Community Development and Planning
Part 2 Zoning: Helena Valley Zoning Regulation Amendments
Community Development and Planning Contact Information
Community Development and Planning Department
Room 230, City/County Building
316 N. Park Ave., Helena, MT 59623
Department Phone: (406) 447-8374
Department Email: Email
Hours: 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Monday-Friday
Amendments to the Helena Valley Zoning Regulations
PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING AMENDMENTS OF THE HELENA VALLEY ZONING REGULATIONS
The Lewis and Clark County, Montana, Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing to consider amendments to the Helena Valley Zoning Regulations on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. in Room 330 on the third floor of the City?County Building, 316 North Park Avenue, Helena, Montana.
The current Helena Valley Zoning Regulations and map were adopted by the Board of County Commissioners on November 19, 2020 per Resolution 2020-97. The area subject to the Helena Valley Zoning Regulations and its draft amendments is based upon the boundaries of the Helena Valley Planning Area as set forth in the County’s Growth Policy: Helena Valley Area Plan. The adopted zoning map and an interactive GIS map is available here. Additional description information is available by contacting the Community Development and Planning Department.
As allowed by State Law (Section 76-2-201, Montana Code Annotated), the purpose of the adopted Helena Valley Zoning Regulations and their draft amendments is to promote the public health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the community. The draft amendments are specifically related to Section 2: General Requirements and Exceptions; Section 7: Rural Residential Mixed-Use District (RR); and Section 21: Planned Development Overlay District (PD) and are consistent with the policy recommendations of the Lewis and Clark County Growth Policy and its complimentary Helena Valley Area Plan. The general character of the proposed amendments include, but are not limited to: allowing the creation of lots below the minimum lot size requirement for public services/facilities under Section 2; removing the language regarding street standards, adding language to allow for PDs, and reorganizing the language regarding setback requirements under Section 7; and establishing requirements and public processes for PDs to allow for higher densities and permit more flexibility on properties in both the RR and Suburban Residential Mixed-Use (SR) Districts if the development constraints are mitigated under Section 21.
The draft amendments, current regulations, and current map are on file for public inspection at the Office of the County Clerk and Recorder, Room 113, and at the Community Development and Planning Department, Room 230, 316 North Park Avenue, Helena, Montana, and are also available here:
Proposed Amendments to the Helena Valley Zoning Regulations, as recommended by the Consolidated City and County Planning Board (Resolution 2022-1, a Resolution of the Consolidated City and County Planning Board to recommend amendments to the Helena Valley Zoning Regulations)
Helena Valley Zoning Regulations, adopted November 19, 2020
Helena Valley Zoning Map, adopted November 19, 2020
The Board of County Commissioners will accept written and oral testimony at the public hearing. Written testimony may be provided in advance of the public hearing and may be mailed to Community Development and Planning Department, 316 N. Park Ave., Room 230 Helena, MT 59623. Written testimony may also be emailed to planning(at)lccountymt.gov
For further information, please contact the Community Development and Planning Department, Room 230, 316 North Park Avenue, Helena, Montana 59623; Phone: (406) 447-8374; Fax: (406) 447-8398; Email: planning(at)lccountymt.gov
The Consolidated City of Helena and Lewis and Clark County Planning Board (Planning Board) held a public meeting to consider amendments to the Helena Valley Zoning Regulations at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 at an electronic meeting held via ZOOM. An agenda for the meeting can be accessed here and what was originally presented to the Planning Board can be accessed here.
At the end of this meeting, the Planning Board did make a recommendation on amendments, with additional changes, to the Helena Valley Zoning Regulations to the Board of County Commissioners.
Written Comments Distributed to the Planning Board:
A Planning Board Member requested that this PowerPoint presentation (October 2017) from the County's Water Quality Protection District be posted here (Note: link will take you to a Montana American Water Resources Association Webpage).