Applicant seeks comprehensive-plan change to allow industrial use on Rountree-area land; commission urges concurrent rezoning

The Planning Commission considered a proposed comprehensive-plan amendment from Gregory Rountree’s applicant to prepare roughly 325 acres near Rountree for industrial development by changing the character-area designation from suburban/rural to general urban and extending the Gallatin Gateway Industrial Center subarea.

Planning staff explained that, while the property is not yet annexed, Plan Gallatin’s character-area map extends to the urban growth boundary and can be amended to anticipate annexation and future rezoning. Staff said the request would make the northern portion consistent with adjacent industrial lands, where the prevailing character area is general urban.

Speakers at the meeting urged caution and suggested it may be clearer to process the comp-plan amendment and rezoning concurrently so the commission and public can see the proposed industrial zoning at the same meeting. Commissioner questions centered on whether the city should create a distinct industrial character area on the map—a process staff said would require public input and take longer than the applicant’s suggested timeline. Ben Allen, the city attorney, reminded commissioners that rezoning must be consistent with the comprehensive plan and that, administratively, the comp-plan amendment should be approved before a rezoning on the same agenda.

The applicant’s representative, Zach Elliott of GreenLab Design, said they would consider proceeding with the comp-plan amendment and rezoning at the same time and that their intent is to make the property amenable to industrial uses rather than to lock in a single development program. Commissioners asked staff and the applicant to coordinate timing and public-notice steps before returning the item for formal action.