Staff recommends the City Council approve the Resolution of Intent to annex City owned property at 6014 South Billings Boulevard and set a public hearing date for June 14, 2021.

The City Council at this meeting is being asked to begin the process to annex City owned property to enable future access to municipal services as the property is master planned for City operations expansion and to bring the property into the South Billings Urban Renewal District (SBBURD). State Law under 7-2-43 MCA provides municipalities the authority to annex contiguous land. The subject property is 22.90 gross acres of land owned by the City of Billings and located at 6014 South Billings Boulevard, directly south of the current Billings Operation Center, and contiguous to the City Limits. The property is legally described as a tract of land situated in the SE 1/4 of Section 17, and the NW1/4 and the SW 1/4 of Section 16, T.1S., R.26E, P.M.M., Yellowstone County, Montana, more particularly described as follows: Being the N1/2, N1/2, N1/2, SE1/4 of Section 17, T.1S., R.26E, P.M.M., Yellowstone County, Montana.Including all adjacent rights-of-way of Montana State Highway No. 416.

MCA 7-2-4312 allows municipalities the authority to act on a Resolution of Intent creating a notice period and setting a public hearing for the annexation of the property. The attached Resolution of Intent sets the public hearing and consideration by City Council of the Resolution to Annex the property for June 14, 2021.

Section 7-2-43 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) provides to process for local governments to annex contiguous properties. To comply with Section 7-2-4312 MCA, addressing municipally owned property, the City must consider a Resolution of Intent to annex the property.

The Council may:

• Approve the Resolution of Intent to annex the contiguous property, creating a 20-day notice period and setting of the public hearing as provided in 7-2-4313 MCA, or;
• Disapprove the Resolution of Intent to annex the property and have it remain outside of the City Limits. The City has historically annexed most of the property it owns so it is under its own jurisdiction.

The financial impact of the annexation should be limited. The property is currently owned and maintained by the City of Billings since it was purchased earlier this year. Fire protection is already provided through the Billing Urban Fire Service Area. If the Council desires to annex the property, City Ordinances will be in effect on the property and may be enforced by City departments. The Police Department will be responsible for patrol of the property.