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Council approves zone change for Town Pump site at Jackrabbit and Amsterdam over staff preference
Summary
Council approved Ordinance 2025-2 to rezone the former Flying J/Town Pump parcel to Commercial Corridor (CC), 5-1, after applicant and planning board argued the CC zoning better fits the site layout and safety concerns.
Belgrade City Council approved a zone map amendment, Ordinance 2025-2, to change the parcel at Jackrabbit Lane and Amsterdam Road (formerly a Flying J site) to Commercial Corridor (CC) zoning at the council's second reading and vote.
Planning staff told council the site had defaulted to Flex Employment (FE) zoning under the new code, which places buildings near the street and parking behind them. Town Pump, the applicant, asked for CC zoning to allow a store surrounded by fuel pumps and separate truck and passenger circulation. Planning staff said FE remains appropriate for the corridor's street-front character but that CC is a permitted option for gas stations. The Planning Board reviewed the application and voted unanimously to recommend the CC rezoning.
Applicant representatives said safety and circulation drove the request: placing the building and pumps under the CC layout can separate pedestrian and passenger-car movement from heavy truck circulation and give emergency vehicles better access. "From the standpoint of safety is the primary reason that we're looking at this," said Joe Murphy of Big Sky Civil and Environmental, the site's engineer. Applicant representative Dan Sampson described traffic modeling intended to route commercial vehicles to Amsterdam and keep truck traffic away from Jackrabbit.
Council members asked technical questions about Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) approach permits and whether MDT could require changes to access during site-review. Staff told council that approach work and final drive locations will proceed through MDT and site-review processes and that some approaches may be eliminated or adjusted by MDT.
Councilmembers debated the zoning choice and traffic implications on Jackrabbit. One councilor noted a deed restriction on the property that bars future hotels; the applicant confirmed that restriction. After discussion the council voted to approve the zone change; the motion carried 5-1.
The rezoning is a zoning decision only; site layout, access permits and approach work with MDT will be addressed in later site-review steps. Staff and applicants said those processes could change circulation details but would not remove the zoning flexibility CC provides.
The council directed staff to proceed with the zoning amendment as approved; site plan review and MDT coordination will follow.
