Lawmakers battle Local Govts over zoning rules

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Read the entire article in the Ravalli Republic, by David Erickson

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“the bill is opposed by the Montana League of Cities and Towns, the Montana Association of Planners and the Montana Environmental Information Center. The bill is also opposed by city officials in Missoula, including mayor Jordan Hess.

Representatives from all three organizations said that all cities in Montana have different needs and situations and that planning needs to happen at the local level with input from the people who live there rather than mandates at the state level.

Kelly Lynch, the executive director of the League of Cities and Towns, said that Zolnikov and groups like Americans for Prosperity that support the bill, haven’t asked local governments how they feel about it. If the same language of the bill were to be introduced at a city council meeting, she said, there might be a lot of questions.

“There would be hours of public testimony into the night,” Lynch said. “Very few members of the public are here today.”

Ann Schwend with the Montana Environmental Information Center said that “comprehensive zoning reform across and entire jurisdiction” gives her concern.

Neil Cardwell, the city planner for Belgrade, Montana, said his city has already approved 7,000 housing units, which is what the entire Gallatin Valley needs to address population growth. He said the bill isn’t necessary, because local governments are already doing a lot to create housing stock”

Lawmakers battle local governments over zoning rules

A Billings senator has introduced a bill that would take away some zoning and planning powers from cities and towns as a way to encourage more housing growth.