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Record of Proceedings

Belgrade City Council Meeting: Land Use Plan & Subdivision Regulations Adopted (May 4, 2026)

City Council & Boards — Monday, May 4, 2026
BodyBelgrade, Montana
SessionCity Council & Boards
DateMonday, May 4, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

All right, it's seven o'clock on my watch here.

0:04

So we'll call the Belgrade City Council meeting our May 4th.

0:09

May the fourth be with you 2026.

0:12

And so welcome everybody here tonight.

0:15

And if you would please rise and follow me in the pledge.

0:21

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

0:26

And to the Republic for which it stands.

0:29

One nation under God.

0:32

Indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

0:40

Roll call, please.

0:46

Jason Guffey.

0:49

Absent.

0:49

Absolutely.

0:50

Matthew McGee.

0:51

Here.

0:52

Jim Simon.

0:54

Here.

0:55

Mike Nees.

0:56

Here.

0:58

Chris Manicucci.

0:59

Here.

1:00

Aaron Bell.

1:01

Absent.

1:02

Renee Matimo.

1:03

Here.

1:04

Thank you.

1:05

I'll seek a motion to excuse Councilmember Guffy and Councilmember Bell.

1:10

So moved.

1:11

Second.

1:12

Moved by Deputy Mayor Matimo.

1:14

Second by Council Member Simon.

1:16

Is there any discussion?

1:19

All those in favor say aye.

1:21

Aye.

1:22

All those opposed, same sign.

1:24

Passes unanimously.

1:26

All right, moving on.

1:27

So we're at the public forum.

1:29

So before starting your comments, please state your name and address in an audible tone of voice for the record.

1:36

This is time for individuals to comment on matters falling within the purview of the Belgrade City Council that are not already on the agenda.

1:44

There will be an opportunity in conjunction with each agenda item for comments pertaining to that item.

1:50

Please note that the council may not engage in discussion or respond to questions during this time.

1:55

However, at the mayor's discretion, the assistant city manager may be asked to provide clarification on existing policy.

2:02

So please limit your comments to three minutes.

2:05

So first call for public comment.

2:11

Second call for public comment.

2:16

Third and final call for public comment.

2:21

Seeing none, I'll close the public forum and move on to uh the mayor's proclamation.

2:31

So building safety month, May 2026.

2:34

Whereas the City of Belgrade is committed to recognizing that our growth and strength depend on the safety and the central role our homes, buildings, and infrastructure play in both everyday life and when disaster strikes.

2:47

And whereas confidence and resilience of the buildings that make up our community is achieved through the devotion of vigilant guardians, building safety and fire pref prevention officials, architects, engineers, builders, tradespeople, design professionals, laborers, plumbers, and others in the construction industry, who work year-round to ensure the safe construction of buildings and modern building codes and standards include safeguards to protect protect the public from hazards such as snowstorms, tornadoes, wildline, wildland fires, floods, and earthquakes.

3:23

And whereas Building Safety Month is sponsored by the International Code Council to remind the public about the critical role our communities largely unknown protectors of our public safety, our code officials, who assure us safe, sustainable, affordable buildings are essential to our prosperity.

3:41

And whereas the city of Belgrade Community and Economic Development Department building division specifically focuses on ensuring the safety, safety and health of the public by enforcing construction codes and conducting rigorous inspections.

3:56

Now, therefore, I Michael Demies, Mayor of Belgrade, Montana, do hereby proclaim the month of May 2026 as Building Safety Month.

4:06

Accordingly, I encourage our citizens to join us as we participate in Building Safety Month.

4:23

All right, moving on to the consent agenda.

4:29

We have two items on the consent agenda.

4:44

Any council members request to remove any of those items to discussion agenda.

4:53

I'll make a motion to approve all consent agenda items as submitted.

5:00

I'll second move by council member Simon, second by Deputy Mayor Matamo.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Urban Renewal█████████████████████████████████████████████47%
Public Engagement█████████████████████22%
Procedural████████████████17%
Affordable Housing███3%
Historic Preservation███3%
Environmental Protection██2%
Economic Development██2%
Public Safety██2%
Water And Wastewater Management██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Belgrade City Council Meeting – May 4, 2026

The Belgrade City Council met on Monday, May 4, 2026, at 7:00 PM. The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and unanimous approval to excuse absent councilmembers Guffy and Bell. Key actions included adoption of the City of Belgrade Land Use Plan and Future Land Use Map, and first reading of new subdivision regulations compliant with the Montana Land Use Planning Act (MLUPA). The council also recognized Building Safety Month and received reports from staff.

Consent Calendar

  • Two consent agenda items were approved unanimously: routine approvals for items not pulled for discussion. (Specific items not named in transcript.)

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Neil Ganser (property owner of Featherstone Mill and related industrial lands) spoke during the land use plan public hearing. He requested an amendment to the downtown section of the land use plan to explicitly recognize existing industrial land uses south of Main Street, citing the area's historical and ongoing industrial character tied to the railroad and agricultural heritage. He provided a memorandum with proposed language changes. The council acknowledged the request but did not amend the plan at this meeting, noting the plan is a living document and that changes could be considered through the planning commission process.
  • No other public comments were received for either the land use plan or subdivision regulations hearings.

Discussion Items

  • Mayor's Proclamation – Building Safety Month: The mayor proclaimed May 2026 as Building Safety Month, emphasizing the role of codes, inspections, and building officials in protecting public safety.
  • Land Use Plan and Future Land Use Map: Senior Planner Brad Stein and consultant Charles Torrell presented the plan, summarizing a two-year process involving over 2,500 pieces of public input. The plan replaces the 2020 Growth Policy and projects a population of ~23,600 by 2045, requiring approximately 4,300 new housing units. The Future Land Use Map adds two new classifications (Community and Downtown) and expands classifications across the planning jurisdiction. The current zoning already meets six of 14 required housing strategies, with a seventh to be added by July 2026. The planning commission recommended adoption on April 27. Council discussion noted the request from Mr. Ganser and agreed that industrial uses could be addressed through future amendments. The motion to adopt passed unanimously.
  • Subdivision Regulations: Charles Torrell presented the new regulations required by MLUPA, which streamline review by establishing administrative approval for subdivisions consistent with the land use plan and zoning. Changes include removal of the minor/major subdivision distinction, clearer timelines, and a defined role for a planning administrator. The regulations also require mandatory HOAs for new developments to ensure long-term maintenance. The planning commission recommended adoption. No public comments were received. The council approved the ordinance on first reading and set the final reading/adoption hearing for May 18, 2026. Motion passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

  • Adopted Resolution: The City of Belgrade Land Use Plan and Future Land Use Map were approved unanimously. The plan is effective upon adoption and will guide growth for 20-25 years.
  • Ordinance First Reading: The Subdivision Regulations compliant with MLUPA were approved on first reading. Final adoption is scheduled for the May 18, 2026 council meeting, with an effective date of June 18, 2026 (30 days after final approval).
  • Excusal of Absent Councilmembers: Councilmembers Guffy and Bell were excused from the meeting.
  • Proclamation: May 2026 was proclaimed Building Safety Month.
  • Reports: Mayor praised a ride-along with police; city attorney announced attendance at a statewide conference; the city won the best tasting tap water award in Montana, advancing to a national competition. Deputy Mayor Matamo reported that Give Big Gallatin Valley raised $3.2 million, benefiting 265 organizations including several in Belgrade.

Upcoming Meetings

  • Workshop scheduled for the following week (likely May 11) to discuss stormwater management.
  • Final adoption hearing for subdivision regulations on May 18, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

All right, it's seven o'clock on my watch here. So we'll call the Belgrade City Council meeting our May 4th. May the fourth be with you 2026. And so welcome everybody here tonight. And if you would please rise and follow me in the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God. Indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Roll call, please. Jason Guffey. Absent. Absolutely. Matthew McGee. Here. Jim Simon. Here. Mike Nees. Here. Chris Manicucci. Here. Aaron Bell. Absent. Renee Matimo. Here. Thank you. I'll seek a motion to excuse Councilmember Guffy and Councilmember Bell. So moved. Second. Moved by Deputy Mayor Matimo. Second by Council Member Simon. Is there any discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. All those opposed, same sign. Passes unanimously. All right, moving on. So we're at the public forum. So before starting your comments, please state your name and address in an audible tone of voice for the record. This is time for individuals to comment on matters falling within the purview of the Belgrade City Council that are not already on the agenda. There will be an opportunity in conjunction with each agenda item for comments pertaining to that item. Please note that the council may not engage in discussion or respond to questions during this time. However, at the mayor's discretion, the assistant city manager may be asked to provide clarification on existing policy. So please limit your comments to three minutes. So first call for public comment. Second call for public comment. Third and final call for public comment. Seeing none, I'll close the public forum and move on to uh the mayor's proclamation. So building safety month, May 2026. Whereas the City of Belgrade is committed to recognizing that our growth and strength depend on the safety and the central role our homes, buildings, and infrastructure play in both everyday life and when disaster strikes.

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