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Commissioners adopt FY‑26 planning fees and zoning text amendment; public notice authorized for indoor grows
Summary
The board adopted an amended FY‑26 planning and zoning fee schedule (added ADU site‑plan fee capped at $250 and other fees) after removing a proposed $350 subsequent‑hearing fee pending legal review; the board also adopted a final zoning text amendment (FZTA‑25‑01) and authorized public notice for a proposed indoor cultivation text amendment.
Flathead County commissioners adopted an amended FY‑26 planning and zoning fee schedule on Nov. 13 after debate over a proposed $350 fee for subsequent public hearings/new information. Planning staff proposed several new fees (including a $250 cap for accessory dwelling unit site plan review per state statute and a lower fee for buoys in lakeshore applications). Commissioners voted to remove the subsequent‑hearing fee until legal review clarifies which applicant or party would be responsible for the charge; the remainder of the schedule was approved as amended.
The board also adopted final resolution No. FZTA‑25‑01, a published text amendment to county zoning regulations that had a public hearing and no outstanding comments following published notice.
Planning staff reported the planning board discussed cannabis zoning and is considering conditional‑use permits with performance standards (odor, security, inspections, and revocation language) for indoor cultivation. The board authorized publishing notice for a public hearing on an indoor grow cultivation text amendment so the larger regulatory conversation can proceed with public input.
Why it matters: fee changes affect the cost and process for applicants, while text amendments to zoning regulations set the framework for what uses are permitted in particular zones. The planning board’s deliberations on indoor cultivation could produce local performance standards beyond state license requirements.
Next steps: planning staff will finalize notice language and continue research on performance standards and enforcement mechanisms for potential conditional‑use permits; a public hearing will be scheduled following notice.
