By Marianne Jackson Amsden
Gallatin County Planning Board, Gallatin County/Bozeman Area Board of Adjustment
BOZEMAN – Two public boards in Gallatin county are seeking applicants, the Gallatin County Planning Board and the Board of Adjustment.
The planning board is seeking two new members, but no applications are on file with the County Commission. The board was recently reduced from 11 to seven members and currently has five of the seven seats filled. This advisory board is tasked primarily with making recommendations to the County Commission on subdivision applications, but also makes recommendations on other documents that potentially affect the whole county. These include the Growth Policy, upcoming Bozeman Area/Gallatin County Zoning Regulation changes, Subdivision Regulation changes, neighborhood plans, new zoning districts and infrastructure.
The planning board has remained active during the economic downturn, acting on the belief that this is the best time for planning. The board feels the county should be in a position to guide growth as the economy recovers while preserving valuable amenities like natural beauty, clean air and water, abundant resources and agriculture.
The Gallatin County/Bozeman Area Board of Adjustment or “Donut BOA” has needed an additional member for almost a year, during which time no one has applied. The Donut BOA is a five-member board that meets the third Tuesday of each month at 4 p.m., as needed.
They are tasked with hearing a variety of zoning matters concerning the Gallatin County/Bozeman Area Zoning District. Unlike some other county boards, the BOA is a decision-making body as opposed to an advisory board.
Serving on the Donut BOA doesn’t require a lot of time (they’ve met only a few times in the last year and can only meet up to 12 times per year). Anyone who resides in the Donut can consider applying and be a part of the process of determining how these zoning regulations are interpreted and enforced through hearing appeals of decisions made by the County Code Compliance Officer and authorizing or denying variances to the regulations.
Apply for the Gallatin County Planning Board online at: gallatin.mt.gov/public_documents/gallatincomt_bboard/boardvacancies. The Board meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 6 pm. Terms last two years.
Apply for the Board of Adjustment online at: gallatin.mt.gov/public_documents/gallatincomt_bboard/boardvacancies.
