What are the Required Content for Growth Policies? 

If a local jurisdiction decides to prepare a growth policy, it must follow the state requirements for content and process. The statute requires the growth policy to identify existing conditions and projected trends in each of eight areas (76‐1-601(3)(b), (c), and (d), MCA)
1. Land use
2. Population
3. Housing needs
4. Economic conditions
5. Local services
6. Public facilities
7. Natural resources and
8. Sand and gravel resources
Local jurisdictions are allowed to add other characteristics, features, or elements to the growth policy, 76-1-601(5), MCA. The growth policy must include an implementation strategy for development, maintenance, and replacement of public infrastructure, and a timetable for implementing the goals and objections set forth in the plan, 76-1-601(e) and (f), MCA. While there is no particular requirement for how far into the future a growth policy must forecast, the statute does require the jurisdiction to identify a timetable for reviewing the policy every 5 years, 76-1-601(f)(iii), MCA. Growth policies must also contain an evaluation of the potential for fire and wildland fire in the jurisdictional area, which may require the jurisdiction to delineate the wildland-urban interface (colloquially referred to as the “WUI”) and adopt regulations to protect structures within the WUI, 76-1-601(3)(j), MCA. Within the growth policy, the jurisdiction must define the primary criteria for reviewing subdivisions within the jurisdiction, set forth how the governing body will evaluate and make decisions regarding those criteria, and how it will conduct public hearings on proposed subdivisions, 76‐1‐601(3)(h) and (i),
MCA. The governing body must also describe how it will coordinate.