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Final Draft of the Model Zoning Code for Affordable Housing Released, Public Meeting on June 16th!

Feedback on the draft Model Code was collected via an online feedback form from December 15th, 2025 through February 2nd, 2026. The project team has reviewed all public comment on the project received to date and used the feedback to create:

• Final Draft of Model Code with Changes Tracked. This is the final version of the Model Code showing all text proposed to be added in red, and all text proposed to be removed in red strikethrough so that you can see what sections of the code were added, modified, or removed after the public comment period. Portions of the Code that were moved to a different section appear in green.
• Final Draft of the Model Zoning Code for Affordable Housing. This is the final version of the Model Code with all proposed changes incorporated. This is the version that will be proposed for acceptance by the County Commission in June, details below.
• Summary of Changes. This document summarizes the changes that have been made to the draft Model Code in bullet point format – this document may be easier to review than scrolling through the entire Code to see what has changed.
• Response to Public Comment. This document includes all public comment received after the conclusion of the public workshops in summer 2025 through the draft comment period on February 2^nd, 2026. Staff have provided a response to each comment and a description of whether any changes were made to the draft Code because of the comment.

Public Meeting on the Final Draft of the Model Code

On Tuesday, June 16^th, 2026, at 9:00 AM the County Commission will consider accepting the Model Zoning Code for Affordable Housing as a reference document during their regularly scheduled public meeting.

• Location: Gallatin County Courthouse Community Room, 3^rd floor, 311 W Main, Bozeman and Zoom. The Zoom meeting link will be posted here prior to the meeting.
• Meeting Materials: The Commission’s agenda for the meeting, a staff memo, and relevant project materials will be posted here by the Friday prior to the meeting.
• Public Comment: There will be opportunity for verbal public comment on the Code during the meeting. Written comments on the final draft of the Code may be sent to envision@gallatin.mt.gov or mailed to the Planning Department at the Gallatin County Courthouse, Room 108, 311 W Main St., Bozeman, 59715 prior to the meeting. The Commission will receive a copy of all public comment received prior to the meeting.

Public Meeting on Draft Model Code

Planning staff presented the Model Code project before the Commission during a regularly scheduled public meeting on January 27th, 2026. During the meeting, members of the public provided comment on the draft Code and the Commission discussed the draft and all comments they had received on the project, both written and verbal, up to that point. Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide comments, your time is deeply appreciated! A recording of that meeting can be found here. The slides used during the presentation and links to the studies and papers that were referenced verbally can be found here and in the documents pane on the right side of the screen.

Questions or Technical Difficulties?

If you experience any technical issues interacting with the draft Model Code, give us a call at 406-582-3130 or stop by Room 108 at 311 W Main St. in Bozeman and we would be happy to help you navigate. In addition to the video above, background information about the project is included in the introduction to the Model Code and below. Use the links on the right side of this page to view public outreach documents and other Model Code materials. As always, additional comments and questions can be sent to envision@gallatin.mt.gov.

About the Project

The goal of this project is to create "model" zoning content focused on housing affordability. The Model Code can then be used like a menu to make targeted updates to existing zoning regulations or provide starter content to inform the creation of new zoning regulations. The Model Code will include example standards appropriate for rural areas with limited infrastructure and services as well as standards for areas with more robust infrastructure and services.

Importantly, while housing density can increase affordability in some areas, the County’s jurisdiction is not appropriate for high density development in all areas. This project seeks to create zoning content that promotes housing affordability that is appropriate given local considerations and development constraints reflected in the Growth Policy and Future Land Use Map.

The primary goals of this project are to create model zoning content that:

Does not create barriers to affordability through arbitrary or overly restrictive standards

Supports existing property owners, developers, and non-profits seeking to create affordable housing that is appropriate given existing infrastructure and services

Includes standards to promote the development of high-quality units and mitigate the impacts of development

Promotes high quality of life for current and future residents, focusing on things like efficient water use and transportation

Housing is considered affordable when it takes up no more than 30% of a household's gross income. Affordable housing can be in many different shapes and sizes, in fact, the 2024 County Housing Strategy describes how different types of housing are needed to meet the needs of community members in different stages of life and promote aging in place.

The Model Code fills a specific gap by providing technical content for very specific challenges (quality affordable housing) and builds on a continuum of long-range planning efforts like the County’s Growth Policy, Future Land Use Map, and neighborhood plans. The content in these foundational plans acts as a compass to guide the development of the Model Code.

Keep scrolling to learn more about the Model Code. The right pane on this page also includes the project trajectory, a documents section that includes information gathered through public outreach to date, and an FAQ.

Applicability

The content of the Model Code will predominately focus on the Urban or Rural Growth areas shown on the Future Land Use Map or FLUM. The Code also includes some content to address the adjacent Public Infrastructure Holding Areas and Managed Growth Areas. Importantly, the Model Code is a tool, not a zoning proposal. Adoption of any of the model standards, whether as part of a new zoning district or targeted updates to existing zoning, will include public hearings and opportunities for further input.

Relationship to the Growth Area Focused Zoning Reform Discussion

The various long-range planning efforts in Gallatin County are meant to work together and build on each other to deliver on the larger goals expressed in the County’s Growth Policy. A lot of individual components are required to realize the vision of a planning framework that manages growth and protects the County’s most loved attributes.

Zoning Reform is an overarching initiative the County Commission is exploring to determine how best to address a variety of land use concerns through a more intentional approach to expansion of zoning. The Model Code is a concurrent effort to provide a menu of quality content to address a gap in the County’s existing library of zoning regulations. For example, the County has a lot of experience with developing and administering zoning codes that are appropriate for very rural areas, but we have very limited experience with developing code that is appropriate for urban, urbanizing, and small-town core areas.

We’ve heard concerns from residents that new housing is unaffordable to local residents and promotes long commute times, increasing traffic on local roads. These existing concerns highlight the need for this project, which aims to foster housing that is both affordable to local residents and decreases commute times, promoting livability and quality of life. If the Commission pursues updates to zoning or new zoning regulations in any of the areas mentioned above, the Model Code provides a tool to help those efforts move more quickly and smoothly.