Belltower Subdivision at Old Lolo School Site

I would like to add onto the disc golf portion of this. As a new dad with young kids I would love a place I can take my kids to let them learn the game. The Lolo course used to be perfect for this. It’s also about getting people active, outdoors and healthy!

Please seize this opportunity to incorporate open space projects within any development plans being submitted. This land previously utilized disc golf as an affordable recreation available for all in the community. It would be fantastic to see a disc golf course brought back with any new development of the area. Please show that we in Western MT prioritize outdoor recreation along with affordable housing options.

I relate to the four listed comments thus far. Affordable housing is an issue and yes, once established as such, it will no longer be "affordable", not in this market!... traffic patterns... also, any great point... where I live and in my complex... good luck... no lights to direct anything that could be considered substantial! I overpay for rent, I can't get out when I want too... and then there is leisure.... the work/life balance as it is called... that doesn't exist! I finished a day at work and want to take the wife and kids somewhere to bond and clear the mind. I can't! The stress of high rent, the stress of traffic turns everything sour! I enjoy disc golf... it clears my mind... it's simple and it's for everyone... the awesome course that used to exist behind Lolo School was awesome! I don't think anyone appreciated as much as they do now that is gone!... I know the plan is to have a new course at the school's new location but it doesn't offer the same disguishment the former had. I believe that the teacher (Brian Jacobson, if I recall), that pushed for the course and implemented it all, had the right idea. I feel that his example should be followed through with whatever developer comes in. The space is there, community support will be there and those residents will have something and somewhere to take their family for engagement time and not have to deal with traffic! Affordable.... remains to be seen if there are multiple groups and individuals willing to volunteer to make the disc golf course happen again!

As a member of the local disc golf community and wanted to speak up in support of bringing back the 9-hole hillside disc golf course as part of the new Belltower subdivision project.

The old course was beginner-friendly and gave local families an easy, cost-effective way to get outside and be active. With several disc golf groups in the Missoula and Bitterroot areas, there are plenty of people willing to help get a new course installed.

We’d love to see this great community resource included in the plans.

Before Lolo School sold the property, a beginner-friendly nine-hole disc golf (folf) course was located along the mountainside. It offered valuable recreation for youth and families and was actively used by our community. Its removal left Lolo with one fewer space for inclusive outdoor activity.

At the public presentation by Karl Treadwell of 406 Engineering, several attendees asked about reinstating the course. Karl noted that future park planning would fall under Missoula County Parks (page 113 in the Review Packet)

Now that the county has opened the plan for public comment, I'm hoping to advocate for restoring the disc golf course, an accessible and well-loved recreational resource.

While I understand the original course equipment belongs to Lolo School, I’d love to explore collaborative options for re-establishing the course. As an avid disc golfer with hands-on experience in community programming, course design, and course maintenance, I’m eager to support its return in any way I can!

This truly needs to be looked at. 1)is it needed, the answer is no. This is a project the developer will sell as either affordable or as efficient living. Once they build it prices will rise less than halfway through the project and become again out of reach for younger people. As a builder I find it hard that this project will not cause issues with in lolo.
2) the systems in place can not handle the impact this development will bring, I build all over and impact fees should be what pays for the added strain to the current system. We see impact fees in Utah that cover parks, sewer strain and much more costing upwards of $15k-$30k. The board needs to really look at this beyond tax revenue. No one is itching to move to lolo that bad and affordable homes don’t truly exist unless they are poorly built and end up costing the buyer more to run.
3) Does this development board even know what is going on the commercial and the vacant lot, this is one way to approve something and really get shafted by the developer after the fact. What is missing here is a clear plan, a plan that lays out home usage, meaning are they going to get bought by investors, are they going to turn into rentals, what is the underlying plan that you as a board aren’t thinking of. I have been GC most of my life and I see boards miss things because they are looking at $$ first and the plan last.
4) ask more questions, not just here but everywhere you make decisions. I’m pro-building I do it for a living but I have seen to much greed. What value is this actually bringing for the people of lolo? Nothing small lots with small with a poor build plan.
5) traffic impacts where’s the report that many people getting in and out will surly not work well, the traffic was bad when it was a school.

Again I build for a living, exactly what they are trying to build, I buy lots and build for developers who do this type of thing. I live in Lolo and I would not choose to build this project this way. To high density. Fire is a risk are they thinking about fire (WUI) wildlife urban interface?? If or I should say when there is a fire with such tight lots there should be restrictions on building and codes in place. I bet the board has not thought about this. What are the CC&R’s for this development? They will skimp on the exterior if they can risks are there. If this board in Missoula county doesn’t think about WUI they should educate themselves. Where the school sits is in a prime area for house to house flame spread if they build tight lots without fire code implied to the developer. We are at risk low infrastructure in place to handle when there is a fire because someone forgot to be safe. Or weather causes a fire to start. High density buildings from my 20+ years of experience is has more scrutiny then you are giving this project especially MT. Look at other examples across the west where fire devastation occurred and will not only effect Bell tower but the people above and below. Think twice and bring experts who know what they are doing in to review the whole plan people who do t look at tax dollars over actual plans again I’m pro build but only if it’s right and i only look at the right way vs the wrong way

What is the plan for the traffic patterns with all these new homes going in? The traffic will overwhelm the current light which is already over loaded and makes it difficult to turn left onto Tyler way. Why would we build more homes when none of the lots done by blue mountain road have sold yet? Clearly the housing market doesn’t need more homes right now. From what I’m told they couldn’t find enough water to do the planned project on lake view drive to provide water to the subdivision that’s already there, how are the current utilities supposed to support all these new homes?