Ponderosa Pines/Three Forks, MT (renting, how much, house)

[Reziac]

Ground is probably still frozen under the mud, otherwise you'd be digging that truck out yet

You might want to invest in one of those snowplow mechanisms that hook to the front of a pickup, depending on how far up the HOA road maintenance comes in winter. I had a neighbour in Bozeman who had one and he kept the road clear for all of us (he lived at the very end of the road, so kinda had to plow the whole road anyway!)

[happiness is]

Update in the news regarding the Clarkston road.

Tuesday the Gallatin County Commission will consider paving about 13 miles.
From the Bozeman Daily Chronicle
"The commission accepted an ad hoc committee's recommendation in January that the county pave the road from Logan Bridge to Crystal Mountain Road near the Clarkston Fire Service Area station, to the tune of $4.8 million. If approved, owners of the 1,200 lots in the district would pay about $374 each year for 20 years to finance the project."
Link to the full article
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle: News - County to decide on tax to pave Clarkston Road

[Reziac]

Let's redo that math:

$374/year x 1200 lots x 20 years = $8,976,000

Not including any cost overruns, of course. And I suspect most people are forgetting that this is just for the main road, not for any of the side roads, let alone the back reaches. (Doubtless some realtors are selectively forgetting that!)

However, at least it's being paid for by those who will benefit from it, not by the taxpayers at large.
.

[Mt-7]

I am still wondering about the goats?
Wouldn't a passing Grizz enjoy a good meal?

[Reziac]

I have an idea about that... Goats will climb, and don't mind being up on high places. I've seen them on barn roofs and up in trees. Grizzlies are not, to my understanding, all that big on climbing.

So: build a pole barn. Lay plywood on the roof so it's not slippery and can take some weight. Add a middling-steep ramp to the roof, with cleats to make it climbable for hoofed critters, and fairly narrow so it's really only attractive to goats. Feed the goats on the roof so they learn to get up there (they can be lured up by feed on the ramp to start with). Now, once they know about that, use a trained herding dog to 'threaten' the goats and purposely drive them up the ramp onto the roof. The object here is to teach the goats to flee to the roof whenever they feel threatened by a predator, and to feel safe so they don't try to jump off and get hurt or eaten anyway.

I'm not sure if this would work, but if you have grizzly or wolf kills on your goats, it sure would be worth a try. Keeping the goats penned up all the time wouldn't do much for keeping the weeds eaten down, so...

[sweetmelissa32]

Originally Posted by Reziac

Let's redo that math:

$374/year x 1200 lots x 20 years = $8,976,000

Not including any cost overruns, of course. And I suspect most people are forgetting that this is just for the main road, not for any of the side roads, let alone the back reaches. (Doubtless some realtors are selectively forgetting that!)

However, at least it's being paid for by those who will benefit from it, not by the taxpayers at large.
.

We must have got lucky because our realtor was really honest about how bad the roads are. I really don't mind paying the $374 a year ($31.16 mth) if I have to. That is less than a set of tires so if it saves on wear and tear and makes the commute a little faster I am game.

I had not heard that about goats but I know my husband really wants a pole barn so he will be happy to hear it. You all have been so helpful and I really appreciate it!

[happiness is]

Here is another update on the Clarkston road decision
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle: News - Gallatin County delays Clarkston Road decision to allow residents more time to combine lots

[Morganpony]

Was in Clarkston ( as it is known ) at Ponderosa Pines just today, picking up an old Genny to spruce up for the ol homestead..

The road is about average for a MT back road, and the land is also about average -I have seen people buy benchland in Whitehall and get worse land.

I'm sure there is goodly winds and snow in the winter tho. Don't know how many ways there are to get into there, but we came in thru Logan ( the main 3-frx overpass is out for rebuilding) and you go thru the Cement plant to get there. I imagine that when the plant is working it might not be a great way to drive =)

Anyway there seem to be lots of people living out there, and everyone we passed by waved at us....

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by Morganpony

Anyway there seem to be lots of people living out there, and everyone we passed by waved at us....

That's cuz when you're a Montanan, you get a motor installed in your elbow so your hand will always wave properly

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by sweetmelissa32

We must have got lucky because our realtor was really honest about how bad the roads are.

Who's your realtor? Honest is always good, keeps the customers faithful