Public comment invited on proposed zoning changes
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POLSON — The City County Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the Polson Development Code and possible revisions Tuesday, March 8 at 6 p.m. at City Hall.
Proposed revisions include allowing accessory buildings on 7,000 square-foot lots that previously only allowed one. Accessory dwellings are typically used as a single rental apartment or additional dwelling for family in residential zones or managers or guards in commercial or industrial zones. While this could benefit families who want to build an apartment on their property for an aging parent, for instance, concerns are that neighboring lots in well established neighborhoods may be impacted by infrastructure changes, including parking, roads, utilities, and services.
Other proposed revisions include changing Salish Point from a Medium Density Residential Zone to a Transitional Zoning District; the creation of a Hospital Mixed Zoning District in the vicinity of Providence St. Joseph hospital; and neighborhoods proposed to retain standards similar to the current Medium Residential Zoning District would be under the new label of Old Town Zoning District.
Based on input from 14 residents in the area of Fourth Avenue East, the City County Planning Board opted to remove a proposed zone change and will no longer consider making the area a transitional zoning district.
The proposal for the area, which runs roughly between the Catholic Church and Linderman Elementary School, intended to provide for a “well-planned transition from predominantly single-family residents to high density residential and limited-scale commercial,” according to the meeting minutes.
The rationale was that there are already many limited-scale commercial developments in the area and rezoning would bring those businesses into compliance. It would also have served as a natural transition between residential development to the south, and commercial development to the north, east and west.
But residents voiced concerns that the road was too narrow for future development allowed by the zone change, such as apartment complexes with up to 18 units.
The board listened to concerns and decided to keep the area low-density residential zoning.
Once the document has been thoroughly evaluated by the board and the public, the City County Planning Board will send a recommendation to the Polson City Commissioners, who will make final decisions on the updated development code.
The entire document is available online at cityofpolson.com
