MISSOULA — A group opposing a proposed gravel pit near the Blackfoot River is calling on Missoula County to hold a public meeting, following back-and-forth between project developers and county officials.
More than 4,000 people have signed a petition against the project. Blackfoot River Community, a group opposing the project, has organized several community meetings, including one at OddPitch Brewing in Missoula on Thursday night.
In the fall, developers submitted a land use and zoning compliance permit application to the county, which stated they were eyeing the plot for potential “open-cut, sand and gravel operations to include use of a portable crusher and a portable hot mix asphalt plant.”
In response to public concerns, the Missoula County Commissioners asked the developers for more information about the project and paused the zoning application, which Riverside Contracting would need to ultimately get the proposal before state regulators.
In a letter responding to the county, Riverside Contracting said the commissioners were asking important questions but they were not far enough along in the process to provide answers.
“Riverside is in the very early stages of developing plans and evaluating potential uses for this property,” the letter said. “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.”
In their most recent letter, the commissioners thanked Riverside Contracting for their response, but renewed their calls for more specifics on the project. They also said that, while the land is not zoned, the county needs more information before moving forward, saying in part: “… the current unzoned status of the property should not be interpreted as our approval of a gravel pit at this location.”
The commissioners letter also said acknowledged that, if the developers want to proceed and apply for a gravel pit permit with the state, they will need county approval on the zoning form. For that to happen, they asked Riverside Contracting for a different application with more specifics provided, including “a site map, a formal plan of operation and other documentation,” which they would review and determine next steps.
Riverside Contracting has said previously that they are committed to transparency and responsibility and, as they move forward with the project, will engage with the county and residents.
The Blackfoot River Community called the county’s most recent letter a "community win,” but called on Missoula County to hold a public meeting and add safeguards to block industrial proposals in the area.
