Montana City residents rally against rezoning request

A proposed rezone of 280 acres along Holmes Gulch Road west of Montana City hit a possible snag last week when the Jefferson County Planning Board unanimously voted to recommend that the County Commission deny the proposal, which would allow residential lots of 5–10 acres on land where current zoning allows one residential lot.

The Planning Board followed the recommendation of a staff report compiled by a contracted engineer and presented by County Planner LaDana Hintz at the board’s April 14 meeting, which included a public hearing and was held at the Montana City Fire Hall. Area residents, particularly those living near the property, packed into the fire hall’s meeting room. No members of the public commented in support of the proposal; 16 commented in opposition. The County Commission will consider the proposed zoning amendment, and the planning board’s recommendation to deny the proposal, at a public hearing on April 26 at 6 p.m. at the Montana City Fire Hall.

The land in the proposal is currently zoned basic resource. Landowner Timothy Bompart signed a zoning map amendment application on Dec. 10, 2020, requesting that the property be redesignated as residential R-3. The amendment would change the allowed density from one dwelling per 160 acres to one dwelling per 5–10 acres. The staff report concluded that the board should recommend denial of the request because it did not meet the review criteria outlined in the North Jefferson County Zoning Regulations, including compliance with the 2009 Jefferson County Growth Policy, road accessibility, appropriate fire coverage and availability of potable water.