The administrator for the City of Billings, Chris Kukulski dropped in for a visit with Yellowstone County Commissioners’ during their discussion period on Monday afternoon. He reviewed several issues including the possibility that the city and county could share the same building in the future.
The city will soon be issuing an RFP for additional office space, Kukulski said, adding that he would expect to see a very competitive proposal from the owners of the Stillwater Building (former federal building), where the county commissioners and other county offices moved last summer.
He added that he couldn’t see a way for the city to move forward in acquiring new space, whether it be by buying or leasing to own, without a vote of the public, because of the additional funding that would be needed.
The ideal outcome, said Kukulski, would be a solution “that meets both the needs of the city and the county for the next 30 to 40 years.” He talked then about how having staff in closer proximity to one another would improve communications between the two governmental entities.
Kukulski talked also about the importance of planning for the future. Where new roads are being developed and improved businesses and urban growth are sure to happen, he said, noting as cases in point the development of the Inner Belt Loop, the Heights with the completion of the Billings Bypass, and the interchange development in Lockwood, which is also part of the bypass.
The proposed inner belt loop is almost totally surrounded by the county, noted Kukulski, and he posed the question to the commissioners “what will be the planning around it?” – because development along it is sure to come.
Commissioner John Ostlund explained that much of the surrounding land is not zoned, and he added that in the county property owners usually initiate zoning. They usually also have to agree to being annexed.
Commissioner Don Jones inserted that when it comes to the issue of the city possibly annexing the Lockwood TEDD, “The TEDD is very important to the county.” He indicated that the three county commissioners would oppose annexing it and “that is going to blow it up over annexation.” CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
