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 recommended driveway signage to protect trail users; Environmental Health said a COASA rewrite is required to change the property's approved use from residential to commercial to reassess stormwater/sanitation needs.

Adam Colson, representing the applicant PCI, said the applicant agreed to recommended conditions including fencing, landscaping and dark-sky compliant lighting. Colson also cited the Institute of Transportation Engineers trip-generation rate and told commissioners that 132 units would generate about 37 vehicle trips per day.

More than a dozen nearby residents spoke during a scheduled public-comment period, most opposing the project. Residents cited safety at the Roman Creek Road / Frenchtown Frontage Road intersection, vehicle speeds on the frontage road, limited sight lines for drivers and school and recreational users, impacts to views and property values, existing groundwater and pond algae concerns, and the area's residential character. Ron Sang said the area had "exponentially" grown since 1999 and urged denial; Bob Green and other residents described the intersection as "very challenging" and said additional turning traffic would worsen safety hazards. Several speakers noted a petition with roughly 35 signatures opposing the project and said that the Missoula County voice portal had received many opposing comments.

County staff and Public Works emphasized the board's limited decision space for buildings-for-lease-or-rent review. John (county counsel/staff) explained the statutory background: before 2013 these proposals would have been reviewed as subdivisions; the 2013 law (Buildings for Lease or Rent) carved a separate review process that applies only when more than three buildings or more than 30 units are proposed. He said that a project with three buildings or fewer (30 units or fewer) would typically only require a building permit in an unzoned area and would not trigger the county review process.

Commissioner discussion focused on weighing neighbors' safety and visual-impact concerns against statutory review criteria. Commissioners noted that denial of the present application would not prevent the owner from building up to three buildings and 30 units without the same review and that an alternative of open-air outdoor parking/storage might be allowed without county review.

Commissioner Josh moved to deny the application based on the public comment and staff findings; Commissioner Dave seconded for purposes of debate. After discussion, another commissioner moved to approve the project "as represented in the application packet based on the findings of fact and conclusions of law in the staff report, subject to the conditions of approval found in the staff report." The board then recorded votes: two commissioners voted to approve and one voted no. The motion to approve carried; commissioners directed that conditions in the staff report — including dark-sky lighting, perimeter screening/fencing, driveway signage to protect the shared-use path, and stormwater detention meeting county requirements — be included in the written decision.

The board's written decision will include findings of fact and conclusions of law and will be issued after the meeting; the applicant and aggrieved contiguous property owners have 30 days from the written decision to file an appeal to District Court. Staff noted that contiguous property owners across Roman Creek Road would have standing to challenge the decision in court.

The application remains subject to standard permitting steps required by county departments, including approach permits from Missoula County Public Works and any COASA rewrite or sanitation reassessment required by Environmental Health prior to any commercial use.