Billings city planners allow for public input on 20-year West End growth plan [Video]

BILLINGS — Billings’ West End, which has grown by nearly 160% since 2000, is now looking to the future with a comprehensive 20-year growth plan designed to guide development and ensure a sustainable, affordable community through 2045.

Engineering firm Sanbell was tasked by the City with devising a 20-year land and transportation plan for the West End neighborhood area from Shiloh Road to 64th Street West  

Due to a 2023 legislative measure, the Montana Land Use Planning Act, cities with populations over 5,000 located in counties holding more than 70,000 people are required to have updated growth plans through 2045. This new mandate replaces the previous plan from 2001 and aims to provide a more structured framework for urban development. The goal is to ensure that growth is managed thoughtfully, balancing the needs of residents, businesses, and the environment.

John Halverson is a land planner with Sanbell and has been working on the project for months.

“We need to guide growth, …