11/11/2017 Planning Board: November 2017

Meeting Called to order: 5:58pmAttendance: Kristin Smith, Gary Neff, Kenny Rayome, Virginia Kocieda, Marvin Sather
Public: (none)
Review & Approve Minutes:
Motioned to approve minutes with corrections: Gary Neff
Motion Seconded by: Kenny Rayome
Motion Carried
(1) Discussion on Downtown Business District: Fencing
a. Discussion of using the word Decorous instead of decorative
b. Added definitions of “plaza” and “decorous”
–end of downtown business district conversation–
(2) Beginning of Highway Commercial District (HCD) discussions
a. What’s the main difference from Downtown: Functions and Appearance
b. Everyone present agreed that the intent statement should include table with descriptions of allowed uses
i. Example: New casinos should be conditional; can use list from the downtown section
c. Gary Neff started a discussion on single family units being allowed within highway commercial district
i. Let’s not do that within the highway section; want to increase number of businesses within the HCD
d. Marvin Sather started a discussion on how central business transition areas are pointed out in Red Lodge zoning documents
e. Discussion on prohibiting building new residential houses (single, multi, duplex, mobile homes)
i. Considering mixed use? Including rental? Need to consider parking issues
ii. Need to consider at least the first floor is commercial
iii. Then no 2-3 family duplex, mobile
iv. Should allow multifamily: conditional use
f. Discussion on alcohol consumption/sales as a secondary use
i. Tertiary use of casinos
ii. More time is needed to carefully discuss this point
g. Strip bars
i. Not allowed
h. Discussion on allowing prohibited uses from downtown district within the HCD
i. Storage Units? Perhaps put conditional uses on storage (decorous) with landscaping details; ratio to square footage and parking restrictions should be added
ii. Churches? Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) prohibits land use restrictions to affect where places of worship can be built.
iii. Day Cares? Include within HCD
iv. Public Parks? This prompted a discussion about Fireman’s Park Campground.
i. Vision of what we want Libby HCD to look like
i. All agreed increased landscaping on business properties within HCD would help beautify Libby’s HCD
j. Brief discussion on signage in HCD
(3) Kenny Rayome announced his departure from the City Planning Board, sometime within January 2018. His input and insights will be missed.
NEXT MEETING:
Board members were asked to think about broad uses within HCD
Kristin Smith will send out finalized draft of Downtown Business District; this will be used as a model to help build the HCD zoning
(2) Meeting Adjourned: 7:32pm, next meeting December 11th