He added Woodland will pilot a remote‑learning option for families who prefer home-based instruction.

Safety and operations questions: Council members asked about bus safety and the prospect of adding cameras on school buses to capture illegal passing. Martin said the matter was under review and that county legal counsel had forwarded a question about enforcement and evidence admissibility to the state attorney general, and that the district expects an answer in August or September.

Why it matters: The literacy grant and expanded preschool increase services for young children and carry multi‑year staffing and curriculum implications. Summer meals and tutoring programs provide immediate supports to students and families this summer.

Logistics and next school year: Martin said enrollment looks to be about 40 students at Woodland next year (up roughly 10 from the prior year) and that the district’s first day of school will be Aug. 28 with jump‑start days planned for kindergarten through grade 2.","Old New York Lolo School described summer tutoring and meal programs; Woodland School said it received a roughly $1 million four‑year literacy grant, will add a 3‑year‑old preschool and hire staff including a counselor.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6202620,"Missoula Rural Fire reports rising call volume, warns of high fire danger and restrictions on outdoor burning",134,2046000,2180000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3786464-b00381135ded44e1ebc04cd1f6076cd4&start=2046&end=2180","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3786464-b00381135ded44e1ebc04cd1f6076cd4/thumbnail_2046000.jpg","/articles/6202620/Missoula/Missoula-County/Montana/Missoula-Rural-Fire-reports-rising-call-volume-warns-of-high-fire-danger-and-restrictions-on-outdoor-burning","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202620-a6cda5c857e5689ffdadab9938db5f91/orig.mp4?Expires=1776611060&Signature=NPHiVK1x~~314W-xwTx9AeFiPbuksGMujIW91TRmqN3yFlyMumdnMqxZdLr3x6cf~BNJWBT6bbtwK4PNCasYvI1WiUhCQcoz8bWbWWQ-Rmw~wkipQ5HDclyanP-rEoIR4hqXqj8kMtmQwoi0gRppdHiPPZ~fzngwxdOv~6U3REVPtG5F5Apue5LhaW5ek1YPhfIWOsgbXD-bmeS~H8PL-BAAda0IsR-wAQ2Ec30lBJBU-cgFk9BTQ~x7k8PSCt-4Ayp~9h-TKRFtIDc64j3uDsQ8tNiyMPfGJwZB9te8smU47VSD1z3bNEoX34SZ1vuwVJzMsSnd6qWSsUfCU1q~2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Deputy Chief Corey Worsons of the Missoula Rural Fire Department told the Lolo Community Council on June 10 that the district saw an increase in call volume and that fire danger has shifted to a higher level.

Worsons said the Lolo-area station ran 48 calls in May, compared with 38 in May 2024, a 26% increase for that station. “Of those calls, the vast majority continue to be calls for medical aid,” he said, and he listed vehicle crashes and a recent drowning in Lolo Creek among higher-profile incidents.

“Fire danger ... has moved to high,” Worsons said, and he urged residents to avoid outdoor burning. “Outdoor burning is now closed,” he said, with “very rare exceptions.” He also urged caution around personal fireworks ahead of July 4 and said the department expects wildfire-activity needs to rise as conditions dry further.

Worsons described mutual-aid and reimbursement practices when engines are deployed out of state: the district deploys crews under state and mutual-aid agreements and receives reimbursement that covers personnel and backfill costs while crews are on assignment.

On local enforcement and fireworks, Worsons said recreational fires are permitted in Missoula County outside city limits if contained in a ring and limited to about 2 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet and using only untreated wood or vegetation. He said recreational fires are not permitted within Missoula city limits (his account said county rules differ from city rules). He advised residents to call 911 if they see unsafe fireworks use or fire on public property and noted the sheriff’s office and county departments coordinate extra patrols around July 4.

Why it matters: The department’s report signals a season of elevated wildfire risk and increased reliance on mutual-aid deployments; it also clarified what constitutes a legal recreational fire in county areas and how residents should report unsafe activity.

Questions from the council and public included enforcement options, whether abandoned properties on the old Lolo school parcel remained a fire hazard and steps the department will take to contact property owners. Worsons said the department had reached out to owners of the abandoned school buildings after prior vandalism and that staff would follow up with owners about vegetation management and security.","Deputy Chief Corey Worsons said May call volume rose about 26% in parts of the district, fire danger is at “high,” outdoor burning is closed and fire district resources have been deployed to other states.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6202625,"Missoula County staff outlines new RSID plan, proposes $15,600 impact fee for new connections",223,327000,550000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3786464-b00381135ded44e1ebc04cd1f6076cd4&start=327&end=550","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3786464-b00381135ded44e1ebc04cd1f6076cd4/thumbnail_327000.jpg","/articles/6202625/Missoula/Missoula-County/Montana/Missoula-County-staff-outlines-new-RSID-plan-proposes-15600-impact-fee-for-new-connections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202625-c9f67552abffaf3e9f7c6f425f03739b/orig.mp4?Expires=1776611060&Signature=Hfb8h2X4x1EeMaGqlz~4Ujf1lFazX4zrR3wSfkxh4igmRUY8dgOFDTbSh74fN~S4wv75-EBSAg3TiNAzB3Nw-NEjh4CsL99l8ewCGSz~7OGDE16ZUtdGL3HZAPFJgG1cwUGf7u9K4yvbrSkut9OE0cV3GBL~v~daF1W1BC3uGFx2rgUzK1QRFoPYseNRnwfn4jJh7pGbruo5w7A639IgZw0yPJsKhnCY~qlzzDJw2bJHNCJsCDbKFGBJz-3VreI6y2x1X9aUac~Y6YX2jkqJdjYWHMtiDRx1OD4rPLwt3QrkrGoadWW8Zy8ao4xzHzp-0t7JHk2FG9e8C0Ew2-3wOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jason Mitchell, Missoula County public works chief, told the Lolo Community Council on June 10 that county staff are preparing a new Rural Special Improvement District (RSID) and proposing to assess impact fees at the time of building permits.

The county’s engineering consultant, HDR, completed a service-level or impact-fee study that concluded newcomers could be charged up to $15,600 per dwelling-equivalent, Mitchell said. “How much? $15,600,” he said. Mitchell added the intent is to have developers or new homeowners pay a pro rata share of system expansion instead of placing that cost on current RSID users.

Council members pressed Mitchell on timing and scope. He said the county aims to present an RSID-creation hearing to the commissioners on July 10, allow roughly five to six weeks for public comment, then hold a follow-up public hearing in mid- to late August (Mitchell suggested Aug. 14 or Aug. 21) before the commissioners decide whether to initiate the final RSID and assessments.

Why it matters: Mitchell said the county wants a mechanism that separates operations-and-maintenance (O&M) costs from growth-driven expansion so that existing ratepayers do not shoulder the cost of extending capacity. Under the proposal, O&M would remain on current rate structures while impact fees would fund upsizing and added capacity.

How the county would pay up front: Mitchell said the county would seek funding through a mix of sources if it elects to underwrite expansion in advance of repaying those costs with impact fees. He listed possible sources including bonds, low-interest loan programs, ARPA-related funding already used for earlier RSID work and a pending $5,000,000 congressional community-project request the county is pursuing. “There’s still some hope of this $5,000,000 congressional spending,” Mitchell said.

Scope, phases and who pays: Mitchell described a parallel approach: remove properties not receiving service from the current RSID, create a new RSID with a largely identical boundary, and use the new RSID to fund redundancy and repairs while expansion capacity would be financed separately and reimbursed by impact fees. He described construction phasing tasks such as upsizing wells (to meet DEQ requirements to operate at maximum daily capacity with the largest well out of service) and bioreactor installations as examples of elements that would be charged to impact fees because they constitute expansion rather than repair.

Questions and clarifications from the meeting: Mitchell said the county previously passed a resolution that set a new-connection charge at $10,000 and increased it by $1,000 per year; the county attorney has advised the staff to pursue impact-fee methodology instead. He said impact fees may be recalculated at legally allowed intervals (Mitchell suggested a five-year review rather than annual inflation adjustments) and that accessory dwelling units would generally require a separate service connection and therefore an additional fee. He also said the county is examining methods to apportion assessments (for example, by improved land value rather than bare land) but that legality of alternate methodologies was under review by outside counsel and the Department of Revenue.

What was not decided: The county has not adopted the impact fee; Mitchell presented the study and described next steps. The July 10 RSID hearing is the next formal milestone; no commissioner vote on an RSID or on a finalized fee was recorded at this meeting.

Context and next steps: Mitchell said staff will publish the finalized impact-fee study online when complete and that the county hopes to begin issuing “well-served” letters to developers as soon as August so plats can advance. He outlined a tentative procurement schedule that would allow bidding this winter and construction of a waterline in summer 2026 and sewer bidding in winter 2026 with construction in summer 2027, contingent on final approvals and funding.","Missoula County Public Works described plans to create a new RSID, assess impact fees at building permit, and hold a public hearing July 10; staff said the proposed maximum impact fee is $15,600 per dwelling-equivalent and commissioners would consider financing expansion up front.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lolo Community Council adds county growth-policy update to regular agenda

Lolo-area schools report summer programs; Woodland wins $1M literacy grant and expands preschool

Missoula Rural Fire reports rising call volume, warns of high fire danger and restrictions on outdoor burning

Missoula County staff outlines new RSID plan, proposes $15,600 impact fee for new connections