Capital Improvement Plan & Impact Fee Project

The City in the midst of defining a new Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The CIP would then define what projects are needed due to growth or capacity changes. Projects due to growth can have an impact fee set in order to meet that new growths’ requirement.

Check out our project-specific page explaining more on CIP and Impact Fees.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGs

The Three Forks City Council will held a public hearing on April 9, 2024, to Review the Draft Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) Including Staff, Elected Officials’ and Public’s Input on Prioritization of Potential Projects Listed in Each Infrastructure Category.  The working draft CIP is available here.

Any and all feedback is essential to a good draft!  Written and verbal comment will be accepted at the hearing, or may be submitted via email to cturner@threeforksmontana.us or ksmith@threeforksmontana.us prior to the hearing (deadline of 5PM on 4/9/2024).

The Council continued the discussion until 4/23/2024 at 6PM if anyone from the public wishes to comment on the projects, propose/eliminate a project, and to make the best draft possible.

At that hearing on 4/23, the Council provided more input and asked for public comment, and then directed staff to incorporate all comments and provide a clean draft at the 5/14/2024 meeting.

Public comment is still accepted - so feel free to attend that meeting or submit comments via email.

The hearings are held at City Hall, 206 Main Street, Three Forks, Montana at 6:00PM.  Please contact the City Office at (406) 285-3431 for any questions. 

NOTICE is hereby given of a PUBLIC HEARING to be held before the Three Forks Zoning and Planning Board on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at 7:00 P.M. in the City Office, 206 Main Street, Three Forks, Montana.

Kenneth Gibson and Barrett Snyder have made an application for a Conditional Use Permit for the property located at Block 4, Lots 1 & 2, of Northwest Townsite, commonly known as 623 E Neal Street.  Said request is for approval to build a multi-family residential triplex (3 units) within the Residential District designation.

The CITY COUNCIL will conduct a PUBLIC HEARING on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at 6:00 P.M., and act on the recommendation of the Zoning & Planning Board. 

At each PUBLIC HEARING, TESTIMONY will be taken in support of and in opposition to this request.  Written testimony is also acceptable and may be sent to PO Box 187, Three Forks, MT 59752 or ksmith@threeforksmontana.us.

The complete application and proposed site plan for this request may be reviewed on the Zoning Page. For questions concerning this request, contact Kelly Smith, City Zoning Official (phone 285-3431).  (Attendance via Zoom will be offered.  Contact City Hall for Meeting ID.)

legal services request for proposals

The City of Three Forks is seeking proposals from qualified firms or individuals to provide legal services for the City.  Applicants must be currently licensed to practice law in the State of Montana, before the Montana Supreme Court, and Federal Courts.  Applicants are required to have a minimum of three years of experience in county or municipal law.  A complete scope of work to be provided under the contract may be obtained by contacting the City of Three Forks, P.O. Box 187, 206 Main Street, Three Forks, MT, 59752, (406) 285-3431, or by email at mayor@threeforksmontana.us.

Proposals must be received no later than 5:00 PM, Friday April 26, 2024. 

Legal Services Scope of Work

The work covered by this RFP includes but will not be limited to the following:

1.        Provide legal advice, counsel, and render such legal services as required by the City Council.

2.        Provide legal advice, counsel, and render such legal services as requested by authorized City staff members and/or Mayor.

3.        Prepare, and/or review drafted, all necessary legal documents, ordinances, contracts, and letters.

4.        Render legal opinions for the City.

5.        Act on behalf of the City in all criminal City Court and civil City Court matters as required.

6.        Represent the City before all agencies of government and private parties having business with the City.

7.        Appear on behalf of the City to prosecute and defend all civil and criminal cases in Montana district courts, federal courts of the United States, and before any other administrative or quasi-judicial board, committee, tribunal, or other person or corporate body.

8.        Attend City Council, board and committee meetings as required by the City.

9.        Perform other duties which may be required by the statutes of the State of Montana or the Charter or Ordinance #1-7B of the City of Three Forks.

10.    Perform such other services as are customarily performed by corporate counsel.

11.    Submittal of monthly billing invoices/statements, as applicable.

Proposal Information 

When responding to this RFP, please include the following:

1.        A description of the firm/individual’s prior experience

2.        A summary of the experience of the firm/individual’s key personnel

3.        Past and current work in the local area

4.        The firm/individual’s projected workload over the next two years for clients other than the City of Three Forks

5.        Unique or extraordinary skills or qualifications

6.        Cost per hour for regular legal services

7.        Cost per hour for paralegal or secondary legal services

8.        Charges for travel time and travel expenses

9.        Charges for other expenses incurred while performing the duties outlined in the scope of work including but not limited to: photocopies, faxes, long-distance phone calls, etc.

Three Forks Community Library—Basement Office Space for Rent

The basement of the Library is currently available for use as office space, preferable to one tenant but could be individual offices with shared common and bathroom spaces.

Available 2/1/2024

$1,600/month—Approximately 800 square feet. 4 private offices and a large common area which would be used a conference or break area. The basement has a private entrance, paved parking, and a kitchenette. Rent includes water, sewer, gas/electric, Internet, trash and snow removal.

Contact Jaime Ewan at 406-285-3747

Floodplain Public Notices

1) APPLICATION has been made by Meridian Partners, LLC and Florida Man, LLC (Cody Ham) for a FLOODPLAIN PERMIT from the City of Three Forks.  The location for this construction is Block 15, Lots 3 & 4 of Three Forks Original Townsite,(Plat D-18 & D-18-I), also known as 210 1st Avenue West and 208 1st Avenue West, Three Forks, MT.  The application requests to build two (2) commercial buildings to lease on currently vacant logs.

2) APPLICATION has been made by Kenneth Gibson and Barrett Snyder for a FLOODPLAIN PERMIT from the City of Three Forks.  The location for this construction is Block 4, Lots 1 & 2 of Northwest Townsite,(Plat D-26), also known as 623 E. Neal Street, Three Forks, MT.  The application requests to build a multi-family residential triplex (3 units) in the floodplain. Applicant plans to build the structure on piers.

3) APPLICATION has been made by Brandon Roadarmel for a FLOODPLAIN PERMIT from the City of Three Forks.  The location for this construction is Hanger #1, Pogreba Field Airport, COS 1298, Gallatin County, Three Forks, MT.  The application requests to re-build and expand Hanger #1 at Pogreba Field.

4) APPLICATION has been made by 406 Construction (Tyson VanDyken) for a FLOODPLAIN PERMIT from the City of Three Forks.  The location for this construction is Headwaters Golf Course, COS 789A, Gallatin County, also known as 211 7th Avenue East, Three Forks, MT.  The application requests to expand the Club House.

Plans and specifications for these projects can be viewed at the Three Forks City Office at 206 Main Street, Three Forks MT.

Public comment will be taken in support of and in opposition to this request for 15 calendar days from April 9, 2024, the date of the first posting.  Written testimony is preferred and may be submitted to ksmith@threeforksmontana.us or to PO Box 187, Three Forks, MT 59752. If there are any questions concerning this request, please contact Ms. Kelly Smith, City Zoning Official (phone 406-285-3431).

City of Three Forks Seeks Volunteers for Citizen Advisory Board Vacancies

The City advertises “vacancies” for all boards as terms expire, providing for the opportunity for those who would like to “toss their hat in the ring” to apply, as well as we send a letter asking the current board member if they wish to be reconsidered for another term.

• Three Forks Zoning & Planning Board has one seat available for residents of the 1-mile jurisdiction boundary (potential growth area just outside of city limits).  Do you live adjacent to the city limits and are interested in how we grow as the city limits expand?  If so, this is the board for you!!  This is a seven-member board, serving staggered 3-year terms.  The purpose of the Board is to consider applications to the Zoning ordinances which are conditional, or Planned Unit Developments, but also make recommendations to the Growth Policy update and zoning ordinances.  Do you want a say in how Three Forks grows and where?  This is your chance! The appointment is filling the remainder of a three year term, expiring on December 31, 2024.  This board only meets monthly as applications are received (historically 10 times/year).

• Board of Adjustments, Appeals & Variances has one seat due to a resignation.  This is a five-member board, serving staggered 3-year terms.  The purpose of the board is to consider variances to the Zoning ordinances.  The board may also hear and decide appeals of any zoning ordinance adopted, or where it is alleged there is error in any order, requirement, decision, or determination made by an administrative official of the enforcement of the Zoning Chapter.  You can read more in Title 11, Chapter 18 of the Three Forks Municipal Code.  This board meets only if applications are received, historically 1-3 times/year.

PERPENDICULAR PARKING ISSUES

Throughout town parking occurs perpendicular to the "street edge". It is much harder to see the "street edge" on a gravel vs. paved road. The attached picture shows how it is supposed to work...which is easier to see when there is a sidewalk, boulevard, curb and then where the PARKING AREA is. However, the same should be followed on gravel roads too.

Let's pretend an 18-foot long truck is parked with its wheels parallel to the curb or street edge. It takes up just 7 feet wide of the right-of-way (R/W). When that same truck is parked perpendicular it extends an extra 11 feet into the R/W. In some areas around town this has gone on for so many years grass "boulevards" are now 15-20 feet from the property line (because many streets also do not have sidewalks or curbs). When a vehicle parks on the remaining travelled gravel road, it is now parking in the area designated for general traffic flow.

This just exacerbates the maintenance issue to grade the right-of-way to its full driving width. Several folks have called in asking us to grade their street to the boulevard, yet they have vehicles parked incorrectly so we were unable to grade the full R/W. Like we said, this has gone on for many years that where vegetation grows, it is now a major cleanup job in order to get that width back. It is also a violation of Ordinance #7-2-5D:

"Except as otherwise provided, a vehicle parked upon a public street or thoroughfare shall be parked or STOPPED PARALLEL TO THE TRAVELLED WAY FACING THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE TRAFFIC FLOW upon such street or thoroughfare. Further, parking or stopping shall be of such a distance as to not block, inhibit or impair the travelled way in any manner, including but not limited to opening doors shall not interfere or cross the plane of the travelled way."

The purpose of all that explanation is to get to this:

We respectfully ask that if you are used to perpendicular parking, you begin retraining your parking habits to park parallel to the street edge from now on. In spring when the grounds thaws, our Public Works crew will have a much easier time grading the gravel roads. We plan to grade that vegetation back, but it will require someone behind the grader picking up all the "sod" that will come up and disposing of it, then grading it again. Once that is complete, regular maintenance will be much easier as long as we have your cooperation to park parallel to the street edge.

What is the Local Government Review election?

Established as part of the 1972 Constitution, the Local Government Review election is to be held by each city and county government every 10 years. Three Forks will be holding an election during the June primary asking our voters whether or not you wish to conduct a local government review and establish a study commission to do so.

Three Forks passed a resolution calling for the election at its February 13, 2024 meeting. The Council set that three people will comprise Study Commission who would run for election on the November ballot, and the budget if the people elect to review our form of government was set at $5,000.

You can learn more here.