Our Work

There are many issues in Park County, Montana, and many wonderful organizations addressing them. Decades of experience elsewhere have demonstrated the need for an organization dedicated solely to managing growth.

Friends of Park County focuses on one thing: planning for the ever-faster growth coming our way. If we look west to the Gallatin Valley and across the Mountain West, we can see what may be in our future— sprawling development, ranchlands converted to subdivisions, depleted and polluted water supplies, expensive housing, and stressed wildlife.

That’s why we work for land use policies and decisions that protect the community character, agricultural lands, water, open space, and wildlife habitat of Park County. 

Growth is a complex, politically sensitive topic that requires specialized knowledge, persistence over time, and the ability to advocate, educate, and communicate effectively to a wide range of audiences.

We carry out our mission through a solid research, education, advocacy, and outreach program that will enable our elected leaders and residents to move forward confidently, despite the almost inevitable controversy generated by land use planning and regulation.

We need an organization dedicated to managing our growth to keep Park County, Livingston, and all our communities places we and future generations will be proud to call home. 

That’s why we exist.

A detailed history of our Growth Policy advocacy with the City of Livingston Planning Board is linked here.

Links to a variety of online resource and educational materials about land use planning and zoning can be reviewed here.

Our participation in the Park County Planning Board’s Conflict Mitigation Zoning District proposal, as well as our concerns with regard to rural residential sprawl are detailed here.

Relevant webinars and online presentations which we and/or our consultants and associates have hosted can be viewed here.

While our aim and focus has primarily been on our local governmental boards and commissions, several bills floated in the 2021 Montana Legislative session inspired this letter to the governor and our representatives in Helena.

And an archive of our e-mail updates can be reviewed here.