Helmville discusses community development and re-zoning

HELMVILLE - A community development and zoning follow-up meeting was held Monday, Aug. 15 in Helmville. During the meeting community members discussed possibilities for changing zoning ordinances around the Helmville town area. Amanda Cooley, Powell County Planner, led the meeting of over 30 attendees from Helmville and Ovando.

Early this summer, the Helmville community expressed interest in exploring ways that the community could grow and potential re-zoning to allow more families into the community. In order to facilitate discussion and offer resources, Cooley said they hosted a community meeting in June where they discussed barriers to growth and re-zoning possibilities in the Helmville area. Cooley emphasized that the re-zoning process was initiated by community interest and her position was to facilitate discussion and offer resources.

At the June meeting, the community identified the cost of subdividing, lack of economic and employment opportunities and lack of available building lots as barriers to growth.

At the Aug. 15 meeting Cooley suggested options for addressing the economic and employment opportunities around Helmville by utilizing a Reimagining Rural grant that the county planning office and ag extension received recently. 

In addition, a business development course is being planned for 2023 in Deer Lodge and North Powell County. The focus will be on both existing businesses and for those interested in starting new businesses. Headwaters RD and C is a non-profit in Butte that is also available to Powell County residents to help with business plans and small business loans. A countywide website is also being created to promote businesses and events so that some of the tourism dollars passing by on the highways may stay in the county.

"I want to encourage people to get creative with the resources and opportunities available to grow," said Cooley.

The topic of new zoning boundaries was illustrated with large maps that Ann O'Toole, GIS technician and administrative assistant, developed. The floodplain around Helmville was outlined, as well as the location of conservation easements and productive agriculture land.

Cooley had two recommendations for potential re-zoning into one-to-five-acre parcels. The first area was in the Highway 141 corridor north of Helmville. The other was to increase the size of the Helmville town district by a half a mile in all directions. Property owners along Highway 141 were not interested in re-zoning at this time so that idea was dismissed.

This proposal to increase the size of the Helmville town district was met with approval by attendees. Landowners in that area would have the option to subdivide lots of two acres or more into one-acre parcels. One acre is currently the minimum size because of septic regulations. Cooley emphasized that subdividing is the landowner's choice. It's an expensive and tedious process.

The next step in the re-zoning process will be to present the idea to the County Commissioners for approval, said Cooley. A public hearing will be held in Deer Lodge with the Commissioners. The hearing will be noticed in the newspaper 45 days prior to the hearing and the public is encouraged to attend and provide comments. If the re-zoning is approved, there would be an additional 30-day period where affected landowners are notified and public comment is collected. After that, the resolution to amend the zoning will go into effect.

Attendees voiced concerns with subdividing property that taxes might be affected, a lack of sufficient emergency services and insufficient space in the dump.

"The current zoning laws were established in the 1970's. As a whole, Montana is looking at ways to make growth easier, " said Cooley. "Reviewing the zoning codes today makes sense because times change and values change."

"We're trying to accomplish more potential sites for young families to buy and build and be part of this community," said Helmville resident David Mannix.

If people have questions or want to provide comment, contact Cooley at 406-846-9795, or Powell County Commissioners

406-846-9788.