Skip to main content
Find a Lawyer

Montana Title 76. Land Resources and Use § 76-25-213. Land use and future land use map

Current as of January 01, 2024 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

(1) A land use plan must include a future land use map and a written description of the proposed general distribution, location, and extent of residential, commercial, mixed, industrial, agricultural, recreational, and conservation uses of land and other categories of public and private uses, as determined by the local government.

(2) The future land use map must reflect the anticipated and preferred pattern and intensities of development for the jurisdiction over the next 20 years, based on the information, analysis, and public input collected, considered, and relevant to the population projections for and economic development of the jurisdiction and the housing and local services needed to accommodate those projections, while acknowledging and addressing the natural resource, environment, and natural hazards of the jurisdiction.

(3) The future land use map may not confer any authority to regulate what is not otherwise specifically authorized in this chapter.

(4) The future land use map and the written description must include:

(a) a statement of intent describing the jurisdiction's applicable zoning, subdivision, and other land use regulations;

(b) descriptions of existing and future land uses, including:

(i) categories of public and private use;

(ii) general descriptions of use types and densities of those uses;

(iii) general descriptions of population; and

(iv) other aspects of the built environment;

(c) geographic distribution of future land uses in the jurisdiction, anticipated over a 20-year planning period that specifically demonstrate:

(i) adequate land to support the projected population in all land use types in areas where local services can be adequately and cost-effectively provided for that population;

(ii) adequate sites to accommodate the type and supply of housing needed for the projected population; and

(iii) areas of the jurisdiction that are not generally suitable for development and the reason, based on the constraints identified through the land use plan analysis;

(d) a statement acknowledging areas within the jurisdiction known to be subject to covenants, codes, and restrictions that may limit the type, density, or intensity of housing development projected in the future land use map; and

(e) areas of or adjacent to the jurisdiction subject to increased growth pressures, higher development densities, or other urban development influences.

(5) To the greatest extent possible, local governments shall create compatibility in the land use plans and future land use map in those areas identified in subsection (4)(e).

(6) The land use plan may:

(a) provide information required by a federal land management agency for the local governing body to establish or maintain coordination or cooperating agency status; and

(b) incorporate by reference any information or policies identified in other relevant assessments adopted by the local governing body, such as a pre-disaster mitigation plan or wildfire protection plan.

(7) The amount of detail provided in the analysis beyond the minimum criteria established in this section is at the discretion of the local governing body.

Previous Part of Code Next Part of Code
Back to Chapter List

Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Montana Title 76. Land Resources and Use § 76-25-213. Land use and future land use map - last updated January 01, 2024 | https://codes.findlaw.com/mt/title-76-land-resources-and-use/mt-st-76-25-213/

FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.

Was this helpful?

Welcome to FindLaw's Cases & Codes

A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes, visit FindLaw’s Learn About the Law.

Go to Learn About the Law

Latest Blog Posts

For Legal Professionals

Learn About The Law

Get help with your legal needs

FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.

Go to Learn About the Law

Need to Find an Attorney?

Search our directory by legal issue

Enter information in one or both fields (Required)

Copied to clipboard