Commissioners approve budget amendment, subdivision openings and set traffic hearings

The Yellowstone County Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 7 took a series of routine but consequential actions: it adopted a fiscal-year 2023 budget amendment tied to federal and state grants, approved subdivision actions including opening Ninth Subdivision phases 2 and 3 and conditionally approved the Holy Cross preliminary plat, and set public hearings on a proposed traffic restriction for Elk River Road.

The commission opened a public hearing on Resolution 23-05 to amend the FY23 regular budget and the FY23 budget for federal and state grants; with no public comment the hearing was closed and the resolution was adopted by voice vote. The action was taken after the hearing was opened, no public speakers addressed the amendment.

In land-use matters, planning staff reported that Ninth Subdivision had applied to open phases 2 and 3; staff said there had been no public opposition and that existing conditions (including RSID expansions and coordination with public works) remain required. The commission approved opening the phases by voice vote.

Kurt Markygard of the City of Laurel/Yellowstone County planning area presented a preliminary plat for the Holy Cross Subdivision, which would lift an agriculture covenant on an undeveloped parcel south of Laurel and Wilkins Road to allow single-family development. Staff recommended conditional preliminary plat approval pending minor updates to the Subdivision Improvement Agreement (SIA) and final DEQ approvals; Commissioner Jones moved to grant conditional approval, the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

Public works presented Resolution 23-13, a resolution of intent to enact an ordinance limiting traffic on Elk River Road to local traffic; the commission set the first public hearing for Feb. 24, 2023 and a second hearing for Mar. 7, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. in Room 310. The commission approved setting those hearings by voice vote.

The clerk opened sealed bids for the 2023 Road Crack Seal project and read the amounts: ZNZ Seal Coating ($102,593.31), Hard Drives Construction ($87,193.35) and Wharton Asphalt LLC ($182,351.00). A commissioner moved to refer the bids to staff for evaluation and recommendation; the motion was seconded and approved. The commission also approved claims (23-108, 23-109, 23-110) and the consent agenda by voice vote before adjourning.

Outcomes at a glance:
- Resolution 23-05 (FY23 budget amendment for federal/state grants): adopted (voice vote).
- Ninth Subdivision: opening of Phases 2 and 3 approved (voice vote); original conditions to remain in effect and RSID expansion required.
- Holy Cross Subdivision preliminary plat: conditional approval and adoption of findings of fact (voice vote); SIA edits and DEQ sign-offs required before final plat.
- Resolution 23-13 (intent to enact ordinance, Elk River Road traffic restriction): public hearings set for Feb. 24 and Mar. 7, 2023 (motion approved).
- Bid opening (2023 Road Crack Seal project): bids read and referred to staff for recommendation (motion approved).
- Claims 23-108/109/110: approved (voice vote).

Several items were approved by voice vote with no recorded roll-call or numerical tallies in the transcript. Where a mover or second was not identified by name in the record, the transcript records the action as moved and seconded and approved by voice vote. The commission closed the meeting with no public commenters and adjourned.