Montana's growth policy resource book

2006·2.3 MB·English

by  Montana. Community Development Division

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Montana's Growth Policy
Resource Book
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MONTANA'S GROWTH POLICY
RESOURCE BOOK
Montana DepartmentofCommerce
Community Development Division
301 S. Park
P.O. Box200523
Helena, Montana 59620-0523
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://comdev.mt.gov/
April, 2006

:
FOREWORD
This publication, Montana's Growth Policy Resource Book, is intended to assist people involved
with county and municipal planning in Montana. This publication describes and interprets the
requirementsof76-1-601, MCA, Montana'sGrowthPolicylawenactedbythe 1999legislature.
The best approach forpreparing a community growth policy is a topicthat can sparkstrong debate
among professional planners and citizen planning board members. Ultimately, each communitywill
havetodecideontheapproachthatworksbestforthem.
The staffofthe Montana Department ofCommerce, Community Development Division, Community
Technical Assistance Program (CTAP) originally prepared this book in 2003. Participants in the
project included RichardWeddle, DivisionAttorney; GavinAnderson, CTAP Program Manager; Kelly
Shields, CTAP Planner IV, and Mary Vandenbosch, Resource Policy Analyst with the Legislative
ServicesDivision.
Laterin 2003, the Montana Legislature, facedwith a $300 million deficit, made a numberofcuts in
state programs to balance the budget, including eliminating the Community Technical Assistance
Program.
TheGrowthPolicyResourceBookwasrevisedandupdatedin2006byateamconsistingof:
• DaveCole,AdministratorofCommunityDevelopmentDivision;
• Gus Byrom, Manager of the Community Development Block Grant Program (Housing and
PublicFacilities);
• JimEdgcomb,ManageroftheTreasureStateEndowmentProgram,and
• DorisFischer, PlanningDirectorforMadisonCounty.
Weviewthis publication as"aworkin progress"and invite yourcomments orsuggestionsforhowit
canbeimprovedandmademoreusefulforMontanalocalgovernments.
Thepreparation ofthispublication was funded, inpart, with technicalassistance fundsprovidedby
the CommunityDevelopmentBlockGrant(CDBG) Program, U.S. DepartmentofHousingandUrban
Development(HUD).
The Montana CDBG program provides matching grants to local governments forthe preparation of
GrowthPolicies. Formoreinformationcontact
CDBGProgram-HousingandPublicFacilities
MDOC/CommunityDevelopmentDivision
301 SouthParkAvenue-P.O. Box200523
Helena, MT 59620-0523
Phone:[phone] TDD:[phone] FAX: [phone]
Website: http://comdev.mt.gov/CDD cdbg.asp
Upon request, the information provided in this publication will be made available in an
alternativeaccessibleformat.

CONTENTS
Foreword
Preface 1
Chapter1-IntroductiontoGrowthPolicies 4
Montana'sNewPlanning Law 4
GrowthPolicyOverview 6
PreparingaGrowthPolicy 7
Chapter2-DevelopmentofGoalsandObjectives 9
GoalsandObjectives 9
GoalsandObjectivesStatements 11
PublicParticipation 12
Chapter3-RequiredElementsoftheGrowthPolicy 14
Maps 14
LandUse 14
Transportation 16
Population 18
HousingNeeds 18
EconomicConditions 20
LocalFacilitiesandServices 21
PublicFacilities 24
NaturalResources 26
OtherElementsoftheGrowthPolicy 27
ProjectedTrends 29
Summary 30
Chapter4-OtherGrowthPolicyRequirements 31
ImplementationTools 31
StrategyforPublicInfrastructure 31
GrowthPolicyImplementationStrategy 32
StatementofInterjurisdictionalCooperation 32
SubdivisionReviewStatement 32
PublicHearingStatement 33
AdoptionoftheGrowthPolicy 33
Chapter5-ImplementationoftheGrowthPolicy 34
General 34
RelationshipofGrowthPolicytoLandUseRegulations 34
SubdivisionRegulations 35
Zoning Regulations 35
RelationshipoftheGrowthPolicytoZoningRegulations 37
BoardofAdjustment 37
InterimZoningRegulations 38
ProtestofCountyZoning 38
ExtraterritorialProvisions 38
DevelopmentPermitRegulations 38
DevelopmentStandards 38
PointSystems 39
FloodplainRegulations 40
LakeShoreRegulations 41
ConservationEasements 41
Capital ImprovementsPlanandCapitalBudget 41
SpecialPlans 42
CommunityImprovementProjects 43
OtherPotential ImplementationTools 44
Chapter4-EvaluationoftheGrowthPolicy 45
APPENDICES
AppendixA: UrbanandRuralGrowthinMontana 46
AppendixB:GrowthPolicyStatute(76-1-601,MCA) 60
AppendixC: PossibleDefinitionsForTermsUsedIn76-3-608(3)(a),MCA 65
AppendixD:InternetSitesThatMayBeUseful 66
AppendixE:GrowthPolicyChecklist 69
"
PREFACE
"Theonlyconstantischange, continuingchange,inevitablechange;thatisthe
dominantfactorinsocietytoday. Nosensibledecisioncanbemadeanylonger
withouttakingintoaccount,notonlytheworldasitis,buttheworldasitwillbe.
-IsaacAsimov
Therewereapproximately240,000peoplelivinginMontanain 1900. By2000,thestatehad902,195
residents, anincreaseof662,195people. By2005, Montana'spopulationwas935,670.
Some areas ofMontana saw significant increases in population during the 1990's. While Montana's
population grewbyabout 10percentbetween 1990and 1999, several countiessawincreasesof20
percentormoreduringthistimeperiodincluding:
Increase1990to 1999 Increase2000to2005
D BroadwaterCounty
Accordingto Swanson, someofthepeople movingtoMontana areolderwith adequatesavingsand
retirement income. More and more retirees are skipping the warmer, but increasingly crowded,
SunbeltstatesandchoosingthenorthernRockiesstateslikeMontana. TheCensus Bureausaysthe
populationofpersons65andolderwillincreasefasterintheWestthananyotherareaofthecountry.
Increasing numbers are middle-aged people with at least part oftheir income based on retirement
income, investmentearnings, orsavings. Manyofthemdon'thavetoworkfull-timetolivein Montana
orhave outside sources ofincometo supplement a Montanajob. Others have sold homes in "hot"
realestatemarketsandpurchased replacementhomesin Montanaatsubstantially lowercost, giving
them instantcash andsavingstodrawupon. With accesstothe Internet, manyofthese immigrants
possess skills in the "knowledge" industries such as consulting, investments, research, and writing
thatallowthemtoliveanywhereand"telecommute".
Onestudysaidthatretireeswhomigratetendtobehealthier,wealthier, and bettereducated. Alotof
these peoplewantto be located in smalltowns. Whilequality oflife is part ofthe attraction, lower
costhousing isalsoamajordraw. Someofthese"immigrantretirees"areactuallynative Montanans
who spenttheirworking careers elsewhere andwho nowhavethetimeand resourcesto be ableto
returntoMontana. Oneorganization,"TheComeHomeMontana Project"hasorganizedastatewide
efforttoencourageformerMontananstoreturnand, hopefully, tobhngtheirbusinessesandjobswith
them. If people aren't from Montana, but would enjoy Montana's lifestyle, they are encouraged to
come,too.ThegroupisworkingtogetallMontanacommunitiestoparticipate.
(Website; http://www.comehomemontana.org/>)
Demographerstell usthatthistrend is likelytosurgeeven more, beginning in2008, whenthefirstof
the "baby boomers" become eligible for early Social Security retirement. Some 77 million "baby
boomers"wereborn between 1946and 1964. Sincethepeakofthe"boomers" arestill intheirmid-
fifties,thistrendislikelytocontinue,nationwide,fortwentysomeyears.
It also appears that this growth is principally impacting county governments, ratherthan cities and
towns. A 2001 study by the Department ofCommerce indicated thatforthe fifteen fastestgrowing
counties, the majority of growth has occurred in unincorporated areas. The study is included in
AppendixA, UrbanandRuralGrowthinMontana.
Some communities* may view these demographic trends as a threat, others as a potential
opportunity. In a round about way, this brings us to why community planning is important. Some
communities may be concerned about how rapid growth will change their community. Other
communities maybeconcernedabouthowthe lackofgrowthoractualdecline in populationwill hurt
theircommunity. Montanans are notcomplacent; theycarevery much about howtheircommunities
look and the quality of life in them. Community planning is a critical tool to helpthem manage this
change. Whethergrowingordeclining, manyMontanacommunitiesareworkingtocreateavisionfor
their future and developing growth policies under Montana's new planning law to accomplish that
vision. Forcommunities that are declining in population or growing slowly, the term "growth policy"
may not seem appropriate; it is their option if they choose to refer to the document using the
traditionalterm"comprehensiveplan".
The EnvironmentalQualityCouncil report, PlanningforGrowthinMontana, identifiedseveralbenefits
ofcommunityplanning:
D Reducesincreasesintaxesandfeestlirouglimoreefficientprovisionofsen/ices.
D Fosterswiseandttiougtitfulinvestmentsinmajorpublicfacilities, suchasroads, waterandsewer
systems, solidwaste, andfireprotection.
n Makes communities saferandhealthierby encouraging well-designed streets, protecting water
quality, anddeterringdevelopmentinunsuitableareassuchasfloodplains, wetlands, faultzones,
andunstableslopes.
D Helpstomakeacommunitymoreattractivetoinvestmentbybusinessesandindustries.
D Protectsspecialcommunityvalues, suchashistoric, cultural, scenicandnaturalfeatures, orrural,
2