Belgrade council approves rezoning for property at 184 Baileys Way

Belgrade — The Belgrade City Council on Aug. 4 approved, on second reading, an applicant-initiated zoning map amendment to reclassify the property at 184 Baileys Way from Residential Suburban to Flex Employment.

Senior planner Brad Stein told the council the application was applicant-driven, that the city completed required mailings and newspaper notice, and that staff recommended the change. Stein cited Montana Code Annotated when describing the city’s authority to apply zoning to contiguous properties outside city limits. Chad Davis, representing the property owner, said the parcel sits adjacent to Interstate 90 and is already bordered by newly rezoned commercial properties, making it a logical transition to commercial uses.

Councilmember Minicucci moved to approve the change and the motion was seconded; the council voted unanimously to adopt the zoning amendment. No members of the public spoke during the hearing.

Why it matters: rezoning to Flex Employment permits a wider range of commercial and light industrial uses than the prior Residential Suburban designation and could speed development on a site with direct highway access. The change is consistent with the property's underlying future land use map designation of commercial, staff said.

Next steps: The ordinance passed on second reading at the meeting; implementation will proceed under the city's zoning code and any future development proposals will require the standard permitting process.