Richland County Planner Rachel Laqua met with the Richland County Commissioners last week to discuss applying for a Community Development Block Grant through the Montana Department of Commerce to help offset the costs of updating the Growth Policy which is required by the state to be done every five years. The application will request $50,000 with the county covering the 25% matching funds. The policy will include Richland County and the cities of Sidney and Fairview.
Laqua explained that the growth policy was updated in 2015 and renewed in 2020 with little change. The conditions in our community have changed greatly since then with a shift in industrial, oil, COVID and more. Therefore, a more comprehensive study is necessary this year. The plan would also include a zoning feasibility study. The Richland County Planning board is also in support of the grant application and growth policy update.
The zoning feasibility study would give the county guidance as to whether zoning is something that county residents are interested in.
Laqua said the timing is ideal since Richland Economic Development is in the process of conducting a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. The two entities will hopefully communicate their findings with each other.
According to the state website, the Growth Policy is an official public document adopted and used by Montana cities, towns and counties as a guide for making decisions about their future, particularly with regard to land use. It helps those entities: Identify priorities, create a vision, set goals, create a framework, align regulations.
Public meetings concerning the growth policing and zoning regulations will be held throughout the county in the coming months. County Commissioner Shane Gorder said, “It gives the taxpayer a voice and input to change any statements that are in the growth policy and the opportunity to voice zoning opinions as well.”
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