Planning failure: A Flathead case study

I started to write this article nine years ago in western Hungary just after I had left the Flathead Valley and local government planning. At the time, I had titled the narrative, "Planner’s Failure: A Flathead Case Study."

In hindsight, the situation was a failure of a community to come together rather than any one person’s failure. Could I have done more? Probably. Would it have mattered? I do not know. Maybe the future will be different.

Several things prompted me to write this. First was a short e-mail from the Flathead bureau chief of the Missoula Independent saying that my "old opposition" was at it again, wanting to stop land use planning and regulation.

The second was an e-mail from the Flathead Land Trust announcing its 20-year anniversary.

Third was the content of a couple of pro-ranchette articles in the High Country News justifying the author’s choice of residential environment.

By Stephan Herbaly

Full Discussion: http://www.bigforkeagle.com/articles/2005/09/14/editorials/edit01.txt