On Dec. 3 the Livingston City Commission approved a comprehensive rewrite of Chapter 30 (zoning) but voted to remove a newly proposed agricultural district for additional study.

Director of Planning (Director Jen Severson) summarized the text amendment and four changes requested after an earlier first reading: prohibit fireworks stands as an allowed use, fold supportive/transitional-housing language into standard residential uses, clarify the R-2 district description, and expand and refine an agricultural district concept. Severson said the proposed agricultural district would emphasize open space preservation, set a large minimum lot size and limit higher intensity uses; the staff proposal tentatively recommended a 30-acre minimum and a maximum building height of 36 feet in the ag district.

That proposed agricultural district drew immediate public attention. Conservation groups (Friends of Park County; Montana Freshwater Partners) urged protections for river-adjacent working lands and conservation tools; at least one landowner who would be affected asked not to be restricted and said they plan to pursue conservation easements rather than required agricultural production.

Commission deliberations focused on whether an agricultural-only zone is the right tool inside city limits, whether it would constitute spot zoning, and whether other tools (annexation agreements, development agreements, conservation easements, subdivision regulations, floodplain rules or conservation PUDs) could achieve the same goals without the legal risk commissioners feared. Several commissioners noted that many other Montana cities place agricultural-zone land outside city limits (in extra-territorial jurisdiction) and that ag uses inside a city raise different policy issues.

After debate the commission adopted the zoning text but directed staff to omit the agricultural district from the ordinance and return to the commission with alternate approaches. "We have tools beyond zoning — annexation agreements, conservation easements and floodplain regulations — that we can use," one commissioner said during deliberations.

What to expect next: staff will return with revised language and additional analysis. The zoning map amendments (where the zones are applied) will be considered in a subsequent, separate resolution. Two other land-use ordinances (floodplain and subdivision rules) were continued to a special meeting on Dec. 4 to allow more time for review.

Vote: The commission adopted Ordinance 3064 (zoning text update) by roll call after a motion to approve the text with the agricultural district omitted and corrections identified in committee; the motion carried.