Open Lands Citizen Advisory Committee (OLC)
The purpose of the Missoula County Open Lands Citizens Advisory Committee is to advise the Board of County Commissioners and represent the citizens of Missoula County in the protection and preservation of open space and the rural way of life for present and future generations. Read more in the OLC brochure...
OLC Meetings
The OLC Monthly Meetings convene the third (3rd) Thursday of every month at 6:00 p.m. in Room 201 of the Courthouse Annex (unless otherwise scheduled and advertised). All meetings are open to the public.
NOTE: The next OLC meeting is scheduled for February 16, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Missoula City Council Chambers (140 W. Pine Street)
For information on how to apply for one of the vacant positions on the committee, visit the "Members" section or click here.
If you have questions, would like more information or to comment you can email ri@co.missoula.mt.us, call 406-258-3432 or write to Rural Initiatives, 200 W. Broadway, Missoula, MT 59802.
OLC Agriculture Policy
Discussion - Ongoing
The Open Lands Citizens' Advisory Committee (OLC) is exploring options for agriculture policy in Missoula County at the request of the Missoula County Board of County Commissioners. This discussion has occurred at many meetings over the course of the past year. Below is a series of tasks OLC is working through and their progress to date. The list of tasks is based on the Commissioners March 2011 letter to OLC.
Important Note: Any recommendations resulting from OLC's advisory discussions will be forwarded to the Commissioners. Before any new rules or policies regarding the evaluation of agriculture in subdivision or any other subdivision regulation or policy changes are considered, the County Commissioners will conduct an extensive public involvement process. In addition, any subdivision regulation or growth policy proposal resulting from those public meetings will be subject to formal hearings by the Missoula Consolidated Planning Board and the Board of County Commissioners.
| Task | Status as of February 2, 2012 |
| 1. Evaluation and feedback on the CFAC and MOR reports | Completed at April 28, 2011 meeting - Click here for report |
| 2. Guidance regarding what direction(s) the County should pursue in further providing protection to agricultural lands and activities, as well as providing opportunities for agricultural operators in the County | In progress - OLC has been talking about mitigation of impacts of subdivision development on agriculture - see above link to documents under consideration. Before they finish #2 they will have more discussion on subdivision mitigation and they are going to be exploring incentives and other voluntary options for agricultural protection. |
| 3. Advice as to the level of priority for any recommended approaches or strategies. | Not yet started |
| 4. Guidance as to how to involve the public, particularly the farming and ranching community and rural residents, in recommended approaches or strategies | Not yet started |
Below are OLC’s draft documents they have been recently discussing
related to agriculture policy.
No recommendations have been made on these documents.
- DRAFT Missoula County Mitigation Principles and Guidelines (December 2011)
- DRAFT Missoula County Land Owner Conservation Incentives (November 2011)
If you are interested in viewing any past drafts, please contact Rural Initiatives staff either by phone 406-258-3432 or by email ri@co.missoula.mt.us. You are welcome to stop by the RI office at 317 Woody in Missoula.
Below are key reference documents that have guided
OLC’s discussion to date.
- Letter from the Missoula County Commissioners to OLC (March 2011)
- "Losing Ground" a report by Community Food and Agriculture Coalition Report (April 2010)
- "A Place to Grow" a report by Missoula Organization of Realtors Report (July 2010)
- REPORT: "Defining and Protecting Agriculture in Subdivision Review" UM Land Use Clinic Report (June 2011)
- PRESENTATION: "Defining and Protecting Agriculture in Subdivision Review" a UM Land Use Clinic Presentation from June 2011 OLC meeting
Please note: As more documents are added to the website, you may need to frequently "refresh" the page to see the most updated version. If at any point you need assistance or have questions, please feel free to call 406-258-3432 or email ri@co.missoula.mt.us.
Presentations from OLC meetings
- Boyer II & III Bond Project Presentation from Five Valleys Land Trust - November 17, 2011
- Hall-Camas Creek Bond Project Presentation from Five Valleys Land Trust - September 15, 2011
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UM Land Use Law Clinic Powerpoint Presentation - June 23, 2011
- UM Land Use Law Clinic Report on Agriculture - June 23, 2011
- Incorporating Grassland and Shrubland Conservation into Missoula County Programs and Planning - May 19, 2011
- Missoula's Conservation Lands Management Plan: Development and Overview - March 17, 2011
- CFAC Presentation - February 17, 2011
OLC Subcommittees
Upcoming OLC Subcommittee Meetings:
The OLC Outreach and Communications Subcommittee will be meeting on Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 3:30 p.m. in the Rural initiatives conference room, 317 Woody. The subcommittee will be discussing future outreach and communication ideas and plan for future committee work.
- Administration Subcommittee
- County Coordination Subcommittee
- Bond Project Subcommittee
- Communications and Outreach Subcommittee
Good Neighbor Handbook: Information for Rural Landowners in Missoula County
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Click here to view online (file size) To pick up a hard copy, visit us at 317 Woody St in downtown Missoula. |
Open Space Bond
Missoula County voters approved a $10 million bond in November 2006 for the purpose of preserving open space in Missoula County, with half allocated to the County and half allocated to the City of Missoula for use in the urban area. An Interlocal Agreement establishes the procedures for administering the County and City Open Space programs. The purposes for which bond funds can be used include:
- Protecting the water quality of rivers, lakes, and streams
- Protecting wildlife habitat
- Conserving working ranches, farms, and forests
- Providing access along rivers and streams
- Managing for growth
- Providing open space and scenic landscapes
- Providing recreational and commuter trails and wildlife corridors
- Paying non-personnel related transaction costs and costs of initial clean-up and weed control associated with an approved project
In addition to its other responsibilities, OLC reviews and makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) about projects in its jurisdiction area. It bases its recommendations on project evaluation criteria established by BCC resolution.
- Interlocal Agreement for Open Space Bond
- Review Criteria for Open Space Bond
- Level One Open Space Application
- Level Two Open Space Application
Updated February 7, 2012
