Helmville district expansion approved

By Jean Pocha, Pathfinder Correspondent

DEER LODGE -- Helmville district boundary line changes met with approval at the County Commissioners meeting Monday Oct. 24 in Deer Lodge. The increase in the town district by one-half mile to the North and South and one-eighth mile to the east had no resistance or further public comment, according to Amanda Cooley, Powell County Planner.

In addition, zoning updates were discussed that hadn’t been revised since 2011. An amendment was added specific to cell phone towers that want to expand the cell tower or the buildings by one-half or more will need a development certificate.

Agriculture and accessory structures such as garages or corrals do not need a conditional use permit.

A significant decision made was that a 160 acre parcel can have up to four houses on it, as long as the layout does not look like the landowner is trying to get around subdivision rules. The density requirement used to be one house per 160 acres.

“It’s better to have the houses more concentrated than spread out over the property,” said Commissioner Rem Mannix.

“This is all aimed at protecting the open space, not prohibiting what people can do with their land, but protecting the open space and agricultural majority in the county,” said Cooley. “This change to density is in the growth policy and we are still working on the specific language for the zoning regulations.”

“So the next steps for this are that in 30 days, we’ll schedule another meeting with the commissioners and at that time, the commissioners will actually adopt the resolution to adopt these changes,” said Cooley.

The 160-acre minimum parcel is still in place outside of the Helmville District.

The 160 acre parcel dates back to the homesteading era of 1862 when Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act.

The Act allowed for heads of households to claim 160 acres of contiguous government land and make certain improvements over the next five years.

The purpose of the Homestead Act was to facilitate the transfer of public lands from the U.S. government to private land ownership. According to the University of Montana “This is Montana” publications.