BONNER — The developer behind a proposed gravel pit in the lower Blackfoot Valley responded to a request from the Missoula County Commissioners for more information about the project.
Riverside Contracting Incorporated stated in a letter to the commissioners that they are in the “very early stages of developing plans and evaluating potential uses” for a 64-acre property off Montana Highway 200 near Bonner.
Earlier this fall, they submitted a land use and zoning compliance permit application to Missoula County. According to that paperwork, the plot was being explored for “opencut, 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. The concern prompted the Missoula County Commissioners to send a letter earlier this month, asking for more information and putting a hold on the permit application.
Watch previous coverage: Community meeting held in opposition to proposed Blackfoot Valley gravel pit
Riverside Contracting and RCI Properties, owner of the plot, responded to the commissioners via letter on Dec. 12.
“Your inquiries are pertinent. Riverside is in the very early stages of developing plans and evaluating potential uses for this property. We are working with environmental professionals and subject-matter experts to gather site-specific data that will inform our planning efforts and help us identify potential impacts to the surrounding environment,” the letter read in part. “This effort will require many months of data collection and analysis before any decisions can be made regarding what operations may or may not occur at this site. Once we have definitively identified any proposed operations and their potential impacts, we will be able to fully address your questions.”
The letter also said Kirk Mace, whose name was on the permit application, is not involved in the project. In an email to MTN, Riverside Contracting said they plan to engage with the county and residents when they have more plans.
Read the full letter below:
Riverside Contracting and RCI Properties would like to clarify their involvement with the property at 14815 Hwy 200 E in Bonner. In the interest of transparency, we’ve attached the letter that was mailed to the Missoula County Commissioners on Friday, December 12.
As emphasized in that letter, the development of this site is at its earliest possible stage. Riverside Contracting is still evaluating the site, gathering baseline information and exploring possible uses. No decisions have been made, and there are no defined plans or scope of operations at this time.
We understand the community’s interest and are committed to remaining open as this process moves forward. Once we have a clear understanding of what may be proposed for the site, we will share that information publicly and engage with Missoula County, local partners, and nearby residents. We simply aren’t at that point yet.
Riverside Contracting is a multi-generational Montana-owned company with more than 40 years of working alongside communities across the state. Whatever the next steps may be for this property, our intention remains the same: to act responsibly and transparently.
We will continue to keep you and the Commissioners informed as planning progresses.
Thank you for your time,
Dwayne Rehbein, President
Riverside Contracting, Inc.
