Opinion ID: 889217
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Impacts to Public Health and Safety

Text: ¶ 32 The Commission's concerns regarding public health and safety stemmed partly from the density of the proposed subdivision. The initial subdivision proposal called for 143 single family residential lots and one condominium lot. The revised subdivision proposal reduced the density of the subdivision only slightly with eight fewer single family residential lots. ¶ 33 The density of the proposed subdivision raised concerns about the adverse impacts to traffic in the area on an already congested road. The Traffic Impact Study (TIS) prepared by Robert Peccia & Assoc. (Peccia) concluded that the proposed subdivision would increase traffic on Spain Bridge Road and Airport Road by 1376 trips per day at full build-out. According to Peccia, drivers leaving the subdivision would proceed to Airport Road and either turn east and head towards Bozeman or turn west and head to Belgrade. In the TIS, Peccia estimated that 70% of drivers would turn east on Airport Road to connect with Springhill Road and then continue to Bozeman. Peccia further estimated that only 30% of drivers would travel west along Airport Road to connect with Frontage Road and continue west towards Belgrade. ¶ 34 In the hearings on MM & I's subdivision application, Commissioner Vincent questioned the accuracy of Peccia's assumption that only 30% of drivers would travel west towards Belgrade. In addition, Commissioner Vincent noted that the TIS did not address the increased truck traffic that would be operating on Frontage Road from a new gravel pit in the area. The Commission found that the adverse impacts to the existing road and surrounding areas could be mitigated only by major improvements to Frontage Road or by a new interstate interchange, neither of which presented a feasible option for mitigation under the circumstances. ¶ 35 Since the Commission acts as the fact-finder in proceedings involving subdivision review, it was not required to agree with the TIS. Christianson v. Gasvoda, 242 Mont. 212, 214-15, 789 P.2d 1234, 1236 (1990). And, as the Commission points out in its brief on appeal, MM & I cited no authority contradicting Christianson or supporting MM & I's contention that the Commissioners erred in drawing upon their personal experiences in weighing the credibility of the TIS. Moreover, contrary to MM & I's assertions, the Commissioners are not prohibited from drawing upon their own experiences when considering primary review criteria. We held in Christianson that the commissioners in that case did not err in disregarding expert testimony and, instead, basing their conclusions on their personal observations at the site. Christianson, 242 Mont. at 214-15, 789 P.2d at 1236. ¶ 36 The Commission also found that public health and safety would be adversely impacted due to the Subdivision's relatively long distance from local services and the general lack of police protection in the area. The Gallatin County Sheriff submitted a letter to the Commission wherein he stated that his department did not have enough deputies to provide adequate police protection for the proposed subdivision. At the time, Gallatin County did not have a mitigation plan regarding law enforcement whereby it could impose a fee upon each residence in the subdivision to assist in hiring additional deputies. MM & I offered to contribute $5000 to the Sheriff's Office to go toward a study that would set some standards and criteria for establishing impact fees for law enforcement. Because the Sheriff verbally accepted that offer, MM & I claimed that this impact had been mitigated. However, this did not actually mitigate the problem as it only set up a study to consider possible mitigation.