County growth plan includes aid for needy residents

The first draft of the Lewis and Clark County Growth Policy and Future Land Use Map are now available for public review, and the county is calling on residents to provide feedback.

This marks the second round of public engagement for the Growth Policy update following an online survey and a series of open houses, community meetings and discussions with stakeholder groups earlier this year, which were instrumental in shaping this first draft.

The Growth Policy is a long-term plan which creates a vision and set of priorities for the county, guiding county initiatives, land use policy and development. The Future Land Use Map is a visual representation of this vision and outlines how different areas around the County will be used, from housing and agriculture to conservation and commercial development.

The Growth Policy update includes:

• Housing development and proposed incentives: identifying areas for growth and new affordable and attainable housing;
• Future land use: how land use patterns and existing zoning may evolve, particularly around the Helena Valley;
• Agricultural preservation: strategies to protect valuable farmland and incentivize and enable farming practices;
• Wildfire and flood preparedness: planning for resilience against natural disasters;
• Environmental preservation: protecting natural resources, recreation lands and open spaces, ensuring sustainable recreation and the conservation of wildlife habitats, waterways and scenic landscapes.