EBS STAFF
The City of Belgrade and Gallatin County are working together to transition who is responsible for land use planning in the 4.5-mile area surrounding Belgrade, often referred to as the “Belgrade Donut.”
Beginning July 1, Gallatin County will assume planning and development review responsibilities in the Donut. Both the city and county are coordinating closely to make the transition as smooth as possible, a press release by Gallatin County stated.
The transition, initiated by Belgrade, will shift planning and development review within this area to Gallatin County, allowing the City of Belgrade to focus its resources on meeting new requirements under the Montana Land Use Planning Act.
The City of Belgrade will continue to process complete applications received prior to July 1. However, to provide greater continuity in review, applicants with proposals for subdivisions or buildings for lease or rent, who have not yet submitted, are encouraged to wait and submit directly to Gallatin County after July 1. Gallatin County will begin offering pre-submittal meetings for projects in the Belgrade Donut area starting May 1.
This jurisdiction change will include Gallatin County extending its growth policy to encompass the Belgrade Donut while the City of Belgrade’s planning documents will be updated to comply with the requirements of MLUPA.
The County Commission will discuss the transition and related planning efforts during their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, May 12 at 9 a.m. at the Gallatin County Courthouse. Community members are encouraged to attend and stay involved.
Public input and questions can be directed to the Belgrade Community and Economic Development Department and the Gallatin County Planning and Community Development.
