It is the intent of this chapter to establish zones wherein compatible uses of land may be located to create, protect, and maintain a desirable living environment, to stabilize and protect residential harmony and to conduct a profitable business. It is also the intent of this chapter to make it possible to efficiently and economically design and install public facilities in terms of size and capacity to adequately meet the needs resulting from a defined intensity of land use.

(Prior code § 17.24.010)

In order to carry out the provisions of this title, the city and other areas so authorized by the county commissioners or state statute, is divided into the following zoning districts in which the erection, construction, alteration, reconstruction, repair or use of buildings, structures, and land shall be regulated and restricted. The regulations in each district shall be uniform throughout each district but may differ from those in other districts. The districts are designated as follows:

A.

AO — Agricultural-Open Space;

B.

R-7500 — Residential-7500;

C.

R-6000 — Residential-6000;

D.

RLMF — Residential Light Multifamily;

E.

RMF — Residential Multifamily;

F.

RMH — Residential Manufactured Home;

G.

PUD — Planned Unit Development;

H.

RP — Residential Professional;

I.

NC — Neighborhood Commercial;

J.

CBD — Central Business District;

K.

CC — Community Commercial;

L.

HC — Highway Commercial;

M.

LI — Light Industrial;

N.

HI — Heavy Industrial;

O.

AP — Airport;

P.

FP — Floodplain;

Q.

P — Public;

R.

SR — Suburban Residential Zone;

S.

RT — Residential Tracts Zone;

T.

RE-22,000 — Residential Estates 22,000.

(Ord. 01-4 (part), 2001; amended during 4-97 supplement; prior code § 17.24.020)

The agricultural-open space zone is intended to preserve land for agricultural and related use. Land within this zone is usually unsubdivided and with a minimum of roads, streets, and other utilities. It may be cultivated acreage or land less suitable for cultivation, yet suitable for various agricultural enterprises using the broadest scope of the agricultural definition. Land within this zone may be located adjacent to highways and arterial streets. The AO zone is further intended to discourage the scattered intrusion of uses not compatible with an agricultural rural environment.

(Prior code § 17.24.020(A))

This zone is limited to single-family residential tracts on a minimum of five acres of land and on which agricultural uses may be conducted with the exception that animal units shall not exceed ten per five acres (see "Livestock units" in Section 17.08.651).

(Ord. 04-5 (part), 2004: Ord. 96-5 (part), 1996)

This residential zone is designed for single-family residential homes on a minimum of one acre of land. Livestock is limited to two livestock units per acre with additional units allowed per additional half-acre increments in conformance with Section 17.08.651 of this code. No livestock is allowed in the city limits, and all livestock must be removed when annexation occurs.

(Ord. 04-5 (part), 2004: Ord. 96-5 (part), 1996)

This zone is intended to provide of low-density, single-family, residential development in areas near or adjacent to the city that are served by either central water or sewer systems.

(Ord. 01-4 (part), 2001)

The residential-7500 zone is intended to provide an area for medium, urban-density, single-family, residential environment on lots that are served by a public sewer and sewer system.

(Prior code § 17.24.020(C))

The residential-6000 zone is intended to promote an area for a high, urban-density, duplex residential environment on lots that are usually served by a public water and sewer system.

(Prior code § 17.24.020(D))

The residential light multifamily zone is intended to provide a suitable residential environment for medium density (up to a fourplex) residential dwellings. The area is usually served by a public water and sewer system.

(Prior code § 17.24.020(E))

The residential multifamily zone is intended to provide a suitable residential environment for medium to high density residential dwellings; and to establish, where possible, a buffer between residential and commercial zones.

(Prior code § 17.24.020(F))

The residential manufactured home zone is intended to provide a suitable residential environment for individual manufactured homes, manufactured home parks, and competitive accessory uses.

(Ord. 96-5 (part), 1996: prior code § 17.24.020(G))

The planned unit development zone is intended to provide a district in which the use of the land is for the development of residential and commercial purposes, as an integrated unit.

(Prior code § 17.24.020(H))

The residential professional zone is intended to permit professional and semiprofessional uses compatible with surrounding residential development.

(Prior code § 17.24.020(I))

The neighborhood commercial zone is intended to accommodate shopping facilities consisting of convenience retail and personal service establishments which secure their principal trade by supplying the daily needs of the population residing within a one-half mile radius of such neighborhood facilities. The location and quantity of land within the NC zone should be a business island not more than four acres in size and that no business frontage should extend more than six hundred feet along any street.

(Prior code § 17.24.020(J))

The central business district classification is intended to primarily accommodate stores, hotels, governmental and cultural centers and service establishments at the central focal point of the city's transportation system.

(Prior code § 17.24.020(K))

The community commercial classification is primarily to accommodate community retail, service and office facilities offering a greater variety than would normally be found in a neighborhood or convenience retail development. Facilities within the classification will generally serve an area within a one and one-half mile radius, and is commensurate with the purchasing power and needs of the present and potential population within the trade area. It is intended that these business facilities be provided in business corridors or islands rather than a strip development along arterials.

(Prior code § 17.24.020(L))

The purpose of the highway commercial district is to provide areas for commercial and service enterprises which are intended primarily to serve the needs of the tourist, traveler, recreationist, or the general traveling public. Areas designated as highway commercial should be located in the vicinity of, and accessible from freeway interchanges, intersections in limited access highways, or adjacent to primary or secondary highways. The manner in which the services and commercial activities are offered should be carefully planned in order to minimize the hazard to the safety of the surrounding community and those who use such services; and to prevent long strips of commercially zoned property.

(Prior code § 17.24.020(M))

A light industrial classification is intended primarily to accommodate a variety of business warehouse and light industrial uses related to wholesale plus other business and light industries not compatible with other commercial zones, but which need not be restricted in industrial or general commercial zones, and to provide locations directly accessible to arterial and other transportation systems where they can conveniently serve the business and industrial center of the city and surrounding area.

(Prior code § 17.24.020(N))

A district intended to accommodate manufacturing, processing, fabrication, and assembly of materials and products. Areas designated as heavy industry should have access to two or more major transportation routes, and such sites should have adjacent space for parking and loading facilities.

(Prior code § 17.24.020(O))

The airport zone is designated to preserve existing and establish new compatible land uses around the Laurel airport.

(Prior code § 17.24.020(P))

The floodplain zone is designed to restrict the types of uses allowed within the areas designated as the floodplain and floodways as officially adopted by the Montana Board of Natural Resources and Conservation, Helena, Montana.

(Prior code § 17.24.020(Q))

The public zone is intended to reserve land exclusively for public and semipublic uses in order to preserve and provide adequate land for a variety of community facilities which serve the public health, safety and general welfare.

(Prior code § 17.24.020(R))

The location and boundaries of districts established in the city are shown on the official zoning map of the city. This map is entitled "Zoning Map of the City of Laurel, Montana," and is on file in the office of the city clerk-treasurer. This map is hereby made a part of this chapter. This map shall reflect the ordinances adopted prior to this date and all ordinances adopted after this date relating to the boundaries of zoning districts. The city engineer shall show changes upon the official zoning map of the city in accordance with such ordinances as they are from time to time enacted.

(Ord. 97-2 § 4 (part), 1997; prior code § 17.24.030)

(Ord. No. O08-03, 3-18-08)

Where uncertainties exist as to the boundaries of the various districts as shown on the zoning map accompanying and made a part of this title, the following rules shall apply:

A.

District boundary lines are intended to follow street, alley or lot lines, or lines parallel to or perpendicular thereto, unless such district boundary lines are fixed by dimensions as shown on the zoning map;

B.

Where district boundaries are indicated as approximately following street or alley lines or proposed street or alley lines, such lines shall be construed to be such boundaries;

C.

Where district boundaries are so indicated that they approximately follow lot lines and are not more than ten feet distant therefrom, such lot lines shall be such boundaries;

D.

Where land within the city limits is not subdivided into lots and blocks or where district boundary lines are not approximately street, alley, or lot lines, the district boundary lines on the zoning map shall be determined by the scale shown on such map, and where uncertainty exists, the district boundary line shall be determined by the zoning commission by written decision. If land within the city limits has been or is subsequently subdivided into lots and blocks by a duly recorded subdivision map and the lot and block arrangement does not conform to that anticipated when the district boundaries were established, or property is resubdivided by a duly recorded subdivision map into a different arrangement of lots and blocks than shown on the zoning map, the zoning commission, after notice to the property affected thereby and a public hearing, may interpret the zoning map and make minor readjustments in the district boundaries in such a way as to carry out the intent and purpose of these regulations and conform to the street and lot layout of the ground. Such interpretations or adjustments shall be by written decision, and thereafter the copies of the zoning map in the office of the city building inspector shall be changed to conform thereto;

E.

Any street, alley or railroad right-of-way, watercourse, channel or body of water, included in the zoning map shall, unless otherwise indicated, be included in the zoning district of adjoining property on either side thereof. Where such a street, alley, right-of-way, watercourse, channel or body of water serves as a boundary between two or more different zoning districts, a line midway in such street, alley, right-of-way, watercourse, channel or body of water, and extending in the general direction of the long dimension thereof shall be considered the boundary between zones. If a dedicated street or alley shown on the zoning map is vacated by ordinance, the property formerly in the street or alley shall be included within the zone of the adjoining property on either side of the vacated street or alley. In the event the street or alley was a zone boundary between two or more different zones, the new zone boundary shall be the former center line of the vacated street or alley;

F.

All land or territory annexed to the city after the date of adoption of this section shall immediately become classified as an R-7500 residential district and the zoning map shall thereupon be amended to indicate such land or territory in the R-7500 residential district without additional procedure.

G.

The hearing for annexation and zone change may be held at the same time.

(Ord. 01-4 (part), 2001; prior code § 17.24.040)