Butte-Silver Bow planning board opens 30-day public review of draft zoning ordinance

Allison Mauck, senior consultant with Orion Planning and Design, and Julia Crane, planning director for Butte-Silver Bow County, presented a working draft of a new Butte-Silver Bow Zoning Ordinance to the Butte-Silver Bow Planning Board on June 26, opening a 30-day public comment period.

The draft replaces the existing zoning code with a 15-chapter ordinance that reorganizes district standards, consolidates use tables, introduces building- and development-type standards, and adds new chapters on landscaping, environmental design, enforcement and definitions. "We are excited to present the working draft of the Butte Silver Bow Zoning Ordinance," Crane said in her opening remarks.

Why it matters: The planning director and Orion emphasized that the rewrite is intended to implement the goals of the county's 2020 comprehensive plan by protecting historic character, guiding redevelopment, improving housing attainability, and aligning the zoning code with recent state statutory changes. "This code promotes safety, public welfare and convenience within Butte-Silver Bow" and will explicitly link to statutory requirements, Mauck said.

Key points from the…