Every 10 years in coordination with the Federal Highway Administration and data from the US Census Bureau the Billings Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)  is required to review the Urban Boundary that surrounds the City of Billings and includes a portion of Yellowstone County. This is accomplished by working with the Montana Department of Transportation through the US Census Bureau to identify densely developed land that encompasses residential, commercial, and other nonresidential urban land uses. The boundaries of this “urban area” have been defined using measures based primarily on population counts and residential population density, but also through criteria that account for nonresidential urban land uses, such as commercial, industrial, transportation, and open space that are part of the urban landscape. Billings MPO staff and MDT staff have worked to update the Urban Boundary based on the 2010 Census. Staff recommends that the City Council recognize and approve the update as part of the process and send a recommendation to the Policy Coordinating Committee.

This Urban Boundary update is mandated by the Federal Highway Administration. The Council may:

• Recommend approval of the new Urban Boundary in order to continue to comply with federal regulations
• Not recommend approval of the new Urban Boundary and become non-compliant with federal regulations
• Recommend modifications to the proposed urban boundary that the Council's representative will present to the Policy Coordinating Committee (PCC) for further consideration. It should be noted that the proposed urban boundary was updated through analysis of 2010 Census data and coordinated with MDT staff to ensure compliance with the regulations.

Financial impacts are not expected. There will be a minor shift of 3.7 miles from the Secondary road system to the Urban road system in the Billings Urban Area but no financial impact has been determined at this time. If a significant financial impact is found later, staff will bring that information back to the City Council.

Staff recommends that Council approve the Urban Boundary Update and forward that recommendation to PCC through its designee.