Carey, county discuss area of impact expansion

A year and a half after it was initiated, Carey’s effort to gain more control over development outside its city limits has reached the stage of discussions with Blaine County.

At a Carey City Council meeting on Sept. 15, Councilman Randy Patterson described the first of those meetings, held with Blaine County Planning and Zoning Commission member Tom Bowman, as "productive," but added that discussions are still in the incubation stage.

Under state law, all cities automatically have a one-mile-wide belt designated as their area of impact. The city is entitled to review and comment upon all subdivision proposals in that area. Carey would like to expand that distance, but must come to an agreement with the county before it can do so. The city would also like to become the primary decision-maker, in place of the county, on subdivision applications within the area of impact, Patterson said in an interview.

Part of the impetus behind Carey’s desire to take on an expanded role comes from a county policy, stated in its comprehensive plan, to limit development on agricultural land south of Bellevue. Patterson said Carey officials support that idea, but feel it could pose a problem for their town since large agriculturally zoned parcels butt right up to the city limits.

"They’re trying to preserve open space over there, but it kind of cuts us off at the knees," Patterson said.

Carey has put together a negotiating committee composed of city officials and town residents. One of the members of that committee, Vonnie Olson, told the city council that she believed most agricultural landowners in southern Blaine County are not interested in creating subdivisions on their land, but want the freedom to break off parcels for their children to farm. She said that sentiment was behind a petition, signed by more than 200 people, asking the county commissioners to reconsider their proposed changes to Blaine County’s subdivision ordinance.

"The signatures represent hard-working families and not just the gentlemen farmers who don’t have a real stake in their farm’s productiveness," Olson said.

Bellevue resident Tom O’Gara spoke in favor of limiting subdivisions.

"One hundred percent of the time, subdivisions decrease the value of the land," O’Gara said. "If the south county allows hopscotch development to take place, we are not only going to lose the income off tourism, but we are going to lose the intrinsic value of the land we own."

Patterson said in an interview that it will probably be about five months before an agreement is reached with the county, at which time public comment will be solicited.

"We’re going to try to talk to all the people on the county P&Z and let them know what we’re trying to do and get their input before we have a public meeting on it," he said.