The bill revises existing laws concerning divisions of land that are exempt from subdivision review, mandating that a governing body must review certain divisions and aggregations of land. It removes the requirement for applicants to notify adjoining property owners and allows for a public hearing. The bill introduces a new requirement for governing bodies to utilize an affidavit form provided by the Attorney General to assess whether an applicant is attempting to evade the legal requirements. Additionally, the bill increases the civil penalty for violations from $5,000 to $10,000 or 10% of the sales price if the land has been sold to a third party, whichever is greater.

Furthermore, the bill amends Section 76-3-207 of the Montana Code Annotated to clarify definitions and stipulations regarding land divisions. It specifies that certain divisions within platted subdivisions must be reviewed and approved by the governing body, and it establishes that the governing body shall examine these divisions to ensure compliance with the law. The bill also includes provisions for the governing body to set reasonable fees for examinations and outlines the conditions under which divisions of land may occur, including requirements for family transfers and compliance with zoning regulations. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage and approval.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 76-3-207
HB0714_1(1): 76-3-207
HB0714_1(2): 76-3-207
HB0714_1(3): 76-3-207
HB0714_1(4): 76-3-207
HB0714_1(5): 76-3-207
HB0714_1(6): 76-3-207
HB0714_1(7): 76-3-207
HB0714_1(8): 76-3-207
HB0714_1(9): 76-3-207
HB0714_1: 76-3-207
HB0714_2(1): 76-3-207
HB0714_2(2): 76-3-207
HB0714_2(3): 76-3-207
HB0714_2(4): 76-3-207
HB0714_2: 76-3-207
HB0714_X(1): 76-3-207
HB0714_X(2): 76-3-207
HB0714_X(3): 76-3-207
HB0714_X(4): 76-3-207
HB0714_X(5): 76-3-207
HB0714_X: 76-3-207