News in brief
Sunday, March 30, 2003

BOZEMAN -- Another farm family has agreed to leave land undeveloped if officials can come up with the funds to pay for the arrangement, Gallatin County officials said.

The county commission this week approved spending $350,000 in bond money to help buy a conservation easement that bars development on about 1,550 acres of the Wally Brownell farm. The deal depends on whether the county gets federal money to pay for the rest of the easement, estimated at $1.4 million.

"If something happens to me, the rest of my family's taken care of, and the land's taken care of," said Brownell, 62. "We think it's a good way to go."

Brownell said he and his family made the decision after watching land developed around his farm.

"We have subdivisions on three sides," he said. "Some of them are pretty good and some of them -- I probably shouldn't say this -- aren't so good. I see what happens on some of the land, and I don't want that to happen to my property."

Brownell's ancestors were some of the earliest settlers near the base of the Horseshoe Hills.

Several other easements totaling more than four sections of land have been arranged, county officials said.

"It might not be long before we have to start beating back applications for this program," Commissioner John Vincent said.