Belgrade commission recommends public participation plan required under state land-use law

City staff presented a draft public participation plan and the Belgrade Interim Planning Commission voted to recommend the draft to the city council at its first meeting on Sept. 29, 2025.

Brad Stein, the city's senior planner, told the commission the draft plan is a framework required by the Montana Land Use Planning Act (MLUPA) and explained how staff plan to use tools such as the Be Heard Belgrade portal and public charrettes to gather input. "The public participation plan ... is a requirement of state statutes through Montana Code Annotated as part of MLUPA," Stein said.

Stein said the plan does not yet include a firm schedule; staff will present a fuller explanation at the next meeting when consultant Charles Raul with Cushing and Terrell is available. Stein also told commissioners the city expects to meet MLUPA requirements by May 26, 2026 and noted that, under the newly adopted bylaws, meeting materials will be provided at least three business days before meetings as a minimum.

After a brief discussion and questions from commissioners about how the plan would be amended as the city works through implementation, a commissioner moved to recommend the draft public participation plan to the city council (the motion referenced a statutory requirement in the Montana Code Annotated). The commission voted by voice and the chair announced the motion passed.

Staff said they will forward the recommended draft to the city council and bring a fuller presentation on MLUPA and public outreach at the next meeting. No public comments were recorded at this session.