Libby planning board to unveil proposed zoning changes

The Libby City Planning Board is holding an open house 6 p.m. Monday, July 23, at City Hall to introduce proposed revisions both to city zoning districts and the city zoning map.

It’s a good opportunity — not the last — for the public to provide feedback as the items are readied to enter the ordinance adoption process.

The revisions follow the spirit of the downtown revitalization plan the city adopted in 2005 and the growth policy adopted in 2010, said City Council and Planning Board member Kristin Smith.

The goals of the revisions, she said, include updating zoning code and encouraging development of a pedestrian-friendly downtown anchored by shopping and dining attractions.

“Downtown is the heartbeat of a community, where people gather and have shared experiences,” she said.

One of the Planning Board’s goals was to separate the downtown district from the highway district. The city’s current commercial district covers both, Smith said, which could result in development that’s more appropriate for highway use — with an emphasis on vehicular traffic, for example — occurring downtown.

The Planning Board is proposing a Downtown Business District, distinct from the Highway Commercial District, to support the city’s vision of “a viable cultural, retail, governmental and financial center of the community,” according to the proposed code.

In addition, following what Smith called “sound planning practices,” the Planning Board is proposing to use the city’s existing Business Residential District as a transition zone between downtown and the highway corridor.

Smith suggested that proposed adjustments to the Business Residential District could also “create more and better opportunities” to address the city’s housing concerns.

The proposed changes to city code would only apply to new construction or proposed new uses for existing properties and services, Smith said.

“It’s Libby’s way of growing up a little and anticipating positive prosperity,” she said.

The revisions have been several years in the making. Work begun in 2011 or 2012 was delayed by factors including the Great Recession, Smith said.