Environmental Review

Snowy Mountain Development Corporation is currently assisting the Petroleum County Commissioners along with the Petroleum County Community Center Building Committee with completing an environmental review for the development and construction of the Petroleum County Community Center located within city limits of the Town of Winnett, MT.  The proposed project will occupy the entire south side of the “100” block of East Main Street between Lepper and Ashley Avenues. As part of the environmental review process, we are seeking your input and comments to help evaluate the impacts on both the physical and human environments, including cumulative and secondary impacts, by the proposed action.

 

The proposed project is to develop a multi-function Community Center on property owned by the Petroleum County Community Center, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization. Currently, Petroleum County uses the basement of the County Courthouse for gatherings but does not have a dedicated facility for a public gathering place. They currently have to borrow space from the high school and other public buildings. Some of these buildings are limited on ADA (American with Disabilities Act) Accessibility and make it difficult to host events. Other community functions require the residents to travel outside of the county to Lewistown or Grass Range to allow for larger gatherings such as weddings. The need for a large community gathering space in Petroleum County, specifically in Winnett inspired a grass-roots effort to raise funds, solicit public input, acquire land, conduct a Preliminary Architectural Report to eventually build a multi-function Community Center in the heart of Winnett to better serve the local community.

 

The county and building committee have partnered with SMDC and applied for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to help support the cost for constructing the center that will better serve the senior citizens and low to moderate income residents of the community and an environmental review is required as part of the application.