More than 100 families have invested their life savings in homes in the Little Bear Creek area between Gallatin Gateway and the Gallatin Canyon. We move or built lives here because of the rural residential and agricultural landscape set before the magnificent mountains and Spanish Peaks. All our hopes and dreams are about to be dashed against the immovable reef of inaction by county commissioners and the unquenchable thirst for garish development.
A beautiful 120 acre parcel of agricultural land at the southeast corner of US-191 and Wilson Creek Road has been sold in five parcels, ostensibly for construction of industrial-like buildings to support Big Sky area construction and residents. Because the parcels pre-existed subdivision rules, any construction on this land avoids the requirement for environmental impact statements despite being used by the Gallatin elk herd to cross US-191 and being invaluable winter grazing ground for both elk and mule deer.
The recent US-191 Corridor Study by the Montana Department of Transportation raises several important concerns, including wildlife impacts, agricultural land preservation, and traffic safety, The study makes reasonable persons question the wisdom of commercial development along this section of the highway. At significant expense to their family, the Turners generously ensured the west side of 191 would forever be a beautiful landscape and wildlife preserve for future generations. Adjacent and to the east side of this very same road, development moves along without a plan or oversight. To watch our county commissioners stand idly by while this last piece of paradise gets lost to commercial interests is both saddening and maddening.
David Sankey
Gallatin Gateway
Bozeman Daily Chronicle Letter to the Editor 3/10/21