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Residents raise water, septic and soil-suitability concerns for proposed Red Shoulder subdivision
Summary
Neighbors at the Broadwater County Planning Board hearing urged caution before subdividing a 4.04-acre parcel near Red Shoulder: they cited a prior bentonite-related class action, groundwater declines, and limited local fire protection. The applicant said lots would be sold to local families.
Multiple neighbors addressed the planning board with detailed worries about water supply, septic spacing and soil stability for the proposed subdivision near Red Shoulder. Jeremy Jones, who lives directly behind the subject property at 63 Red Shoulder, said nearby wells show stress and warned, "What am I gonna do when my well goes dry?" He and other residents referenced a prior class-action suit over bentonite and said the local soils have produced foundation and settlement problems.
Applicant Ashley Green told the board she and her family have owned the lot about 10 years and said they intend to sell lots to neighbors rather than outside investors. "We are not from California," she said, arguing the goal is to help neighbors provide housing for relatives. Staff and board members advised that DEQ previously issued subdivision-related approvals and that DNRC handles notices of intent to appropriate groundwater, but residents asked for additional checks such as up-to-date well tests and clear water-rights documentation before final platting.
Why it matters: neighbors documented lived experience (well pressure, sediment and prior litigation) that the board cited when conditioning the preliminary plat; staff noted technical septic designs and agency roles but also cautioned that approvals do not guarantee long-term well availability.
