Planning board presents countywide zoning code rewrite as public raises alarm over Silver Bow Drive‑In

Butte‑Silver Bow — Director Julie Crane on July 31 outlined a draft, countywide rewrite of the Butte‑Silver Bow zoning code and invited public comment on the document that staff and contractor Orion Planning and Design have been drafting since 2023. The presentation summarized chapter‑by‑chapter changes designed to align regulations with the 2021 Butte‑Silver Bow Comprehensive Plan, clarify definitions and measurement rules, and make more mixed‑use, form‑based development possible across the county.

Why it matters: the rewrite would apply to all currently zoned property in Butte‑Silver Bow and is intended to replace an existing code last substantially updated in the 1970s. The draft changes how districts are named and measured, centralizes use tables, adds chapters on environmental design and hazard mitigation, and proposes clearer procedures for variances, enforcement and nonconforming uses.

Crane described the code structure and timeline, saying the formal rewrite began in July 2023, resumed drafting in January 2024 after staffing changes, and that the draft presented July 31 follows an audit and multiple public open houses in July. She told the board the public comment period for the draft was open through Aug. 8; staff scheduled a working meeting for the planning board on Aug. 28 and said the planning board may vote to forward a recommendation to the…