Can We Keep People from Moving to Flathead?
Dear Commissioners: “More people are moving into an already crowed valley and it’s insane. This valley can’t support more people.” I get that question nearly every day, “Brad, what are you doing to protect our water, our very way of life?”
Here’s how I usually respond:
Flathead County is very dear to me. My father moved here over 100 years ago at the age of three. Later, my father had to leave Flathead for better job opportunities; but the lure of this majestic valley brought him back when I was about seven. I spent the next thirty years in the timber and lumber business helping manufacture products to build homes and businesses growing throughout the valley. My friends, family and co-workers hammered the nails and moved the dirt. These were “good jobs,” and we were grateful for them.
Then, we were told that the lumber business was bad for the environment. The mills shut down -- lack of raw product -- smoke filled our skies and thousands of acres that could no longer be logged burned in the summer. Now, instead of timber, we're sharing another natural resource: we’re a major tourist attraction. The tourists come in every summer. They spend money, keep our small mom and pop shops open for another season, and they might clog our narrow roads with their big RVs. Most will go home; many will make this home.
I don’t believe that limiting development will stop people from moving here. They are coming regardless. But the alternative to not building more houses will drive the cost of home ownership even higher, forcing our children and grandchildren to live somewhere further away. Or our economy will plummet, and people will have to leave to find employment. We all enjoy the freedom to live where we want. People want to escape their life in the big cities, more now than ever, to our little piece of heaven.
Studies show we must add 15,000 housing units over the next ten years (1,500 per year) to keep up with projected growth. The majority of these must be affordable for our workforce and children who are just starting on life’s journey. We hear about the lack of infrastructure, and we know we must catch up. Flathead County is working with the cities and MDOT to make necessary improvements: we have secured $25M for upgrades to West Reserve Drive; completed the bypass to Highway 93; are studying traffic lights and additional safety solutions; and we’re learning ways we can expand highspeed internet across the state, (well to those who want it).
I believe the only way to save our farmlands, protect our water, and enjoy our rural life, is for responsible growth to happen in higher density areas where services are already provided.