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Commissioners approve Westerner Minor Subdivision with fire‑suppression and environmental conditions
Summary
Missoula County approved the Westerner Minor Subdivision, dividing roughly 27.63 acres into four lots for agricultural uses and attaching conditions including a 10,000‑gallon cistern requirement for fire suppression.
Missoula County planners presented the Westerner Minor Subdivision, a proposal by owner Bertram "Bert" Wissner of Bees Forever LLC to split approximately 27.627 acres into four lots located southeast of the Canyon River neighborhood near Deer Creek Road.
Planner Katie Reeder said the proposal was reviewed under Missoula County subdivision regulations and the Missoula area land‑use element. All proposed lots exceed five acres so the submission is evaluated as AGRR5 (1 dwelling per 5 acres) and is intended to preserve agricultural uses while allowing modest rural development. Staff noted soils classified as moise gravelly loam, a historic water right that will remain with the property, and that development is not expected to generate substantial school impacts. Reeder said the subdivision is outside the urban area and access will be provided from Deer Creek Road.
Technical reviewers recommended conditions to protect services and public safety: the on‑site road must be constructed to a 20‑foot width; the Missoula Rural Fire District required at least 10,000 gallons of fire‑suppression water storage to be installed before any combustible construction; a private road‑maintenance agreement and recorded easements are required; and coordination with Bonneville Power Administration and Phillips 66 on existing easements and buffer zones was documented. Staff reported a low wildfire hazard ranking for the site but required cisterns and other safeguards to ensure fire protection for future uses. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks flagged the nearby wildlife corridor and required coordination on fencing to mitigate bear conflicts associated with apiaries.
Joe Dennert, the project's technical representative, provided background on de‑annexation and rezoning that led to the current county process. Owner Bert Wissner thanked staff and the commissioners for supporting the application. A commissioner moved, seconded and the commission approved the minor subdivision based on the staff report and subject to recommended conditions.
The approval is conditioned on completion of required plats, recording of covenants and easements, sanitation review for on‑site wastewater systems, and installation of required fire‑suppression water storage prior to combustible construction.
