Park County

The purpose and role of the planning board

The MCA (76-1-102) encourages local units of government “to improve the present health, safety, convenience, and welfare of their citizens” and to plan development of their communities to the end that:

• Highway systems be carefully planned.
• Community centers will grow only with adequate highways, utilities, health, educational and recreational facilities.
• The needs of agriculture, industry, and business will be recognized in future growth.
• Residential areas will provide healthy surroundings for family life.
• The growth of the community will promote the efficient and economical use of public funds.

The purpose of the Planning Board is to serve in an advisory capacity to the County Commission to accomplish this objective. 

According to the MCA (76-1-106), the role of the Planning Board is to prepare a growth policy, if requested by the County Commission, and to serve in an advisory capacity to the Commission.  The planning board may propose policies for:

• Subdivision plats;
• The development of public ways, public places, public structures, and public and private utilities;
• The issuance of improvement location permits on platted and unplatted lands; or
• The laying out and development of public ways and services to platted and unplatted lands.

The Planning Board is responsible for advising the Commission on the approval and disapproval of plats or subdivisions.  The Park County Planning Department assists the Board and is responsible to the Commission.  Planning Department Director Mike Inman and Planner Lawson Moorman provide administrative support by taking meeting minutes, preparing agendas, providing reference materials and recommendations, and drafting policies. The Planning Department also facilitates communication between the Board and the Commission.  Decision-making authority resides solely with the County Commission.

The functions of the planning board

The Planning Board is responsible for subdivision review and policy development related to land use.  According to the Department of Commerce’s Planning Board Handbook, planning boards spend more time on subdivision review than any other function, followed by the development and implementation of growth policies.  Other functions, if applicable, include the development of zoning regulations, lakeshore regulations, and urban renewal plans; review of conservation easements; development and proposal of policies and requirements for subdivision regulations; regulations for the development of public streets, facilities, buildings, and private-public utilities; and, plans for public infrastructure.

Subdivision review

A subdivision is a division of land into parcels intended for sale or transfer.  A plat is a document that creates the land into subdivision lots.  Subdivision review is a 10-step process mandated by the Montana Subdivision and Platting Act.  The process is discussed in Chapter 3 of the Planning Board Handbook. 

It is the responsibility of the Planning Board to review the Planning Department staff report, provide a meaningful opportunity for public review and comment on the proposed subdivision, consider the application, staff report, comments from the applicant, agencies, and the public, and provide a written recommendation to the County Commission.  The Planning Board’s recommendation to the Commission includes the following information:  findings of fact, conclusions, the rationale behind the recommendation, and supporting materials used to make the recommendation.  The County Commission makes the final decision to approve, conditionally approve, or deny the proposed subdivision.

growth policy

A growth policy is a non-regulatory document that guides decisions regarding a community’s physical development.  The Planning Board is responsible for preparing or updating a growth policy at the request of the County Commission.  Planning Board members work with staff and consultants during the growth policy development process.  A consulting firm is typically hired, through a competitive bid process, to help facilitate the process, interview stakeholders about key issues, and draft the document. 

Planning Board members guide the goals and objectives of the process, review draft documents and materials, discuss drafts with the Planning Department staff and consultants during public meetings, encourage engagement with the public to gather information and obtain comments, hold public meetings, and make a recommendation to the County Commission.  The Commission approves or denies the recommendation.

Get involved

The Planning Board meets on the 3^rd Thursday of every month at 5 pm in the Community Room of the City/County Complex and online via ZOOM (link provided in all published agendas). Members of the public can sign up to receive all published agendas via email by visiting www.parkcounty.org. Planning Board meetings are open to the public.  Members of the public have the option to attend meetings in-person, online, or by phone.  The notice for meetings is posted 48 hours in advance at the City/County Complex and may be found online by following [this link.]  During each meeting, there are opportunities for comment: scheduled public comment, public comment for items not included on the agenda, and additional public comment before adjournment of the meeting.

To submit public comment in advance or communicate with Planning Board members, please email planning@parkcounty.org.

For more information

public meetings

• To attend meetings online: Follow the link provided on any published agenda, which can be found online at www.parkcounty.org
• To attend meetings by phone: Dial-in information is also included in all published agendas.
• To attend in person: Meetings take place on the 3^rd Thursday of the month at 5 pm in the Community Room of the City/County Complex Building

documents

• Click here to view the Department of Commerce’s Planning Board Handbook.
• Click here to view the Park County Growth Policy.
• Click here to view the Park County Planning Board By-laws.

web resources

• Click here to visit the Planning Board page on the County website.
• Click here to access the Montana Code Annotated statutes regarding planning boards.
• Click here to access public meeting minutes, agendas, and past meeting recordings.

Please direct questions to planning@parkcounty.org.