MISSOULA — Many of Missoula’s most well-known recreation and conservation areas — including Mount Sentinel, the Kim Williams Trail, North Hills and Mount Jumbo — are open space bond projects, and in the last year, the city and county have added to that number with several big projects. About half of Missoula’s $15 million in Open Space Bond funds approved by voters in 2018 have been dedicated to projects conserving agricultural land and wildlife habitat, restoring the Clark Fork River and purchasing the former Marshall Mountain ski area. Council Member Amber Sherrill, who helped get the bond on the ballot before running for the council, said administering the money has gone well so far, with projects highlighted in the bond campaign moving forward. However, the remaining funds have to be used thoughtfully as projects become more expensive and a future bond is uncertain, Sherrill said. “Being really strategic and thoughtful about how to spend the rest of the funds we have is going to be imperative in this tax environment,” she said.As interest in conservation projects grows, the bond funding remains an important part of the equation of preserving open space of all kinds, said Whitney Schwab, executive director of Five Valleys Land Trust.  “It takes a lot of hands, a lot of support to get it done, as land values have continued to climb significantly,” she said. “A lot has changed from 2018 to 2024 in challenges but not in what the community values broadly around continuing to have these conserved spaces for connectivity and trails, food security or open vistas and quality and character of western Montana life.”Six years ago, voters passed the $15 million bond to provide public access to water and land, conserve agricultural lands and fish and wildlife habitat, protect scenic views and improve open space lands.  Unlike previous bonds, the ballot language included funding for capital improvements on existing open space, said Zac Covington, the city’s open space program manager. Specifically, residents voiced support for Clark Fork River restoration and trail projects, he said. Of the $7.5 million in bond funds allocated to each jurisdiction, the county has $5.3 million remaining and the city has $2.58 million. The city also has about $200,000 in 2006 bond funds left and $682,000 from a private donated trust fund dedicated to open space projects, Covington said. The city and county have approved 2018 funds for 11 projects so far. The $10 million bond passed in 2006 contributed to 25 projects countywide, and the city-only bonds in 1995 and 1980 went to 17 and five projects, respectively, he said. “Land is expensive now, a lot more than it used to be,” Covington said. “And we’ve had some big-ticket projects.” In late 2020, the city council approved the first project using 2018 bond funds — $462,500 to purchase 350 acres on Mount Dean Stone to provide a new trail and protect open space and wildlife habitat.  Last December, the city and county each contributed $1 million of bond funds to the county’s purchase of Marshall Mountain. Missoula County purchased Marshall Mountain, a former ski area, earlier this year using $2 million in Open Space Bond funds. Credit: Missoula CountyThe city council approved $1 million for the Clark Fork River access and restoration project in February, in addition to the $225,000 used for design.  On Nov. 18, the council approved using $530,000 in bond funds to go toward the $2 million purchase of 5.4 acres off Scott Street for a new park.In another joint project, this month the city and county approved spending $688,000, evenly split between the jurisdictions, on a conservation easement on about 1,667 acres owned by the Indreland family northwest of Missoula. Soon after, the county commissioners approved spending $994,550 on a conservation easement on 2,330 acres owned by the Case Ranch Company in Potomac. Most of the proposals using 2018 bond funds have been approved in the last 12 months, which is not unusual in the “ebb and flow” of projects, said Kali Becher, the county’s open lands project manager. Most projects are matched with other funding from local organizations, state and federal agencies and grant programs, and the availability of that funding affects the number of projects coming to the city or county, Becher said. Economic conditions, land values and organizational capacity all affect projects, she said. Projects like conservation easements involving a private landowner take a lot of time as family members work through the decision, she said. Many of the recently approved projects were started several years ago, but the COVID-19 pandemic slowed their progress, Covington said. Once an open space project comes to the city or county for bond funds, the review process is similar. Staff work with applicants to determine if the project is eligible for the funding and review the ballot language, the 2019 Missoula Urban Area Open Space Plan and other related documents. Both Becher and Covington said they consider the availability of other funding for a project to help stretch the bond dollars. If a project checks those boxes, the applicant prepares a more extensive application that’s reviewed by the staff before going to the volunteer city or county advisory committee for consideration. The committee visits the site, often joined by elected officials. The committee votes on a recommendation and then the board of commissioners or city council makes the final funding decision.  The county-level review takes at least three to four months, not including the early work put in by the applicant, Becher said. While the process is open to the public, projects typically get attention when considered by elected officials. One common concern about some open space projects, typically conservation easements, is spending taxpayer money on land without public access, Becher said. The bond does not require public access for a project to receive funding, but it is considered, she said.  “The key here is that we understand that there are projects where really important values and resources are being protected, but public access won’t work well,” Becher said. “An example of this would be working farms and ranches or sensitive wildlife habitat.”Although a couple of city council members have opposed some projects, they’ve all been approved. Covington said that’s likely because staff and the open space committee do a good job of vetting projects and work closely to ensure that they align with resident goals and the city’s planning documents. The county also sees a high level of project success because of the extensive review before the final vote, Becher said. Problems with the project or its eligibility for open space bond funds are noted early on, she said. “We have really great partners in the community that understand the program well, the community’s needs, and have great working relationships with staff to know whether or not it’s worthwhile to take time to bring forward for a bond ask, given that it’s an extensive project and high level of investment,” Becher said. Five Valleys Land Trust, which helped get the bond on the ballot and has brought forward several open space projects, takes public strategic plans into consideration when vetting projects for bond requests, said Schwab, the executive director.The organization brings forward $3.50 to $4 of other money for every $1 of bond funding it’s asking for, Schwab said. That can include an often considerable contribution from the landowner, she said. Although the open space bond money may make up a smaller percentage of a project total, the amount of money is still significant, Schwab said. “That collaborative spirit is necessary and a reflection of what voters have asked us to do,” she said. “To say, ‘We value this, we’re going to prioritize this community investment to bring us important investments,’ that’s the kind of responsibility and mantle we carry to make sure we’re bringing forward projects that can really move the needle on those community goals.”Those projects are not something that happens overnight, Schwab said. A fast project might take nine months to one year, while others take up to two years, she said. That time includes securing funding sources and negotiating land purchases or terms of conservation easements, Schwab said. Although this time of year is less busy for the county’s open lands team, they anticipate more applications in the coming year, Becher said.  The city’s ongoing Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trails planning process will help inform potential future uses of open space bond funds, Covington said. The city has also been working on its updated land use plan, which prioritizes more equitable access to parkland, open space and trails as Missoula grows, Covington said. The initial public response on open space supports conservation of natural resources, habitat and local agriculture, but with more emphasis on climate and equity benefits, Covington said. That includes working toward the city’s goal of all residents living within a 10-minute walk to a park or other open space, he said. Council Member Sherrill said she would be happy to see open space bond funds used for trail connection projects, especially for areas of town that are cut off from Missoula’s larger trail system. As discussed during the city and county’s joint meeting to consider the Indreland conservation easement project, some council members want to prioritize open space projects within the city, Sherrill said. “As we ask people to live more densely instead of sprawling out, and people are going to be moving here, … I think we have to have ways to get people outside where people have access to get outside,” Sherrill said. “There is a sense among some council people that we need to be really taking a look at things … that will serve and help with the equity piece, making the greenway through town more accessible to everyone.”In-depth, independent reporting on the stories impacting your community from reporters who know your town.The post Half of Missoula’s $15 million Open Space Bond remains after a year of big-ticket projects appeared first on Montana Free Press.