Planning & Community Development
The City of Great Falls Planning and Community Development Department plays a key role in shaping the future of urban development in Great Falls. We serve Great Falls residents by guiding the City's urban form from concept to construction. Our goal is to serve all persons in a positive and courteous manner and help ensure that Great Falls continues to be a healthy, safe, attractive, and enjoyable place to live, work or visit.
The City of Great Falls acknowledges the decision by the Montana Supreme Court regarding the case of Montanans Against Irresponsible Densification, LLC (MAID) v. State of Montana. This decision has two immediate impacts on the City of Great Falls: Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on most lots containing a single-family dwelling are now hereby permitted by right and duplexes are permitted in any zoning district where a single-family dwelling is permitted. The City will recognize and adhere to MCA regulations and requirements as codified in the State Code and administer permitting for accessory dwelling units and duplexes as described. This does not exempt such dwellings from meeting building, engineering, or other development requirements.
The City of Great Falls is kicking off the updating process for our Growth Policy Plan! Your voices will be the driving force behind creating our roadmap for the future, shaping decisions and regulations to reflect our shared values and aspirations. Please check out the Growth Policy external website for more information on how you can stay in the loop and make sure your voice is heard.
The City of Great Falls is committed to constantly improving its development processes. We take pride in providing an efficient and collaborative approach to development in our community. To maintain our high standards of service, the Development Review Team, consisting of staff from Planning and Community Development, Public Works, and the Fire Department, is currently conducting a Development Review Audit. The purpose of the audit is to identify areas for improvement in our processes. We value your input and invite you to participate in a survey using the link provided below.
Survey Link: 2023 – 2024 Development Review Audit Survey
Chickens (and other fowl) are defined in Title 6 of the City’s code as livestock. Code states that it is unlawful for a person to keep, harbor, or maintain livestock within the corporate limits at any time, except within the R-1 zoning district, as defined in Title 17.
To determine whether your property is zoned R-1 you can call Planning and Community Development at (406) 455-8430 or visit the Interactive Zoning Map.
This page is intended to provide general information regarding commercial marijuana business activities within the City of Great Falls. If you have specific questions, please call Planning and Community Development at 406-455-8430.
The City of Great Falls Planning & Community Development Department, Building Safety Division has officially adopted the 2021 Building Codes as of September 9, 2022. The State of Montana officially adopted the 2021 International Building Codes along with the 2020 National Electrical Code, 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code, 2017 ICC A117.1 and 2018 NFPA 99 including amendments on June 9, 2022. From that date, the state gave all cities 90 days to officially adopt those codes locally. Resources are available in Planning and Community Development as well as various resources on file at the City of Great Falls Library.
A tax increment finance district identifies a specific area based on the need for stimulated economic development, and then establishes a base taxable value for all properties within that boundary. Property owners within a TIF district have their property taxes above this base valuation assigned to be used to finance public improvements in the designated area. Each TIF district is created to provide local funds for community development, redevelopment, and revitalization, and the public improvements funded by a TIF should increase property values and expand the tax base within the district.
On July 6, 2021, the Great Falls City Commission adopted Ordinance 3229 which created three programs intended to encourage and support public safety, blight elimination and increased code compliance in the historic Downtown Urban Renewal Area. The three programs include the Downtown Urban Renewal Area Façade Program, the Life Safety Code Compliance Program, and the Environmental Safety Program. More information on each program and the Downtown TIF Application is available by clicking "Read more".
The City frequently hears complaints about junk cars, trash on lawns, overgrown weeds, and a variety of related problems. These issues affect property values and the image of the neighborhood. The complaints often end with, “There ought to be a law…” Indeed, there is a law in place for most chronic neighborhood problems. This guide provides a quick reference for city residents, providing an overview of some of the Official Code of the City of Great Falls (OCCGF), to provide information on commonly reported problems and who to call to obtain a particular service or receive additional information.
The City now has an embedded interactive zoning map available to residents and business owners online. It can be used to determine what zoning district a property is located in and the requirements for the district. Users enter an address within the Great Falls city limits and the map will zoom to the location and show the zoning district.
