<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><div>Friends, neighbors, and colleagues, </div><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"><div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"><div><div lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div class="WordSection1"><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "> </span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="color: black; ">Right now, Missoula County Commissioners have an extremely rare opportunity to help safeguard our agricultural heritage and long-term food security. They are considering recommendations made by the Planning Board for lessening the impacts that proposed subdivisions have on agriculture (attached). The result of many years of public dialogue and research, this proposal adds a much-needed tool to the land protection toolbox. </span></font><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "></span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "> </span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span class="apple-style-span"><font color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="color: black; ">Please join other conservationists, landowners, and community food advocates in supporting this proposal. <b><span style="font-weight: bold; ">The BCC is taking comment at <a href="mailto:Caps@co.missoula.mt.us">Caps@co.missoula.mt.us</a> and at the public hearing on December 8, 6 PM, 140 W. Pine. Your voice is critical right now! </span></b></span></font></span><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "></span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "> </span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span class="apple-style-span"><b><font color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="color: black; font-weight: bold; ">Here's why:</span></font></b></span><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "></span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "> </span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="color: black; ">Under State law, when a developer proposes a subdivision, local governments must look at how it might impact things like public safety, and documented impacts must be addressed. One factor to be considered and mitigated is the impact on agriculture—a requirement reinforced by strong language in Montana’s Constitution. Over the years, though, developers and local government have dismissed these impacts as incremental. </span></font><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "></span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "> </span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="color: black; ">Well, incremental losses add up. Limited and finite, fertile soils make up less than 8% of Missoula County, but many of those lands are already developed. Between 1986 and 2008, nearly 29,000 acres of productive land was converted to non-agricultural use—an average of 1,400 acres a year. Even during the recent slowdown, over 2,000 acres was subdivided—45% on agricultural land—between 2007 and 2014. Flat, well drained, and near the City, our best soils are the most threatened.</span></font><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "></span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "> </span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="color: black; ">Montana requires protection at the point of subdivision because our culture is rooted in working farms and ranches. So is our future. Well-managed lands preserve water quality and wildlife habitat. Also, many producers are seizing economic opportunities from increased consumer demand for local foods. The working countryside enhances quality of life, fuels our economy with cultural amenities, and makes this a great place to live. Most importantly, in the face of climate change, building a resilient, regional food system is simply wise. And that system is fundamentally dependent on the soil. Whatever the future brings, we will need and want agriculture.</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><font color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="color: black; ">Even when decision makers have wanted to protect agriculture, there has been no method to effectively evaluate and lessen the impacts of subdivisions, as required by law. The Planning Board’s recent recommendations fill this critical gap. Specifically, if a proposed subdivision will have an adverse impact on agriculture—including both the activities of agriculture and important soils—the developer can choose one of four mitigation options, including:</span></font></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="color: black; ">1. Cluster housing on the poorest quality soils with a protected agricultural lot incorporated into the design. </span></font><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "></span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="color: black; ">2. Permanently protect land that is equal in quality and quantity to the agricultural land developed. For every acre lost, an acre will be saved on or off site.</span></font><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "></span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="color: black; ">3. Pay a mitigation fee that would go into a fund used only to permanently protect agricultural land. </span></font><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "></span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="color: black; ">4. Offer other creative ideas to meet mitigation goals. </span></font><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "></span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "> </span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="color: black; ">This balanced approach encourages good subdivision design. It provides predictability and flexibility for landowners and developers when subdividing land. </span></font><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "></span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "> </span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="color: black; ">Recently, open space funding has provided valuable incentives to landowners to conserve land voluntarily. Yet, these programs do nothing to protect this important resource at the point of subdivision. The proposed regulations complement and create additional funds for voluntary conservation through fees and off-site mitigation (e.g., when one landowner voluntarily sells development rights so another can build elsewhere). After voluntary approaches are exhausted, the subdivision stage is the last chance to save some ground. </span></font><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "></span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "> </span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="color: black; ">Join me in calling on Commissioners Curtiss, Rye, and Rowley to show the leadership and vision citizens expect. </span></font><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "></span></font></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></span></div></div></span><div><br></div><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"><div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"><div><div lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div class="WordSection1"><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">The BCC is taking comment at <a href="mailto:Caps@co.missoula.mt.us">Caps@co.missoula.mt.us</a> and the public hearing on December 8, 6 PM, 140 W. Pine. </p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "> </span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="color: black; ">Relevant information available at: </span></font><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "></span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "> </span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="color: black; "><a href="http://www.missoulacounty.us/government/departments-a-e/community-and-planning-services/projects/subdivision-regs-rewrite/agriculture">http://www.missoulacounty.us/government/departments-a-e/community-and-planning-services/projects/subdivision-regs-rewrite/agriculture</a> </span></font><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "></span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "> </span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black" face="Calibri"><span style="color: black; "><a href="http://missoulacfac.org/speakup4farms.html">http://missoulacfac.org/speakup4farms.html</a> </span></font><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "></span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "> </span></font></p><p style="font-size: 14px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><font color="black"><span style="color: black; "> </span></font></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></span></div></div></span></body></html>