Open Houses provide feedback on north Powell County zoning concerns

OVANDO –Powell County Planning Board hosted two separate open houses in Ovando and Helmville April 1 and April 4 to discuss the zoning requirement for Powell County Zoning District 3. According to Powell County Planner Carl Hamming, the Open Houses were an effort to gather what people liked, disliked and what they saw as a future vision for zoning for Ovando, Helmville and the northern Powell County region.

Hamming said within Montana state code, counties are required to have a growth policy. While the growth policy itself doesn't have any regulations, it allows the county to enable zoning.

Countywide zoning has been in place for Powell County for about 20 years now.

The county's Zoning and Development Regulations document specifies the zoning throughout the county. On the zoning map, most of the northern portion of the county is in Zoning District 3 with a160-acre minimum lot size.

As Powell County was preparing to adopt the growth policy, they hosted a meeting in Helmville for the Helmville/Ovando residents in the late fall of 2017. Hamming said a few folks voiced frustrations and questioned the 160-acre minimum lot size for Zoning District 3.

Hamming said the questions stemmed from a concern about the enrollment at the Helmville School. Those raising the issue felt families were unable to move back to the Helmville area to live and work because they couldn't afford to purchase property. They felt that the 160-acre lot minimum may be stifling growth around Helmville.

The Powell County Commissioners adopted the Growth Policy on May 9, 2018. Hamming said the growth policy didn't recommend any big changes, it was more of a formality to meet state requirements.

However, thanks to a grant from the state Department of Commerce, the Powell County Planning Department was able to reach out to residents in the northern part of the county through the Open Houses and survey to gather input on zoning.

"It is part of our job to be responsive to the residents," said Hamming. "If they have valid concerns and questions, we should reach out to the public and gather input and see if it was a couple of vocal people or if this was a true consensus from the greater population."

Hamming said the intent of the open houses and survey, was a "fact-finding mission" regarding people's thoughts on zoning and the 160-acre lot minimum. Hamming said that there was a good representation of the north Powell region including folks outside of the Ovando and Helmville communities.

"It was nice to go into these meetings and just be totally transparent and say, 'We want to hear what you think,'" said Hamming.

At the Ovando Open House, Hamming said they heard a resounding, "We are content. Don't mess with any of our zoning."

Hamming continued. "They like the way Ovando is and they are not looking for Ovando to change in the near future."

The Powell County Planning Board will discuss the comments at the open houses and the survey results at their May 9 meeting, 1 p.m. at the William K. Kohrs Memorial Library, 501 Missouri Ave, Deer Lodge.

Hamming said if the Planning Board recommends any proposed zoning changes, affected landowners would be contacted, there would be more public outreach and a public hearing will be held by the county commissioners before anything is adopted.

Hamming said people from Seeley Lake attended the Ovando meeting and asked about the Swan Mountain Estates subdivision proposed in Powell County off Eagle Port on the northwest of Seeley Lake. The Planning Board has not received their subdivision application yet and there has been no new information on the subdivision with Powell County in the last 12 months. The developers' zoning variance that was approved in March of 2018 remains active until March, 2020.

Comments can be made through the online survey until early May. This survey is meant to gather information about housing in the northern part of the County. The survey is available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NM877N9.

For more information contact Hamming at 406-846-9729 or e-mail: [email protected]