Deer Lodge County sends Georgetown Lake fire-protection standards back to planning for review

Commissioners in Deer Lodge County debated whether to adopt specific fire-protection standards tailored to the Georgetown Lake volunteer fire service area and ultimately voted to send the proposal back to the planning department for additional review.

Commissioner Odette introduced Resolution 24-22, saying the Georgetown Lake Volunteer Fire Department had developed a set of standards—addressing cistern sizing, placement, road grades and fire-access features—that should be appended to county subdivision rules for that service area. He told the commission the document began in 2018 and was intended to provide a consistent baseline so developers and residents know expectations up front.

Mister Rucker, a Georgetown Lake firefighter and engineer who helped draft the standards, described how the group used state wildland-urban-interface guidance to set specifications and explained why volume alone is not enough: "It's where the water's placed, how far is it from the house, how big a pot of water is it, and for our ability to fight fire at that structure," he said, noting the department had tested cisterns installed in recent subdivisions.

Fred Bjorklund, fire chief for Georgetown Lake, emphasized local conditions and the standards' practical aims. "We don't want just money, we want water," he told the commission, arguing the standards offer flexibility and variances while giving first responders usable supplies and access.

Developer and state representative John Fitzpatrick opposed the measure as presented, saying it could raise housing costs and unfairly burden current developers. He described the rule as "a solution in search of a problem" for parts of the lake that already have pressurized water systems and urged referral to the planning department for a more comprehensive treatment that also addresses older subdivisions lacking infrastructure.

Planning director Carl said he supported early communication between fire districts and developers and recommended the planning board review the standards with the current membership for education and any needed updates. Commissioners debated whether the language conflicted with section 16-2-84 of the county code and whether it should be limited to the Georgetown Lake service area.

After discussion and a show of hands on preferences, a majority of commissioners voted to refer the standards back to the planning department and planning board for review and to return with a recommendation and any proposed edits. The chair noted state law requires a public hearing 15–30 days after initiating changes to subdivision regulations and asked staff to schedule the appropriate hearings and follow-up.

The planning department committed to an expedited review so pending preliminary subdivision applications in the Georgetown Lake area can proceed with clarity about requirements.