by Laura Collins
It’s a trend that has played out nationwide for decades. Fueled by policy and infrastructure that favors low-density, single-family homes, automobiles, and the desire of the affluent to flee urban areas, suburban sprawl has become characteristic of many communities across the country. For a long time, Montana seemed to be secluded from the obscene development trends that characterized much of the nation. However, it has become clear that Montana is not immune to the consequences of poor growth planning. Sprawl has come for the Big Sky State in full force.
Gradually, and then suddenly, uncoordinated development is rapidly transforming our rural Montana valleys into sprawling suburban landscapes. From Kalispell to Big Sky, once sparsely populated areas are being carved into subdivisions and ranchettes, splintering wildlife corridors and stretching water resources to the brink. In particular across western Montana, wide-open spaces are being converted to low-density, car-dependent suburbia.
Sprawl is an insidious force and a major contributor to the climate crisis. It is also expensive. Taxpayers bear the costs of road upkeep, water lines, and emergency services for far-flung developments. Water regulations, already lacking in science-based standards and monitoring, have gone unenforced. This all but encourages developers to site subdivisions on overdrawn aquifers that are unable to accommodate the additional demand that comes with thousands of new wells. Many of those wells are running dry, streams are losing their flow, and once-reliable water supplies that are the lifeblood of many of Montana’s rural communities are disappearing.
No matter if it’s spilling out from urban centers or repeated subdivisions of rural tracts, the state loses more of its rural character with each new outward expansion. Montana’s sprawl is not just a pattern of unchecked growth. Sprawl is an existential threat to the very landscapes, communities, wildlife, and way of life that make Montana unique.
But who is responsible for the sprawl itself? Popular opinion would point to incoming new residents, but weak and permissive policies and loopholes in Montana’s water, land use, and development regulations are the real driver. Subdivision laws are lax, with some counties offering little regulation. A lack of urban growth boundaries and insufficient water policy leaves local governments without a clear framework to control the outward spread of urbanization, enabling sprawl to push further outward.
Meanwhile, local land use policies, including exclusionary (or nonexistent) zoning, have led cities and counties to approve or deny developments — often on the whims of those with the time and resources to influence decisions — without a coherent strategy to manage growth. Exclusionary zoning often restricts housing options by mandating large lots or banning multifamily homes altogether, exacerbating the outward expansion of low-density, single-family, expensive subdivisions.
Unchecked sprawl threatens everything we love about Montana. Growth in the state is inevitable, but its trajectory is not. Thoughtful, sustainable planning rooted in policy that promotes “infill” and encourages gentle density offers a way forward that protects landscapes while strengthening communities.
It’s easy to feel wary about change, especially when it involves rethinking our neighborhoods and lifestyles. But the solutions to sprawl are not threats to our way of life. They are opportunities to strengthen our communities, protect our environment, and ensure a sustainable future for all Montanans. We must push for coordinated, state-wide planning that places environmental protection at the forefront. Local governments must be held accountable to enforce sustainable growth policies, and developers must be permitted and incentivized to build responsibly within existing urban areas.
The 2025 Legislative Session will be a significant moment in determining how Montana manages growth in the 21st century. MEIC will advocate for policies that promote sound land use planning, eliminate loopholes that exacerbate sprawl, and strengthen environmental protections surrounding land use decisions. The choices we make today about development will shape our state for generations. When we choose smarter growth policies, we can stop sprawl in its tracks, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and protect Montana’s iconic landscapes for future generations. What will we choose?
This article was published in the December 2024 issue of Down To Earth.
