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May 3, 2010 Board of County Commissioners Missoula City Council Missoula County Courthouse 435 Ryman 200 West Broadway Missoula, MT 59802 Missoula, MT 59802 RE: Expenditure to support acquisition of 102 Acres on “Bonner Hill” Members of the Board of County Commissioners and City Council: The Open Space Advisory Committee members (OSAC) enthusiastically recommend that the City of Missoula expend $25,000 of 2006 Open Space Bond Funds to participate with the Natural Resource Damage Program in the acquisition of 102 acres on the east side of the playground of the Bonner School. The Natural Resource Damage Program will contribute $115,000 of the $140,000 total cost. This property, a local landmark and recreation area known to residents throughout the area as “Bonner Hill,” would be owned and managed by the Bonner School District. School Superintendant, Doug Ardiana has met with many enthusiastic local individuals who would love to see this property preserved for a host of reasons, which include protecting wildlife habitat, providing open space and scenic landscapes for residents of the greater Bonner/East Missoula area, and providing recreational trails. “Bonner Hill” is a mostly steep timbered hillside with one old logging road that switchbacks once on the property. As one person said, the local people have looked at it, walked on it, hunted on it and maintained the on the hill for generations. There are no structures on the property that is the easterly backdrop for the historic Bonner mill site, the rows of “company housing,” the historic Kelly Pine Baseball Park and the Bonner School. After a short climb, it offers an overlook for the entire Milltown/Bonner area. Jamie Jonkel with FWP has observed wolf, black bear, and moose using the northwestern edge of the property to get to the I-90 bridge across the Blackfoot River and thus it is a significant local wildlife corridor. Deed restrictions on the property would prohibit subdivision and development or transferring ownership in any way that would limit its intended purpose for public open space, field-based education and wildlife habitat. School Superintendent, Doug Ardiana’s enthusiasm for the project is quite contagious. Locals and OSAC members see the property as a community forest that would provide an on-site venue for a variety of conservation classes and projects, an extension of the playground for those seeking a hike in the forest and a continuing landmark for the Bonner Community. Mr. Ardiana already has offers from residents to help with the planning and any necessary upkeep. OSAC Members unanimously supported this expenditure of open space funds. Approval of this expenditure would provide for three of the seven types of land uses mentioned in the 2006 Open Space Bond and it would also provide the people in Bonner Area part of the Open Space resource, literally in their back yard. The Committee respectfully recommends this expenditure of 2006 Open Space Bond Funds. Tim Aldrich, Chair Open Space Advisory Committee