Canyon Cookery at the Montana Memory Project

The Bridger Canyon Women’s Club’s Canyon Cookery cookbook is live on the Montana Memory Project in the Community Cookbook section! It’s far more than a cookbook–it’s a history of Bridger Canyon, with pictures, from prehistoric times, accompanied by vintage recipes. It’s a real treasure! And it’s now available to anyone who wants to know more about the history of the canyon and the families who formed the Bridger Canyon Community.

It is now available to anyone who wants to know more about the history of the canyon and the families who formed the Bridger Canyon Community. Although they had lots of help from the women of the club, the families of the canyon, and many others, the writers were Linda Peavy and Sally Babcock. It was published by the Bridger Canyon Women’s Club. You can see it in the Community Cookbooks collection: http://mtmemory.org/cdm/search/collection/p16013coll70

North Bridgers Forest Health Project & NRCS EQIP Funding Open House

On October 3, there will be a meeting at the BCRFD community room, to discuss the Forest Service’s proposed North Bridgers Forest Health Project.

In brief, the project concerns vegetation management (with logging, burning and temporary roads) on 2560 acres of the Bridgers and Bangtails, roughly adjacent to Bridger Bowl, Fairy Lake and Grassy Mountain. The USFS page for the project is https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=48493

Map Overlay

North Bridgers Forest Health Project Open House – October 3, 2017, at 6:00 p.m.

Hosted by the Custer Gallatin Working Group

You are invited to an Open House to discuss the North Bridgers Forest Health Project on Tuesday, October 3, 2017, at the Bridger Canyon Rural Fire Department, 8081 Bridger Canyon Rd, Bozeman MT  59715. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the presentations will begin at 6:00 p.m.  The Forest Service will provide an update on the North Bridgers Forest Health Project and Forest Service resource specialists will be on hand to answer questions.

For more information about the North Bridgers Forest Health Project, including a preliminary proposed action, please visit http://data.ecosystem-management.org/nepaweb/nepa_project_exp.php?project=48493

In addition, Justin Meissner, District Conservationist of Montana’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, will make a presentation to residents describing opportunities for landowners to apply for technical assistance, conservation planning, and financial assistance to help defray the cost of weed spraying, forest stand improvement, fence building, stock water, etc. through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).  This funding is unrelated to the above North Bridgers Forest Health Project.

Please note that parking is not allowed in front of the fire station. Park only on the right of the station or in the rear.

Questions? Contact Custer Gallatin Working Group representative Hilary Eisen: heisen@winterwildlands.org

 

School Gulch Timber Sale

DNRC has announced a timber sale on School Trust land in School Gulch. This is on the east side of the Canyon, north of Jackson creek and the Tepee Ridge subdivision. See the letter, map and photo below.

The project will involve about 1.2 million board feet on 208 acres, with 2.7 miles of new road. There may be simultaneous logging on private lands adjacent and across the canyon, but

Evidently this is a “fast track” process, with just 2 weeks to comment (deadline June 15th). Comments can go to Chuck Barone – see the letter below for contact information.

School Gulch LA Timber Sale map
School Gulch photo
School Gulch_ScopingLetter

Update:

The project is moving ahead. An Environmental Assessment has been performed:

School Gulch LA_FinalEAC_signed_062317

Next, the project will be considered at a state Land Board hearing in Helena, July 18th. We’ll post information on how to comment as it becomes available.

Proposed Bylaws Changes

At the 2017 General Meeting, we hope to approve an update to BCPOA’s bylaws. The purpose of the update is very limited: to improve and clarify administration and procedures, and provide for innovations like electronic meeting participation. There is no intent to change the purpose of the organization or shift the balance of power between members and directors.

An introductory memo:
BCPOA-Memo.Bylaws.170424.pdf

A clean draft of the proposed bylaws:
BCPOA-bylaws.170308.clean.pdf

A redlined version, showing changes:
BCPOA-bylaws.170308.redline.pdf

A summary table of changes:
BCPOA-Bylaws.April24table.pdf

The existing bylaws are here.

Public Meeting on Short Term Rentals, Jan 10

The Bridger Canyon Zoning Advisory Committee invites you to attend a community meeting to seek comments on regulation of short-term (vacation) rentals in the Bridger Canyon Zoning District on

January 10, 2017 from 6:30 – 8:00 PM

The meeting will be held at the Bridger Canyon Fire Station

8081 Bridger Canyon Road, Bozeman, MT.

For more information on community meeting please contact the

Gallatin County Planning Department at 406-582-3130.

Background

Richard Lyon has prepared a thorough background document on the topic:

bczac-str-summary-170106-rgl

The summary refers to some draft language alternatives, which are here:

bczac-str-20170101-rgl-tf

BCPOA previously surveyed opinion on this topic, summarized here:

Short Term Rental Survey

There’s some discussion of the issues in the comments on the subsequent post:

General Standards drafts & Sep. 12 2016 agenda

October 2016 P&Z Hearing

Thursday’s Planning & Zoning hearing is a big one, with three Conditional Use Permits (CUPs) on the agenda. (pz_10-13-2016agenda) Also, there will be a separate hearing for a septic variance associated with the Ivey Caretaker’s Residence CUP.

Baker CUP

This is a CUP for an accessory building in Aspen Meadow. BCPOA does not oppose; in fact we’re not certain why a CUP was required in this case.

Update: approved.

aj_bakercup

Lyon Guesthouse

This is a CUP for a guesthouse in Flaming Arrow.

Update: approved.

aj_lyonguesthousecup

That in turn requires a modification of the PUD building envelope. BCPOA thinks PUD modifications must be approached with extreme caution, and must be judged by their net benefits to the public. In this case, the modification seems reasonable because it improves clustering and reduces visibility, without harming other resources like wildlife. BCPOA does not oppose, provided that neighbors and the HOA are also amenable.

aj_lyonbldgenvcup

Simmons PUD

simmonspud2

This application is for a Planned Unit Development that subdivides a 40 acre parcel into three (a 2-dwelling density bonus). The site is east of the controversial Theken barn and the Brass Lantern subdivision below the M. BCPOA has concerns with the proposed siting and other features of the plan, and is working with the applicant in the hope of improving it.

Update: denied.

Application

mg_simmonspudapp

Staff Report

mg_simmonspudsr

simmonspud

BCPOA testimony

bcpoa-comment-simmons-pud-3

Petition for Speed Limit on Kelly Canyon

The following is a link to a petition to establish a speed limit on Kelly Canyon. It turns out that the speed limit on an unposted road defaults to 70 mph, which is obviously not compatible with the road’s design and recreational traffic mix.

kc-speed-sign

This petition would go to the County Commission; if they approve (which is apparently likely), they’d direct an engineer to assess the road and establish a limit.

If you agree, please sign!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/437/761/217/request-to-establish-speed-limit-on-kelly-canyon-road-gallatin-county/

The county’s speed limit procedures are documented here.