THE GALLATIN RIVER TASK FORCE AND GALLATIN WATERSHED COUNCIL
There is no question about it, Gallatin County (County) has grown. According to census data, our county has seen a whopping 42% rise in population since 2010. A big question remains: how can we effectively plan to ensure that there is enough water for everyone living here, now and in the future?
One recent encouraging answer to that question is the Future Land Use Map (FLUM), a planning tool designed to guide the county’s development in a way that reflects community values and addresses resource concerns like water quality and availability.
What is the Future Land Use Map (FLUM)?
The County’s creation of the FLUM is a process required by state law in regard to land use planning. The intent of the map is to visually depict the Gallatin County Growth Policy, a core document that informs and guides land use decisions.
The FLUM collectively reflects years of public engagement, from the 2003 growth policy to the 2021 update, and recent FLUM feedback. It emphasizes the value our community places on rivers, wildlife, open spaces, agricultural heritage, and affordable housing, shaped through extensive collaboration between planning staff, the public, and experts.
The map is intended to paint a picture of where and how we want to direct growth in our county, considering the goals and priorities of the growth policy as well as important factors like wildfire and flood risk, slope, proximity to public water and sewer, wildlife corridors, and other spatial data.
Earlier this month, after nearly a year of collaborative efforts and community engagement, the Gallatin County Commission decided unanimously to adopt the FLUM. The commission emphasized that the FLUM is non-regulatory and does not alter current County processes.
Instead, the FLUM provides science-based guidance for community members, developers, and elected officials to inform land use and development review decisions to minimize potential negative impacts from growth.
Water Plays a Key Role
Water quality and availability are central to the FLUM’s design, and the Gallatin River plays a significant role in shaping the county’s future development plans. Since water is a limiting factor in our county, the land use categories were identified based on the carrying capacity of land and water resources and access to public water and sewer.
As watershed groups, the Gallatin River Task Force and the Gallatin Watershed Council enthusiastically supported several key aspects of the FLUM that align with water stewardship and sustainable development goals. Here are a few examples.
The map layers guide development away from high risk and sensitive areas, discouraging development in sensitive zones, like floodplains. The map also recommends keeping open spaces connected by directing growth toward existing infrastructure to optimize land and water resources.
By incentivizing hook-ups to public water and sewer systems by encouraging higher density development in areas with public water infrastructure, the FLUM aims to limit the use of exempt groundwater wells and septic systems that impact water quality and quantity. Map layers also consider water availability and quality, taking into account nearby wildlife, recreation, agriculture, tourism and more.
Lastly, the FLUM is adaptable, allowing the county’s amendment to be adjusted based on new or updated data.
Managing growth is not easy, but it is important in order to keep our river and watershed healthy, especially as we contend with an increasingly sensitive water supply. The FLUM is a step in the right direction.
The Gallatin River Task Force stewards the Upper Gallatin River while the Gallatin Watershed Council stewards the Lower Gallatin River. They work together to ensure a healthy Gallatin Watershed. Learn more about the FLUM on the County’s Envision Gallatin webpage, and more about Gallatin River Task Force and Gallatin Watershed Council on their websites.
