Missoula County approves Frenchtown storage complex after lengthy hearing and public opposition

Katie Reeder, planner with Missoula County Planning, Development and Sustainability, presented a buildings-for-lease-or-rent application on May 5 for a proposed storage facility at 15601 Roman Creek Road in Frenchtown, a roughly 5.05-acre unzoned parcel. "This is a proposal from Al Arneson. It's a buildings for lease or rent application," Reeder said, and staff recommended approval subject to conditions in the staff report.

The applicant proposes eight storage buildings with a total of 132 units, including spaces designed for recreational vehicles and boats. Katie Reeder said the site is unzoned and falls within the Frenchtown Activity Center; buildings-for-lease-or-rent rules adopted in 2013 apply when a parcel proposes more than three buildings or more than 30 units. Reeder summarized agency reviews: Public Works and Montana Department of Transportation raised crash-history and intersection geometry concerns but concluded sight distance and road capacity were adequate; Missoula County Water Quality noted a high groundwater table and cautioned that additional stormwater ponds could exacerbate algae and water-quality problems; Parks, Trails and Recreation flagged the Roman Creek shared-use path along the frontage and…