Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Neighborhood Plan topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council adopts Billings Heights neighborhood plan with staff amendments
Summary
After a public hearing and staff-led amendments to align with the Billings 2045 plan and Montana law, the council adopted the Billings Heights neighborhood plan. Council approved the package including revisions on housing strategy, street-safety language, and an acknowledgement of the Heights Water District relationship.
Billings City Council approved a resolution adopting the Billings Heights neighborhood plan as recommended by staff and the interim planning commission, after a public hearing and council amendments. Planning staff summarized five proposed amendments — including language to encourage smaller-lot single-family homes and clarifications tied to the Billings 2045 plan — and council accepted the package with the amendments.
Planning staff explained the Heights plan updates are required under the Montana Land Use Planning Act and contribute to the citywide Billings 2045 framework. The staff presentation noted the plan will inform housing, transportation, economic development and infrastructure decisions in the Heights. One speaker during the public hearing, Jeff Kettleson, raised procedural concerns and referenced an ethics complaint he said relates to the interim planning commission process; the mayor and staff advised ethics or procedural questions could be raised through existing channels.
Council voted to adopt the Heights plan with the amendments as presented by staff. The action includes specific language changes to the implementation strategies and an item-by-item amendment approach that council used during the meeting. Staff said final plan language will be updated to reflect the amendments and posted to the city’s planning documents.
