Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Planning And Zoning Administration topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning staff reports permit mix, fee review and proposed office name change
Summary
Planning and Zoning staff summarized recent planning board recommendations, noted revenue and permit trends, proposed fee schedule adjustments to match CPI, and floated renaming the office to better reflect services.
Eric Mack of Flathead County Planning and Zoning briefed commissioners on recent planning-board recommendations and department activity. The board recommended approval of four files including the parking/loading and temporary-swine zoning text amendment (which the commissioners later authorized a public-hearing notice for). Mack said planning board members and MSU Extension 4-H participants discussed the temporary swine proposal at the planning-board meeting.
On departmental revenue, Mack reported month-to-date revenue of about $13,000, behind last year’s pace but within the multi-year range. He said short-term rental applications and lakeshore permitting have increased and that floodplain and lakeshore permit activity is expected to rise in the spring.
Mack proposed a fee schedule adjustment (approximately 12.1% in one option; an 8% alternative was discussed) to better align fee revenue with inflation-driven cost increases (postage, supplies, wages). He floated potential new fees: a phase-subdivision public hearing fee, a fee for ADA accommodation requests, and a reduced lakeshore renewal fee (proposed example $150 versus the current $430) to reflect minimal staff work on routine annual renewals.
Mack also noted ongoing work on subdivision regulation text amendments (including streamlining fire-district requirements) anticipated for an October amendment depending on legislative changes, and suggested renaming the office (example: Land Use Services) to reflect the broader scope of services.
Commissioners and staff discussed fee rationale, comparisons with other counties, and the balance between revenue and public pushback—Mack proposed excluding lakeshore fee increases to limit controversy. He will provide follow-up materials for fee-schedule consideration during the budget process.
