Gang:
Literally one decade ago, as many of you know, three of us as residents of Rock Creek began a crusade to stop the would-be-errant development of the confluence of Rock Creek and the Clark Fork of the Columbia River into a 36 unit subdivision, a proposal that would impose an equal number of septic systems at the confluence and permanently change an otherwise pristine game pathway and fly way into a version of some ugly portion of Los Angeles (listen to the lyrics of Bob Wire’s “Dirty Little Paradise”!).
Our efforts, which were legendary in their proportions for Montana (including a fully coordinated and organized multi-thousands of dollars and volunteer hours campaign of lawsuits, governmental protest filings, petitions, bumper stickers, lawn signs, and resultant unanimous successful ruling from the Missoula County Planning Commission denying the application for subdivision and unsolicited editorials supporting our efforts in that regard) resulted in the first major subdivision application (in a state where personal property rights are king) ever being rejected. This ten year battle culminated with the Five Valleys Land Trust acquiring the 157 acre parcel this past December.
Local heroes in that trio include my close friends John Menson and Roy O’Connor, whose collective infatigable decade of efforts are well reflected below by Five Valleys Land Trust Executive Director Grant Kier’s announcement that the “spite berm” is now being taken down and the developer’s pond being restored to its pre-excavation condition.
This is a true win for the good guys, namely the flora and fauna of that great backyard of ours known as Montana…bueno, bueno, bueno!!
Rock Creek Ron
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Missoula college began moving dirt today, thanks to great design work from Trout Unlimited. The earthen berm along Rock Creek Road will go back into the pond and the site will be restored to a bird friendly wetland that takes no water from Rock Creek. Development of a nature and birding trail on the Clark Fork River will begin Saturday with help from many volunteers, UM Forestry, and Audubon. You have all been a part of this from the moment we dreamed it up. Thank you for making the dream a reality!
More soon.
Best,
Grant
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