States (Montana) increasingly join the land use reform rodeo

For a long time housing-related land use issues have been primarily dealt with at the local level, but that’s changing as a case in Montana shows.

Montana made headlines last year for passing statewide land-use reforms in an effort to build more housing, a rare move by a Republican-led government that some called the “Montana Miracle.” Included in the reforms were two laws that allowed duplexes on any residential lot in municipalities with more than 5,000 people and that streamlined approval processes for accessory dwelling units, commonly known as ADUs.

But just as some of the new rules were set to launch last week, a Montana county judge issued an injunction after a homeowners group argued the new rules were contradictory and difficult for local governments to follow. The conflict mirrors a broader tension between residents, cities and states and underscores the importance of collaboration across governments, one expert said.

By Molly Bolan