County to review subdivision rules

Flathead County could have a new set of subdivision regulations in place by early next year.

The county planning office began updating the regulations last week. The intent is to correct existing deficiencies and bring the regulations into compliance with new legislation approved earlier this year.

"What we want is a wholesale rewrite," Planning Director Jeff Harris said during a kickoff meeting on Thursday.

"We want to keep this as simple as possible," he said. "The things that aren't broken will just be carried over. But a lot of things need to be looked at, and the best way to do that is with a lot of input."

Five local surveyors/engineers, two lawyers and three county planning board members will help draft the new regulations.

The subdivision regulations spell out what developers must do to get a subdivision approved. They address such issues as the application process, review procedures, variances and design standards.

Harris said he'd like to have the new regulations ready in draft form by Christmas.

Beginning in January, he said, his staff will be tied up writing the new growth policy. If the subdivision regulations aren't updated by then, "there's a good chance they'll be on hold until the following Christmas."

To meet that deadline, weekly review sessions will be held for the remainder of the year.

Once a draft set of regulations is available, it will go to the Flathead County Planning Board for a formal public hearing. Final approval is up to the county commissioners.

A set of model regulations, prepared by the University of Montana's Land Use Clinic, will be used as a template for the new county regulations.

The model takes into account new subdivision laws that were approved during the last legislative session. Some of the laws take effect Saturday; others take effect Oct. 1 next year.

Reporter Bill Spence may be reached at 758-4459 or by e-mail at bspence@dailyinterlake.com