Design Concepts from Greening America's Capital's Grant looking at the Downtown Helena Area, Please Comment!

The Last Chance Design concepts from the Greening America’s Capitals project are now available online at www.helenamt.gov.  The public is invited to comment about these proposals.  Please submit comments by March 22, 2013 to kmacefield@helenamt.gov. 

Comments can also be mailed to:  City of Helena Community Development Department, Planning Division, 316 N. Park Ave., Helena MT  59623.

Greening America's Capitals helped the city and community stakeholders create a common vision for designing intersection improvements to improve traffic flow, create safer crossings for pedestrians and bicyclists, and improve the connection to downtown.  The project looked at the one-way/two-way question plus the challenges of a five-point intersection along Last Chance Gulch.

Focus groups helped identify preliminary design concepts and implementation strategies for presentation at the second open house.   These focus groups included:  Business and Economic Development; Green Infrastructure and Landscape; Multi-modal Transportation and Circulation; Historic Preservation, Public Art and Culture; Social Services/Public Health; and Implementation Strategies.

Ideas that spurred the most interest and excitement during the planning process:  improving the crossing of Neill at Front Street and connecting through alley along Women’s Park to historic core; expanding the mall into 6th and Last Chance Gulch Intersection; and slowing speeds in downtown.

Working with the public, the consultants identified incremental opportunities for implementation: striping and sharrows on South Last Chance Gulch; infrastructure project programmed for Front Street; look for other public and private projects that can help implement the Sustainable Street Network.

Greening America's Capitals is a project of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities between EPA, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to help state capitals develop an implementable vision of distinctive, environmentally friendly neighborhoods that incorporate innovative green building and green infrastructure strategies.  This program assists three to five communities per year. 

Helena was selected for the Greening America’s Capitals program in 2012 along with Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Des Moines, Iowa; Frankfort, Kentucky; and Indianapolis, Indiana. 

More information about Greening America’s Capitals can be found at http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/greencapitals.htm. 
For more information, please call 447-8491.  

City of Helena is seeking interested citizens to serve!

CONTACT: Debbie Havens, Clerk of the Commission   447-8410

NEWS RELEASE - PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT 

The City of Helena is seeking interested citizens to serve on the following boards:


Board of Adjustment
One citizen to serve as the alternate member on the Board of Adjustment.  Term will begin upon appointment and expire October 1, 2015. The five-member board acts on applications for variances in the zoning ordinance.  

Helena Open Lands Management Advisory Committee (HOLMAC)

One citizen to serve on HOLMAC.  The unexpired term will expired June 30, 2015.  Members of HOLMAC shall perform various functions for the City related to the management of the open space properties. 

Helena Zoning Commission
One citizen to serve as the alternate member on the City Zoning Commission.  The term will begin upon appointment and expired September 30, 2015. This board shall perform zoning functions for the city and shall be the sole Zoning Commission for the City of Helena.

Public Art Committee

One art organization representative to serve on the Public Art Committee.  The unexpired term will begin upon appointment and expire December 31, 2013.  

This committee promotes community awareness of public art and will be involved in recommendations for providing public art in Helena.  Goals and guidelines have been established to assist the committee members.

Helena Citizens Council
There are currently vacancies in Districts 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 of the Helena Citizens Council.  If you are interested in finding out what district you live in or serving on the HCC, please visit their web page at helenacitizenscouncil.com or call the HCC Coordinator at 447-8493.

 Applications are available at www.ci.helena.mt.us /commission/boards or by calling 447-8410 and can be submitted to the City Clerk’s Office, 316 N. Park Avenue, Room 323, Helena, MT 59623 or by email. 

The deadline for applications is 4:00 p.m., Thursday, March 21, 2013.

Opening for advisory boards and citizens council at the City of Helena. Applications due February 21, 2013.

DATE:  February 6, 2013 

CONTACT: Debbie Havens, Clerk of the Commission, 447-8410

NEWS RELEASE - PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT 

The City of Helena is seeking interested citizens to serve on the following boards: 

Board of Adjustment

One citizen to serve as the alternate member on the Board of Adjustment.  Term will begin upon appointment and expire October 1, 2015. 

The five-member board acts on applications for variances in the zoning ordinance.   

Helena Zoning Commission

One citizen to serve as the alternate member on the City Zoning Commission.  The term will begin upon appointment and expired September 30, 2015. 

This board shall perform zoning functions for the city and shall be the sole Zoning Commission for the City of Helena. 

Non-Motorized Travel Advisory Council (NMTAC)

One resident of the City of Helena to serve on NMTAC.  The term will begin upon appointment and expire March 31, 2015.  Interested persons should have knowledge, expertise and interest in promoting non-motorized transportation and traffic calming.

The general purpose of the council is to advise the City Commission and Neighborhood Transportation Program.  Duties will include:  

1. Recommending priorities in plan implementation and facility maintenance;
2. Advocating for non-motorized facilities in development projects;
3. Developing, supporting and sponsoring educational programs;
4. Advocating for funding in the City budget and identifying potential funding sources;
5. Reviewing and advising on grant applications, including CTEP;
6. Advising on traffic-calming measures;
7. Developing and distributing a non-motorized transportation system map.

Public Art Committee

One art organization representative to serve on the Public Art Committee.  The unexpired term will begin upon appointment and expire December 31, 2013.  

This committee promotes community awareness of public art and will be involved in recommendations for providing public art in Helena.  Goals and guidelines have been established to assist the committee members.

Helena Citizens Council

There are currently vacancies in Districts 2, 3, 4 and 6 of the Helena Citizens Council.  If you are interested in finding out what district you live in or serving on the HCC please visit their web page at helenacitizenscouncil.com or call HCC Coordinator at 447-8493.

 

Applications are available at www.ci.helena.mt.us /commission/boards or by calling 447-8410 and can be submitted to the City Clerk’s Office, 316 N. Park Avenue, Room 323, Helena, MT 59623 or to dhavens(at)ci.helena.mt.us

The deadline for applications is 4:00 p.m., Thursday, February 21, 2013.

Protecting Tenmile Watershed is a Priority for Helena and Opportunity to Demonstrate Collaborative Stewardship of Public Lands

In 2009, the Tenmile Watershed Collaborative Committee, "including residents from the city, Lewis and Clark County, the Helena National Forest, citizens, fire officials, environmental advocates and a timber industry representative - used a consensus-building strategy to hammer out an agreement for a sweeping multiyear series of fire-fuel reduction projects in the roughly 30,000-acre drainage(Helena Independent Record 10/4/09)." 

The working group "reached consensus....on a plan to reduce the drainage's vegetation by 20 percent to 40 percent, using mechanized logging and prescribed fire. Officials say the collaborative effort is a historic achievement, and say the recent MacDonald Pass fire further highlights the urgent need to protect the landscape, the town of Rimini and Helena's drinking-water source(Helena Independent Record 10/4/09)." 

Watershed Moment outlines the process the Tenmile Watershed Collaborative Committee when through, and the conclusions and ground breaking plans they agreed upon.  The second article outlines the current bottle-neck to the project, which is to advance the environmental review required, and agree to by the committee, to develop the more detailed aspects of the landscape treatment plan and to begin work as soon as possible. Both articles show the wide spectrum of support for this project. 

Watershed moment

OCTOBER 04, 2009 12:00 AM  •  BY LARRY KLINE INDEPENDENT RECORD

City officials frustrated at lack of progress on Upper Tenmile fire mitigation Wildfire could threaten city's water supply

JANUARY 27, 2013 12:00 AM  •  BY EVE BYRON INDEPENDENT RECORD

The following photos were taken in the summer of 2011 by Helena City Commissioner Matt Elsaesser on a tour with city staff on FEMA supported projects to protect the flume, which includes city land as well as many private parcels.  - Matt E

Christmas Tree Recycling in Helena

PSA from The City of Helena:

Attn:  All City Residents and Transfer Station customers.

It’s that time of year again and Christmas trees will be collected from City residents for the “Pines for Perch” program beginning January 2nd through January 31st.  Please remove all lights and ornaments and place trees in the alley or on the boulevard for collection – we cannot collect from private property.  Collection will take place during this period so there is no need to call – please be patient - we will get them collected.

Citizens self hauling their Christmas trees can bring them to the Transfer Station just north of Carroll College.  Citizens can either use a Transfer Station permit or pay cash at the scale.  

Trees collected during this period will be hauled to Canyon Ferry Lake where the Fish Wildlife & Parks Dept will bundle and sink them providing shelter for the perch.  

Please do not put your tree in your container.

For additional information call Kim or Jake at 447-8084 or 447-8086.

Openings on City Zoning Commission, Board of Adjustment and Helena Citizens Council. Applications due December 26th!

DATE:  December 11, 2012

CONTACT: Debbie Havens, Clerk of the Commission, 447-8410

NEWS RELEASE - PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT 

The City of Helena is seeking interested citizens to serve on the following boards:

Board of Adjustment (click here or see following)
One citizen to serve as the alternate member on the Board of Adjustment.  Term will begin upon appointment and expire October 1, 2015.

The five-member board acts on applications for variances in the zoning ordinance. 

Zoning Commission (click here or see following)

One citizen to serve as the alternate member on the City Zoning Commission.  The term will begin upon appointment and expired September 30, 2015.
This board shall perform zoning functions for the city and shall be the sole Zoning Commission for the City of Helena.





Helena Citizens Council (click here)

There are currently vacancies in Districts 2, 3, 4 and 6 of the Helena Citizens Council.  If you are interested in finding out what district you live in or serving on the HCC please visit their web page at helenacitizenscouncil.com or call HCC Coordinator at 447-8493.

Applications are available at www.ci.helena.mt.us /commission/boards or by calling 447-8410 and can be submitted to the City Clerk’s Office, 316 N. Park Avenue, Room 323, Helena, MT 59623 or to dhavens (at) ci.helena.mt.us.

The deadline for applications is 4:00 p.m., Thursday, December 26, 2012.

CITY ZONING COMMISSION

The Zoning Commission shall have 5 members and 1 alternate, all of whom must be residents of the City of Helena.  Members’ terms shall be three-years. The alternate will serve only in the event that a regular member is unable to attend a meeting.  Three members constitute a quorum.  Meetings are the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m., Commission Chambers, City-County Building. 

BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT

This 5-member board acts on applications for variances in Zoning Ordinances. This Board was established by Ordinance 1766 and amended by Ordinance 2384 revising the membership to include a member of the City Commission. Members’ terms shall be three-years. Meetings are the 1^st Tuesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. in 7:00 p.m. in Room 326, City-County Building.

City of Helena Solid Waste Services and Transfer Station Closed this Thursday, Thanksgiving

Attn: All City of Helena Residents & All Transfer Station Customers

The City of Helena Solid Waste Division will be closed and will not be picking up garbage on Thursday, November 22nd, 2012 (Thanksgiving). If your garbage is normally picked up on Thursday you will need to put your container out on Friday, November 23rd.  The City of Helena Transfer Station will also be closed on Thursday, November 22nd, 2012.

More details and additional City of Helena information at the city's homepage.

- Matt E