Paradise Valley Tries For A Perfect Plan One More Time

Park County, Montana, is a major gateway to Yellowstone Park, encompasing the Paradise Valley of movie fame and the still relatively untouched Shields Valley. With Gallatin County's rapid growth spilling over Bozeman Pass, Park County is working to reconcile economic opportunity with preserving some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.

The last [plan] was shot down in a storm of controversy in Dec. 2004, when hundreds of people showed up at a public meeting and angrily denounced it....

'The number of out-of-state individuals seeking vacation homes or properties has increased, as well as the number of citizens seeking homes in Park County who are employed in Gallatin County,' the document says. 'All of these trends necessitate efficient and responsible planning efforts, which can be guided and managed through an effective growth policy.'"