Qunell, Dupont tackle questions about the Bigfork, Lakeside areas

Ed. note: The following is a list of questions posed to County Commissioner candidates Steve Qunell (D) and Jim Dupont (R).

Dupont opted not to respond to all of the questions, but did give a statement, which is printed below.

Both candidates' responses are shown here in their entirety.

From Jim Dupont: While the questions you ask are valid concerns, it would be very presumptuous of me to respond without further research into each situation before reaching any conclusions. I have only heard bits and pieces of the arguments and wouldn't feel comfortable in rendering a decision on such short notice.

Some of the questions are currently involved in litigation and it would be inappropriate for me to respond, until a court decision is reached.

1. With communities like Bigfork, Somers and Lakeside presently working on either updating or creating their neighborhood plans, how do you view the role of neighborhood plans and should zoning be used to enforce those plans and promote smart growth?

Qunell: In a county that is largely unzoned, neighborhood plans are the only way for a group of people to come together and plan for their future. These plans allow people to protect their property values and their property rights. The county recently made all neighborhood plans non-regulatory with the sweep of a pen based on one very specific incident in one neighborhood. I don't think that's fair because most of these plans were developed with the idea that the plan would in fact guide new development in those areas.

Since the change brought by the county, if a neighborhood plan includes a zoning plan, that part of the plan becomes regulatory and falls under the county's zoning code. The rest of the neighborhood plan fits into the growth policy and is not considered regulatory; rather it is an advisory document. The problem continues however, that a land use advisory committee (like BLUAC) makes recommendations and the commissioners have the final say, and unfortunately the commissioners have a significantly inconsistent record with respect to following recommendations. Following the recommendations of the advisory boards - with some minor modifications as necessary - seems the best way to proceed under the current system because it would maintain the integrity of neighborhood planning areas. It also allows growth to proceed in an organized and coherent manner.

2. Bigfork and Lakeside have both felt slighted by the commissioners in recent years because of the commission's seeming disregard for the advise put forth by advisory groups. How will you promote greater cooperation and goodwill between such advisory boards and the commission?

Qunell: I know how to listen and I know how to resolve conflict in a way that leaves everyone involved feeling like they were heard and respected. Not everyone gets everything all the time; we all must negotiate at times. In my experience on the Whitefish City/County Planning Board, I have noticed that there is a great deal of cooperation and negotiation that goes into our recommendations and I'm certain that is what happens throughout the county. It's important that the commissioners listen to the recommendations of the advisory board and pay close attention to the minutes of those meetings. It doesn't mean that the commissioners rubber stamp recommendations, but the hard work of these volunteer boards must be given thoughtful consideration.

3. Would you be in favor of a proposal—like the one being floated by Flathead County Commissioner Joe Brenneman—to create a middle ground of government such as a township to give places like Bigfork and Lakeside more local control over such decisions?

Dupont: I do agree with Commissioner Brenneman that townships are a way communities can have more local control of issues. I would work with Joe on this should the issue present itself.

Qunell: Local control is important and I will work closely with Joe to find the right solution for Bigfork and Lakeside. It is equally important to not recreate many of the problems that have arisen over granting complete control of jurisdictional areas. I will make sure that cooperation and communication guide decision-making across the county. I believe strongly that we need to be cooperating more these days because we all share in the values that make the Flathead special.

4. Where do you stand with regard to the North Shore Ranch controversy versus conservation and preservation of this important area? Is the North Shore of Flathead Lake an appropriate place for large-scale development?

Qunell: I don't think that area is appropriate for large scale development and I want to thank all the people that got together to provide important information about the area that otherwise would have gone unnoticed. I also feel that the communities down there dodged a significant bullet and hope that they will stay active in making sure that they get some plans in place for how they would like to see their area grow. But lets make sure we don't blame the developer for wanting to make a profit on the land down there. The blame lies in a faulty system of rules that would allow something like that to move forward in the first place - and it is not the only important area that is at risk of becoming developed. I believe squarely that most people will do the right thing when it comes to doing what is right by their neighbors. Unfortunately we have a set of rules that favors the people that have other interests in mind. We shouldn't fault the people with other interests. Instead, we need to change the faulty system of rules.

5. In the wake of an April accident on the East Shore, truck traffic along highway 35 has been a big concern for residents along both sides of the lake. What would you propose as a way of addressing this issue?

Dupont: I feel Montana State Department of Transportation is involved in a study of the hazards and possible solutions in increasing the safety and concerns of the folks living along Highway 35, and with the protection of the Lake. I have attended one of their public meetings and feel they are attempting to address the problem and concerns of the public. We must wait until the results of the studies are complete before coming to a conclusion without all the facts.

Qunell: The state is in control of what kind of traffic is allowed on state highways. As commissioner I will work with the state DOT to make sure that we have some common sense rules in place that would prevent something like that from happening again. We also have to remember that we need to work with Lake County because there are problems with their infrastructure down there, too. Some ideas that I think are worth considering and I will talk to Jim Lynch about are 1) requiring certain types of materials to use the other side of the lake, 2) restricting length of trucks on Hwy 35, 3) providing incentives for using Hwy 93 instead of Hwy 35, and 4) Lowering the speed limit on Hwy 35 - especially for trucks. Two things to keep in mind: It's doubtful the state will take on the cost of upgrading the infrastructure on the length of Hwy 35, but they might on the inadequate portion of Hwy 93, and with every new regulation, enforcement of all regulations becomes more difficult.