Commission to Weigh Westside Woods Requests Monday
Sussex Construction seeks to change agreed conditions on the 172-unit Westside Woods development in Helena.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Construction
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Sussex Construction has asked the Helena City Commission to waive or modify previously agreed conditions for Westside Woods, a development promising 172 dwelling units. The commission will consider the requests on Monday, November 9.
Why it matters
The requests would affect safety improvements near Kessler Elementary, landscaping and traffic work, and access to usually-reserved parkland. The outcome shapes how Helena balances development timelines against infrastructure and school safety commitments.
The Westside Woods approval was granted in April 2023 with a 2029 completion expectation, later extended to 2030 for Sussex Construction. Sixty-seven public comments were submitted on the requests, and the commission has not yet ruled on them.
The players
Sussex Construction
The developer behind the Westside Woods project seeking modified conditions from the city.
Ron Bartsch
CEO of Sussex Construction who presented the company's requests to the Planning Commission.
Helena Public Schools
The district that passed a 2025 bond to reconstruct Kessler Elementary, near the development site.
The details
Sussex Construction's CEO Ron Bartsch presented the requests to the Planning Commission on October 13. The company argues its budget is in the red after multiple redesigns, and says it volunteered for a flashing crosswalk in 2023 before Helena Public Schools passed a 2025 bond to reconstruct Kessler Elementary. City staff recommends against unconditional access to parklands but supports deferring some infrastructure with an enforceable plan.
Timeline
April 2023: Westside Woods approved with a 2029 completion expectation.
2025: Helena Public Schools passed the bond to reconstruct Kessler Elementary.
October 13: Planning Commission reviewed the requests.
Monday, November 9: Helena City Commission will consider the requests.
Development Agreements
The Westside Woods requests test whether conditions attached to its April 2023 approval, extended to 2030, remain binding as construction falls behind schedule. The city staff recommendation favors enforceable, city-approved plans over open-ended waivers.
Residents near Kessler Elementary and Granite Avenue could see changes to safety and traffic improvements depending on the commission's decision. Parkland access and deferred landscaping would affect how the neighborhood develops over the next several years.
The takeaway
Conditions attached to development approvals only protect the public if they are enforced, so readers following Helena growth should watch how the commission treats deferral requests.
What happens next
The Helena City Commission will consider Sussex Construction's Westside Woods requests on Monday, November 9.
Further reading
For related local development coverage, see Construction in Helena business news.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Independent Record.
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