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Columbia Falls launches land-use plan update, consultants outline tight timeline and outreach
Summary
City and planning commissioners heard a kickoff presentation from Cushing Terrell on a four-phase land use update tied to a state compliance deadline. Consultants outlined outreach, an online survey and adoption milestones while residents pressed for broader notice, stronger outreach and attention to housing affordability and natural resources.
Columbia Falls officials and residents on Tuesday kicked off a city-led update to the municipality's land use plan as consultants from Cushing Terrell outlined a four-phase schedule and public-engagement strategy designed to meet a Montana compliance deadline.
"This is the current, kind of nomenclature for that...and how the community can be involved," said Elizabeth Sackman, an architect with Cushing Terrell, introducing the firm's role. Nora Bland, director of planning for the firm, told the meeting the project website and an online survey have launched and the survey will be available through December 11.
The consultant team said Phase 1 is the kickoff and outreach; Phase 2 will gather data and establish a baseline; Phase 3 will produce a draft future land use map and recommendations; and Phase 4 is adoption. Bland tied the schedule to state requirements, saying the work is intended to keep Columbia Falls in compliance with the Montana Land Use Planning Act and that the city must…
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