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Planning board backs Jones Creek two‑lot subdivision, adds fire‑plan condition
Summary
The Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Planning Board voted 6-0 on July 27 to forward a two‑lot Jones Creek subdivision (20.00 acres and 122.61 acres) to the County Commission with seven conditions, including a new requirement for an approved fire plan after public concerns about traffic, sewer and wildlife.
The Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Planning Board voted 6-0 on July 27 to recommend that the County Commission approve a two‑lot subdivision of the Jones Creek property, creating a 20.00‑acre Lot 1 and a 122.61‑acre Lot 2 out of a 142.61‑acre parcel owned by Travis and Shellie McKelvy.
Planner II Gayla Hess presented the staff recommendation for conditional approval and summarized comments received, including a Fish, Wildlife & Parks note about "Living with Wildlife" and a written request from Commissioner Ed Beaudette asking for an additional utility easement along the southern border to allow future Smithville connections. The board moved to approve the preliminary plat subject to the staff's six conditions and added a seventh condition requiring approval of a fire plan.
Ken Jenkins of Montana Northwest Company, representing the applicants, described the application as a simple two‑lot subdivision and urged the board not to require immediate construction of a sewer stub to Lot 1, saying that building a stub before a home is sited could impose unnecessary cost on current owners. "This is a simple two‑lot subdivision and just so there is no confusion, it is not a 20‑lot subdivision," Jenkins said.
Planning Director Carl Hamming explained the county's rationale for the condition requiring a stub: West Valley Sewer Phase 1 mains were installed within Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) right‑of‑way and, when originally built (2013–2014), stubs were run to then‑existing property lines so future connections could be established without additional MDT permitting. Hamming said the proposed condition is intended to ensure that the stub is available before final plat approval so a future owner can tie in more easily.
Board member Colleen Riley asked for a fire‑plan approval to be added as a condition. Staff reported that West Valley Fire Chief Greg Vauthier had discussed the plan with Planning staff and did not submit written objections; the board adopted the additional fire‑plan condition before forwarding the recommendation to the County Commission.
The board's action was advisory; final approval rests with the Anaconda‑Deer Lodge County Commission. The Planning Board vote was 6‑0 to forward the subdivision with the seven conditions of approval.
