Missoula County delays Fire Bucket Meadows hearing after neighbors raise groundwater and road concerns

Missoula County commissioners postponed the second hearing on the proposed Fire Bucket Meadows five‑lot subdivision to May 22 to allow a groundwater analysis to be completed and reviewed by county public health.

Patrick Swart, planner with the Office of Planning, Development and Sustainability, told commissioners the county had delayed the first hearing on March 27 after public concerns about groundwater availability and asked the developer for additional information. "We're looking to delay the hearing again out till May 22 so we can get that groundwater analysis and have the folks over at Water Quality at Missoula Public Health take a look at that report," Swart said.

Why it matters: dozens of nearby landowners and professional reviewers told the commission that existing well yields in the area are low and variable, that septic systems and steep slopes could threaten groundwater, and that unresolved private‑road easements and RSID waivers could shift long‑term costs to neighbors.

Details from staff and developer representatives

Swart said PCI, the developer's agent, had contracted a hydrologist but the report was not finished. He asked developers to ensure the analysis reaches Missoula Public Health with enough…