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Broadwater County approves Westside Trails phasing update, removes water-right condition and releases paving bond
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Summary
The county updated Westside Trails's phasing timeline, voted to strike a preliminary-plat condition tied to a water-right fire-fill site, and approved release of a $96,297 escrow after completion of required paving on Wheatland Road.
Broadwater County commissioners on Nov. 8 approved several development items related to the Westside Trails subdivision, including an amended phasing timetable, removal of a preliminary-plat condition tied to an agricultural water right, and the release of subdivision-improvement funds after paving work on Wheatland Road.
Mark Fasting, the Allied Engineering project engineer, told the commission the amended phasing plan shifts phase 3 and phase 4 timelines: final-plat submittal for phase 3 was updated to Nov–Dec 2023 with build-out projections, and phase 4 submittal was targeted for Dec. 2025 with a possible recording in early 2026. Commissioners agreed the updated phasing plan reflects current market conditions and pushed the plan forward with a vote.
On a separate but related item, Alana Griffith, legal counsel for the developer, asked the board to remove condition No. 3 from the subdivision's preliminary-plat findings. That condition previously required proof of Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) approval to change an agricultural water right for use as a fire-fill site. Griffith said the county and the developer now rely on a previously developed fire-fill site at the stockyard; Deputy County Attorney Jania Hatfield confirmed the fire district's plan no longer depends on the Westside Trails water right. Commissioners voted to eliminate the condition.
Finally, county staff and the project engineer presented documentation that 848'to 958 linear feet of Wheatland Road had been paved as required by Phase 2 conditions. County public-works staff reviewed compaction tests and provided sign-offs; the county held a 125% subdivision-improvement escrow with Montana Title and Escrow for $96,297. The commission voted to release those escrowed funds to close out the subdivision improvement agreement.
The commission also asked staff to follow up on a few remaining items: verification of minor unfinished work (utility line placements and hydroseeding) and continued inspection of interior roads as needed under county standards. Once those minor punch-list items are cleared, county records will reflect the completed steps for phase 2 and the developer may proceed under the amended phasing schedule.
Next steps: County staff will track outstanding punch-list items on Wheatland Road and confirm final documentation; the developer will proceed with phase-3 final-plat work under the updated phasing plan.
