Missoula County approves 875 Hidden Treasure Court two‑lot subdivision with fire and road conditions

Missoula County commissioners approved a two‑lot minor subdivision at 875 Hidden Treasure Court on June 26, subject to conditions including a development agreement addressing fire suppression and a road maintenance agreement for Hidden Treasure Court.

County planning staff said the proposal would split an existing 16.07‑acre parcel in the Potomac area into two residential lots, yielding an approximate density of one dwelling per eight acres compared with the regional land use guide recommendation of one dwelling per 10 acres.

Patrick Swart, a planner with the Office of Planning, Development and Sustainability, summarized staff recommendations and technical findings, noting the property’s fire hazard score and water limits. “This returned a score of 87 indicating what is an extreme fire hazard,” Swart said. He told the commissioners the subdivision falls in the wildland‑urban interface and that the applicant’s fire suppression plan includes a loop driveway, Class A roofing, interior sprinklers and underground utilities.

The county placed several conditions on approval. Staff recommended a development agreement to codify defensible‑space requirements, plat notes notifying future owners of wildfire and adjacent‑agriculture impacts, depiction of slopes of 25 percent or greater as no‑build zones on the final plat, dedication of a 20‑foot utility easement, and construction and ongoing maintenance of an on‑site stormwater retention swale. Swart also said the two lots would be served by two existing wells proposed under Montana’s exempt well statute, which limits individual well flows to 35 gallons per minute and the subdivision’s total use to 10 acre‑feet per year; the applicant estimated 2.37 acre‑feet per year at full buildout.

Road access is via private easements (Hole In The Wall Road, Camas Road and Hidden Treasure Court). Swart recommended a road maintenance agreement specifically for Hidden Treasure Court to ensure year‑round emergency access; Camas Road functions as a local collector and lacks a formal maintenance agreement. County Attorney John Hart explained the legal status: “This is just not a county road,” noting the roads do not meet the statutory definition of a county road even though Missoula County owns the underlying land.

Public comment earlier in the review period opposed the subdivision, citing limited access, winter and summer maintenance problems and concern that additional development would degrade the easement and travelability of the private roads. The Greenough‑Potomac Volunteer Fire Department chief told staff the department provides year‑round response and did not object to an additional lot.

A commissioner moved to approve the subdivision “based on the findings of fact in the staff report and subject to the recommended conditions of approval.” The motion passed on a voice vote; the tally was not recorded in the transcript.

The approval is conditioned on the applicant executing the development agreement and meeting final plat and building‑permit reviews, where the county will verify the specified fire‑safety, water‑use and stormwater measures before issuing permits.