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Oh
give me a home, Zoning Advisory Committee supports Horse Butte
project
by David Warner, West Yellowstone News, 03/30/07
Approximately 30 people, many of them residents of Horse Butte,
attended a meeting of the Hebgen Lake Zoning Advisory Committee
last Saturday.
Among the items on the committee's agenda was Yellowstone Ranch
Preserve, a proposal submitted by Rob and Janae Galanis, to
develop 34 home sites on a 710 acre tract of Horse Butte land
known as the Munns ranch. The land is open, rolling and grassy,
and has been used during the summer months over the years to
pasture cattle and horses. It is adjacent to Forest Service
land that was once leased to the Munns family for grazing purposes.
Those leases were rescinded a few years ago.
Mr. Galanis is a member of the Zoning Advisory Committee. He
excused himself from the committee table while his proposal
was being discussed.
The plan was described by Ron Slade of Bechtle-Slade, the project's
architect and land planner, and Tom Olenicki, a wildlife biologist
who is working as a consultant on the project. Slade began his
presentation by noting that the land in question is presently
zoned R - 10 (Residential with a 10 acre minimum lot size).
The land owners were thus legally entitled to put 71 home sites
on the property if they chose to do so, and would be allowed
additional sites if those sites were "clustered."
Furthermore, Slade continued, because the proposed plan involved
no variances to the current zoning, the Galanis's were not required
to present their plan to the Advisory Board. They wished to
do so, he said, in order to provide factual information to the
community.
"It is our intent, Slade said, "to minimize our footprint."
He listed a number of methods of doing so: All undeveloped property,
a bit under half the total acreage, would be placed in a conservation
easement; homes would be required to meet strict environmental
standards; home owners with horses would keep the animals in
a common stable; homes would be sited to facilitate the movement
of wildlife; fencing would be held to a minimum; only four future
homes would be visible from across the lake; viewsheds would
be considered, and no roofs above a ridge line would be permitted;
an effort would be made to persuade the Department of Livestock
to stop hazing bison in the area.
Slade added that Forest Service officials did not agree with
the present arrangement of home sites; and were more in favor
of concentrating them toward the north end of the property.
Such an arrangement would allow greater access to the remainder
of the peninsula to wide ranging grizzly bears and seasonally
migrating bison.
Olenicki challenged this argument. His studies showed otherwise,
he said.
Two days later, in a phone conversation, Andy Pils, Assistant
Ranger with the Hebgen Lake District, said that the Forest Service
became involved with the project because the owners are seeking
access to the property across a very short stretch of Forest
Service land. The Munns family never actually obtained an easement
for this access route.
"As a result," Pils said, "the Forest Service
and the developers have been in a dialogue regarding conservation
measures. We're talking about the options for best preserving
wildlife habitat, and that dialogue is still going on."
Speaking from the audience, Rob Galanis told the group that
along with the disagreement with the Forest Service, he was
also concerned about the possibility of Gallatin County requiring
that the new subdivision roads, as well as the Rainbow Point
Road, be paved. This would not be safe, wise, environmentally
suitable or financially feasible he said.
There was little comment and few questions from those attending.
Where would the access roads be located? Would all the new homes
have their own septic systems? (Yes, Slade answered.) Could
the present community be assured that this was all the development
envisioned? Would a "Phase 2" be announced in the
future. (There would be no Phase 2, Slade replied.)
Prior to adjourning, the Advisory Committee voted unanimously
to indicate their support for the project to the Gallatin County
Zoning Commission.
The Galanis's have been Grayling Meadows homeowners for the
past ten years. They also own a home in Salt Lake City, and
have been regular visitors to the area for 25 years. They have
two sons who are in college.
Galanis describes his work as real estate investment banking.
Janae Galanis says she is a mother and her husband's partner. |
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