76-4-125. Review of subdivision application -- land divisions excluded from review. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), an application for review of a subdivision must be submitted to the reviewing authority. The review by the reviewing authority must be as follows:
     (a) At any time after the developer has submitted an application under the Montana Subdivision and Platting Act, the developer shall present a subdivision application to the reviewing authority. The application must include preliminary plans and specifications for the proposed development, whatever information the developer feels necessary for its subsequent review, and information required by the reviewing authority. Subdivision fees assessed by the reviewing authority must accompany the application. If the proposed development includes onsite sewage disposal facilities, the developer shall notify the designated agent of the local board of health prior to presenting the subdivision application to the reviewing authority. The agent may conduct a preliminary site assessment to determine whether the site meets applicable state and local requirements.
     (b) Except as provided in 75-1-208(4)(b), the department shall make a final decision on the proposed subdivision within 60 days after the submission of a complete application and payment of fees to the reviewing authority unless an environmental impact statement is required, at which time this deadline may be increased to 120 days. The reviewing authority may not request additional information for the purpose of extending the time allowed for a review and final decision on the proposed subdivision. If the department approves the subdivision, the department shall issue a certificate of subdivision approval indicating that it has approved the plans and specifications and that the subdivision is not subject to a sanitary restriction.
     (2) A subdivision excluded from the provisions of chapter 3 must be submitted for review according to the provisions of this part, except that the following divisions or parcels, unless the exclusions are used to evade the provisions of this part, are not subject to review:
     (a) the exclusions cited in 76-3-201 and 76-3-204;
     (b) divisions made for the purpose of acquiring additional land to become part of an approved parcel, provided that water or sewage disposal facilities may not be constructed on the additional acquired parcel and that the division does not fall within a previously platted or approved subdivision;
     (c) divisions made for purposes other than the construction of water supply or sewage and solid waste disposal facilities as the department specifies by rule;
     (d) divisions located within jurisdictional areas that have adopted growth policies pursuant to chapter 1 or within first-class or second-class municipalities for which the governing body certifies, pursuant to 76-4-127, that adequate storm water drainage and adequate municipal facilities will be provided; and
     (e) subject to the provisions of subsection (3), a remainder of an original tract created by segregating a parcel from the tract for purposes of transfer if:
     (i) the remainder is served by a public or multiple-user sewage system approved before January 1, 1997, pursuant to local regulations or this chapter; or
     (ii) the remainder is 1 acre or larger and has an individual sewage system that was constructed prior to April 29, 1993, and, if required when installed, was approved pursuant to local regulations or this chapter.
     (3) Consistent with the applicable provisions of 50-2-116(1)(i), a local health officer may require that, prior to the filing of a plat or a certificate of survey subject to review under this part for the parcel to be segregated from the remainder referenced in subsection (2)(e)(ii), the remainder include acreage or features sufficient to accommodate a replacement drainfield.

     History: En. Sec. 150, Ch. 197, L. 1967; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 509, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 529, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 12, Ch. 140, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 554, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 69-5003(8), (10); amd. Sec. 12, Ch. 490, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 289, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 280, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 299, L. 2001.