Planning Processes, Forms and Applications

The City of Helena’s Public Participation Plan (PPP) is the guiding framework for communication and engagement to ensure access to public information, and continuous and ongoing public involvement throughout the process to adopt or amend the City’s Land Use Plan (LUP) and any associated regulations that require adoption in conformance with the LUP.

MLUPA established a different process for land use decision-making. The changes front-load public input, with limited public involvement during permit and application review. Under MLUPA, public involvement in the ministerial decision-making process becomes more limited after the adoption of the LUP and subsequent five-year updates to the long-range comprehensive plan, making opportunities for public involvement during the LUP amendment and update process vital. Where proposed site-specific developments are found to

be substantially compliant with the adopted LUP and local regulations, public participation and comment “must be limited to those impacts or significantly increased impacts that were not previously identified and considered in the adoption, amendment, or update of the land use plan, zoning regulations, or subdivision regulations.” In short, public input will be limited unless the permit or application in question differs significantly from the adopted LUP, zoning, or subdivision regulations.

Following adoption of the LUP, the Community Development Director or their designee, as Planning Administrator (defined under the MLUPA), and will ministerially review land use applications that pertain to zoning actions and subdivisions. These cases will be reviewed against the LUP and adopted regulations to ensure proposed activities conform with both the LUP and City Code. Notification will be provided as outlined in this PPP. Where a challenge arises to the Planning Administrator’s ministerial determinations, appeals may be made, and further public notice will be issued on public hearings for appeals.

Pre-Application meetings are an integral part of the application process.

All subdivision proposals must be submitted for a Pre-Application meeting. Conditional Use Permit (CUP) proposals, Zone Change requests, any proposed annexation request, or other development projects that may have a significant impact on its surrounding area or on city services may be subject to a Pre-Application meeting. At the Pre-Application meeting representatives from the different City Departments review and comment on the proposed development and its potential impact on public facilities and services and any regulations governing development in the City.

Pre-Application Meeting Information

• Pre-Application(PDF, 248KB)

Annexation is a process through which individuals can bring unincorporated parcels of land into the city. The City of Helena may annex unincorporated parcels to provide for orderly growth, adequate provision of municipal services, and equal benefits to both the annexed territory and existing city properties. The most commonly used method is Annexation by Petition (79-2-4601 et. Seq., MCA).

• Land Use Application(PDF, 181KB)
• Annexation by Petition Checklist(PDF, 240KB)
• Annexation Process(PDF, 475KB)

The City of Helena is committed to processing your application in a professional and timely manner. You can prevent unnecessary delays by submitting all necessary paperwork no later than the designated deadline and by following the guidelines described in the step-by-step process, which follows. Processing time varies on a case-by-case basis.

Any subdivision of land that does not qualify for an exemption as outlined in §12-2-2(A)(2) shall be subject of a subdivision application review.

• Land Use Application(PDF, 181KB)
• Pre-Application(PDF, 248KB)
• Preliminary Plat Process(PDF, 497KB)
• Preliminary Plat Checklist(PDF, 406KB)
• Final Plat Process
• Final Plat Checklist(PDF, 199KB)
• Exempt/Amended Plat/COS(PDF, 329KB)
• Administrative Minor Subdivision Checklist(PDF, 227KB)

Zoning shapes the way Helena appears and functions. The city’s Zoning Ordinance determines the size and use of buildings, where they are located, and neighborhood densities. Along with a city's power in subdivision and annexation proceedings, zoning is a key tool for carrying out its Land Use Plan.

The city of Helena Zoning Ordinance is a blueprint for the development of the city. The Ordinance has two parts: zoning text and a zoning map(PDF, 8MB). The text establishes zoning districts and sets forth regulations governing their land use and development. The maps show the locations and boundaries of the zoning districts.

Land in the city is divided into several basic zoning district categories: residential (R), commercial (B), and manufacturing (CLM/M). The basic district categories are further divided into a variety of lower-, medium-, and higher-intensity residential, commercial, and manufacturing districts. Any of these districts may in turn be overlaid by special purpose zoning districts (such as Transitional Standards) tailored to the unique characteristics of certain neighborhoods. These overlay districts modify the controls of the underlying districts.

For more information about city of Helena’s zoning, please click on the following links:

• City of Helena Zoning Ordinance
• City of Helena Zoning Map(PDF, 8MB)
• GIS Interactive Map

Types of Zoning

Conditional Use Permits (CUP)

A Conditional Use Permit (CUP) can be obtained for uses described in Title 11 of the Helena City Code that are in addition to uses permitted by right in a particular zoning district. The CUP process is intended to provide additional review to address individual and specific needs and prevent unduly negative impacts resulting from a conditional use. Through a ministerial process, the Planning Administrator reviews all CUP requests.

• Land Use Application(PDF, 181KB)
• Conditional Use Permit (CUP) Checklist(PDF, 251KB)
• Conditional Use Permit Process(PDF, 486KB)

Pre-Zone

Prior to any property being annexed into the City of Helena, the property must have gone through the pre-zoning process which allows the city to analyze and assign an appropriate zoning designation. The Pre-Zone designation goes into effect when the property is annexed.

• Land Use Application(PDF, 181KB)
• Pre-Zoning Checklist(PDF, 281KB)
• Pre-Zone Process(PDF, 483KB)

Zoning Change/Zoning Map Amendment

In accordance with Helena’s Zoning Ordinance, Title 11 of Helena City Code, all properties located within the city of Helena are in a designated zoning district. With each zoning district comes a set of vested rights and regulations that govern the development of the property. The zoning designation for any property can be changed through the zone change process. The Planning Commission and City Commission review all zone change requests through a public hearing process.

• Land Use Application(PDF, 181KB)
• Zone Change Checklist(PDF, 281KB)
• Zone Change Process(PDF, 483KB)

Zoning Variances

Provisions of 11-5 of the Helena City Code allow for zoning variances to be requested by any property owner for a variance from the zoning regulations affecting their property. This process is intended to be special exceptions to the terms of this title when granted in harmony with its general purposes and intent and are intended to avoid undue hardship when strict and literal enforcement of this title is inappropriate. Through a ministerial process, the Planning Administrator reviews all zoning variance requests.

• Land Use Application(PDF, 181KB)
• Zoning Variance Checklist(PDF, 287KB)
• Zoning Variance Process(PDF, 436KB)

In anticipation to new land use approval processes under the Montana Land Use Planning Act, beginning December 1, 2025, the Planning Division of the Department of Community Development began to offer a new process separating traditional site plan reviews from the building permit process. The purpose of the Commercial Site Review process is to ensure that proposed commercial developments comply with applicable zoning regulations, design standards, and infrastructure requirements prior to issuance of any building permits. This process is intended to address site-specific considerations such as access, parking, zoning district dimensional and design standards, circulation, landscaping, stormwater management, utility placement, and compatibility with adjacent land uses.

The City of Helena has always required a site plan review and approval in conjunction Building Permit review and approval. The Planning Division now has separated these reviews for certain commercial and multi-unit residential projects allowing for the site review to take place prior to building permit application. The intent for having site plans separately reviewed and considered is to allow project applicants, design professionals, engineers, the development community, and city staff to:

• Identify and resolve issues early in the planning and design process to avoid costly changes later on;

• Provide more timely and certain feedback to project developers and design professionals without holding up a building permit review;

• Improve coordination, effectiveness, and efficiency of city processes and regulations and our reviewing departments and staff;

• Facilitate a quicker and more efficient building permit review and approval process

City of Helena staff will review commercial site review submittals for conformance to city policy, regulations, and standards (zoning, parking, access, site design, landscaping, traffic engineering, site circulation, utilities, stormwater) and will act on the submitted plans prior to the submittal or approval of building plans or permits. Concurrent Building and Commercial Site reviews are permitted but a Building permit will not be issued until the site review process has concluded successfully.

Our Commercial Site Review submittal and review process can be accessed via Civic Access.

• Land Use Application(PDF, 181KB)
• Commercial Site Review Checklist(PDF, 266KB)
• Commercial Site Review Process(PDF, 497KB)