MISSOULA — The Missoula County Commissioners sent a letter on Thursday, Dec. 4, requesting more information about a proposed gravel pit in the lower Blackfoot Valley.
They also directed county staff to place a hold on issuing a land use and zoning compliance permit requested for the project, which proposes putting an open-cut gravel mine off Montana Highway 200, about halfway between Johnsrud Fishing Access Site and Bonner near the Blackfoot River.
The letter was sent to Kirk Mace of RCI Properties Inc., who submitted a land use and zoning compliance permit application to the county earlier this fall. According to that paperwork, the developer is interested in using the plot for “open-cut, sand and gravel operations to include use of a portable crusher and a portable hot mix asphalt plant.”
The proposal has drawn concern from many in the community. An online petition to block the project has garnered more than 3,000 signatures and the commissioners referenced these concerns in their letter.
They have control over the county’s zoning permit, but the decision over the proposal mostly rests with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.
“We’ve heard numerous concerns from constituents regarding the unique and pristine nature of the Blackfoot River and potential impacts the proposed operation could have on the area,” the letter stated. “While the state Department of Environmental Quality will ultimately approve or deny the operation, Missoula County is responsible for issuing the land use/zoning compliance permit you applied for and will need to provide zoning compliance review as part of the DEQ application.”
The commissioners requested more information about the specifics of the project. These included questions about the size and scope of the proposed operations, any plans for community outreach, as well as any plans to mitigate impacts to the river and surrounding public and private land.
The commissioners requested a response from the developer by Monday, Dec. 29, 2025.
