Doris FischerLand Use Planning Specialist, Montana FWP(406) 842‐7467      dofischer@mt.gov

MT DNRC USFWS

http://fwp.mt.gov/fishAndWildlife/livingWithWildlife/buildingWithWildlife/subdivisionRecommendations/

1) Recommendations for the Subdivision Process

2) Recommendations for Subdivision Design Standards

3) Appendix of Supporting Science

By Gary Larson, The Far SideBy a Montana Engineering Firm

• Requires local governments to consider the effects of proposed subdivisions on wildlife and wildlife habitat (includes fish!).

• Allows local governments to seek input from review agencies like FWP.

• FWP’s role is advisory.  We make recommendations to the subdivider and/or to  the local government.  Our recommendations may or may not be followed.

MT DNRC

for developers, planners, and FWP biologists!

• Formed by FWP in Spring 2008.

• FWP biologists, local land use planners, other biologists & planners, and legal counsel.

• Drafted recommendations designed to accommodate new subdivisions AND conserve important habitats.

• Solicited peer review of the draft, and did some community outreach.

• Finalized recommendations in April 2012 as a working document subject to future evaluation and potential modification.

• Are primarily intended to provide guidance to FWP area biologists.  Goal is to make our input into the subdivision process more consistent and predictable, more timely and efficient, and more effective.

• May also be useful to subdividers and local governments.

• Will be evaluated after 18 months, with potential modifications.

• Natural Water Bodies

• Big Game Winter Range

• Public Hunting

• Human/Bear Conflicts

• Native Grasslands & Shrub Habitats

• Selected Species of Concern

Natural Water Bodies

The Nature Conservancy

Rivers, Perennial or Intermittent Streams, Lakes, Reservoirs, Wetlands, Ponds

National Geographic and USFWS

International Crane Foundation

• Water quality protection requires a minimum of100’ vegetated buffer.

• Aquatic habitat protection requires a minimum of 100’ vegetated buffer.

• Wildlife habitat protection requires a minimum of 300’ vegetated buffer.

• Vegetated buffer needs to be buffered.

• Riparian areas should be avoided.

[MT DEQ/MT Audubon, 2008 and MT FWP, 2012]

Montana Audubon and  Wyatt Designs

• Rivers: Minimum 250’ vegetated buffer + 50’ building setback = 300’ total setback.

• Perennial Streams: Minimum 150’ vegetated buffer + 50’ building setback = 200’ total setback.

• Other Water Bodies: Minimum 100’ vegetated buffer + 30’ building setback = 130’ total building setback.

• Extend vegetated buffer as needed to encompass all of the riparian area and/or cropland important to migrating game birds and shorebirds.

• Consider Channel Migration Zone information.

Selected Species of Concern

All, USFWS

Vegetated Buffer Powerline Std

Common Loon 500’ None

Great Blue Heron 800’ Underground

Trumpeter Swan 1,000’ Underground

Long-billed Curlew 1,000’ None

Bald Eagle ½ mile Raptor

Peregrine Falcon ½ mile None

Figure C.1‐6. Illustration of CMZ/riparian example—cross section #3. In the 400‐foot CMZ illustrated below, only 30 feet is a native riparian area; cropland makes 

up the rest of the CMZ. The recommended standard is that all buildings be placed outside the CMZ. In this 

example, the vegetated buffer is reduced to 30 feet and the building setback is increased to 370 feet, for a total 

building setback of 400 feet.

Figure C.6‐2. Map showing the general distribution of Great Blue Herons in Montana (MT Field Guide 2012).