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Helena officials weigh permanent protection for La Grande Canyon Trail; staff urges waiting for developer plat
Summary
The Helena City Commission heard broad public support and staff legal caution on permanently protecting La Grande Canyon Trail. Public commenters and local land trust representatives urged immediate action; city staff recommended waiting until a developer’s final plat makes the city an adjacent owner before vacating road right-of-way.
The Helena City Commission received public testimony urging permanent protection of the La Grande Canyon Trail and heard staff explain legal limits on immediately vacating the road right-of-way.
Diana Hammer, Helena Citizens Council secretary, read the council’s recommendation saying, “HCC asked that the city act to permanently protect the Grand Canyon Trail by vacating its public roads right away or to other commitments along the Grand Canyon and protect this trail and land parcel as part of Helena's incredible network of open space for outdoor recreation and wildlife habitat.”
The recommendation and extensive public comment followed months of discussion about whether vacating the city’s right-of-way could inadvertently transfer parts of the trail to private owners. Barry Hollow, director of Prickly Pear Land Trust, which donated adjacent property, told the commission the donation and community support favor permanent protection and urged the city to act where it can now.
Staff described the legal and property mechanics that complicate an immediate, full vacation. A planning staff presentation showed portions of the right-of-way that would pass to adjacent private owners if vacated now (shown in the presentation as “purple”), and other sections that would go to the city (“orange” or “green” on the map). Staff said the city can only be certain of acquiring full control of the corridor once the developer completes required plat dedications on both sides of the right-of-way. Directors and legal staff repeatedly told the commission a partial or piecemeal vacation would require surveys and legal review to determine who receives which 50% share when a right-of-way is vacated.
Commissioners and staff discussed a likely timeline tied to the developer’s schedule. Staff reported the developer is targeting submission of final plat materials for phases 1 and 2 around December 2025; once both sides of the right-of-way are dedicated to the city, staff said the commission could proceed to vacate the right-of-way with less risk of transferring parts of the corridor to private ownership. Several commissioners said they preferred waiting for that dedication so the city would control the entire corridor before making it permanent.
Members of the public voiced frustration with delays: longtime residents and stakeholders asked the commission to adopt any short-term measures it can to reduce risk to the trail and to communicate a clear timeline and next steps. Bruce Newell and other speakers urged vacating segments already surrounded by city-owned property. Deputy City Attorney Perez and other staff said a piecemeal vacation would require additional legal review and a survey prior to action.
Next steps: staff will follow up with additional legal and survey analysis and publish the topic for further public discussion; commissioners signaled openness to a phased approach only after attorney review or once the city is the adjacent owner on both sides.
The record shows wide public interest in preserving La Grande Canyon Trail and staff caution that immediate, unvetted vacation could produce outcomes contrary to the community’s stated goal of permanent public trail protection.
