Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Environment And Lakeshore topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County grants variance to exceed dredging limit at Seeley Lake with conditions and monitoring
Summary
Missoula County approved a variance allowing Lindy’s property at Seeley Lake to exceed the county 500-cubic-foot dredging-volume limit (applicant requested ~611 cubic yards) with conditions including buffer staking, cultural-resource stop-work, and five years of monitoring; the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes objected to the permit.
The Missoula County Board of County Commissioners approved a variance permitting dredging at Lindy’s property on Seeley Lake that exceeds the county shoreline regulation volume limit, subject to multiple conditions intended to reduce ecological and cultural impacts.
Planning staff explained the county limit for dredging projects is 500 cubic feet and that the applicant requested approximately 611 cubic yards, which staff characterized in the presentation as about 33 times the limit in the regulations. The county’s lakeshore program requires a lake restoration plan, a project-impact assessment and findings of hardship for a variance. Staff recommended approval with conditions, noting the proposed method is a suction dredge operated from an excavator placed on shore, designed to agitate and remove organic deposit without excavating deeper silty lake bed.
Agency feedback was mixed. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks recommended protections and monitoring measures; Cedar Lake Water District and Clearwater Resource Council reported no significant adverse impacts for concerns they track; Missoula County Environmental Health said initial deposition-plan concerns were resolved and confirmed there were no conflicts with health codes. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Preservation Department provided an objection and recommended denial, citing oral histories indicating possible cultural resources; staff proposed a stop-work requirement and immediate coordination with the preservation office (CEASE) should artifacts or cultural resources be discovered.
Staff also recommended conditions that include establishment or protection of riparian vegetation in the shoreline protection zone where feasible, an expanded horizontal buffer of up to 10 feet from the proposed start point of dredging (to be staked in the field), and longer-term monitoring—staff recommended annual monitoring for five years to evaluate the project's effectiveness and whether material resettlement occurs.
Applicant representatives (environmental engineer Michal Siemens and owner Mike Lindemer) described technical diligence in the application and emphasized local economic and recreational reasons for restoring the dock area. Tom Browder, representing local community and historical interests, voiced support, saying the work would help preserve the marina/seaplane base and visitor amenities.
Commissioner (speaker 6) moved to approve the variance based on the application, public comment, staff report and Planning Board recommendation; the motion was seconded and the board voted aye.
The approval is contingent on the conditions and monitoring spelled out in the staff report; the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) and other state approvals were identified as remaining regulatory steps where DNRC approval is contingent on the county decision.
