Housing

HB 713 revises municipal zoning laws, outlining procedures for cities and towns to establish, amend, or repeal zoning regulations, restrictions, and boundaries. It requires public hearings with notice for most zoning changes, but allows for immediate adoption of zone map boundary changes by resolution. The bill also permits municipalities to conduct joint hearings for annexation and zoning under specific conditions, streamlining the process for newly annexed properties. Additionally, it repeals a previous method that allowed for citizen protest of zoning alterations.

SB 133 revises the laws governing impact fees that local governments charge on new development. The bill removes the ability for governmental entities to include an administrative fee within impact charges and limits impact fee increases to the rate of inflation. It also updates definitions related to these fees and details the required documentation for their calculation, such as a service area report.

HB 346 exempts various grant and loan programs from environmental review requirements under the Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). This bill directly affects the Department of Commerce, Board of Housing, and other commissions by removing the need for environmental assessments when authorizing or administering these specific programs. The exemptions apply to programs supporting microbusiness development, historic preservation, workforce training, housing finance, and other economic development initiatives. This aims to streamline the process for providing financial assistance through these identified programs.

SB 213 revises the state building code to permit certain residential buildings to be constructed with a single stairwell. This change applies to buildings classified as Group R-2 occupancy, which typically includes apartments or condominiums. To qualify for a single stairwell, these buildings must meet specific safety conditions. These conditions include having no more than six stories, a maximum of four dwelling units per floor, an automatic sprinkler system, and at least one window or emergency exit provision for each unit.

House Bill 162 revises the definition of "infrastructure" for communities that levy a resort tax. This bill expands the types of projects that can be funded by a resort tax to include "workforce and community housing projects." Previously, resort tax funds for infrastructure were primarily allocated to traditional public services like water, sewer, roads, and public safety. This change allows resort communities and areas to utilize resort tax revenue for housing initiatives.