Libby council approves annexation intent, pre‑zoning and preliminary plat for Timberlands Business Park

The Libby City Council voted on Dec. 15 to advance development of the Timberlands Business Park by approving the sequence needed for municipal review: a resolution of intent to annex (Resolution 20‑65), a first reading of the prezoning ordinance (Ordinance 20‑66), and preliminary plat approval for a 16‑lot major subdivision.

Jeremy Fadness, city planning staff, said the proposal is for Parcel H (Certificate of Survey 4993), about 31.625 acres adjacent to Libby, to be subdivided into 16 commercial and industrial lots that would receive city water and sewer after annexation and final plat approval. Fadness told the council the resolution of intent "does not annex the property at this time" but allows the city to review pre‑zoning and subdivision applications and establishes conditions the applicant must meet.

Fadness and planning commissioners identified 20 recommended conditions across the annexation, zoning and subdivision approvals. Key conditions include: DEQ/Municipal Facilities Exclusion (MFE) approval of water and sewer mains prior to final plat; MDT approval of a Highway 2 approach before final plat; a requirement that subdivider show compliance with Superfund remediation requirements prior to final plat; installation of dry utilities to each lot; and covenants prohibiting residential uses on Lots 4–12 because of Superfund restrictions.

Applicant technical representative Andy Evanson said much remediation and infrastructure design work has been completed since starting the process in 2022, that some infrastructure is already in place and that MDT has reviewed and concurred with the traffic impact study for the proposed Highway 2 approach. Evanson acknowledged the city's existing system provides roughly 2,500–3,000 gpm fire flow in the area and that new buildings may need sprinklers or other on‑site measures to meet the commercial/industrial minimum (3,500 gpm) for certain construction types.

Councilors moved and approved the resolution of intent, the first reading of the prezoning ordinance and the preliminary plat with the conditions set by staff and the planning board. The planning board’s added conditions—dry utilities and covenants restricting residential use on specific lots—were included in the approvals. Council scheduled the ordinance second reading for Jan. 20, 2026, as part of the standard ordinance process.

The approvals allow the developer to continue infrastructure work subject to the listed conditions; final annexation and final plat approval will occur once conditions are satisfied and applicable state reviews (DEQ, MDT) are complete.