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Handy Family Transfer Exemption (Bonner)

Project Description

Jason and Tricia Handy, represented by Hannah Ruble of Professional Consultants, are requesting to use the family transfer exemption from subdivision review to divide their 47.83-acre parcel located at 5562/5650/5680 Handy Lane in Bonner into four parcels.

The parent parcel is accessed by Deer Creek Road and is near Interstate 90 and the Clark Fork River. The parcels created via exemption are approximately five acres each and will be gifted to the applicant’s three adult children. These gifted parcels are intended to be developed with their own residential units with individual wells and septic systems. This property is zoned Agriculture, Rural Residential 5 (AGRR 5), and is classified as Rural Residential and Agriculture by the 2019 Missoula Area Land Use Element, an amendment of the 2016 Growth Policy.

What is a family transfer?

Montana law specifically allows landowners to divide land and gift or sell one parcel per immediate family member (like a child, parent or spouse), without full subdivision review.

Requests for family transfers must always come before the commissioners. Missoula County considers dozens of family land transfers every year. It’s not rare — other counties across Montana regularly process these applications too. It’s not a loophole — it’s in the law for a reason: to help families live near each other or pass down land. It doesn't skirt regulations — the process requires surveys, documentation, fees and approval by county commissioners.

The landowner and recipient must be real people, not LLCs or corporations. It can only be used once per family member per county.

Project Timeline

County commissioners hearing: Thursday, Oct. 8, 2 p.m.

In-person location: Sophie Moiese Room, Missoula County Courthouse Annex, 200 West Broadway, Missoula
Virtual option: Residents can attend the meeting via Microsoft Teams. To join the call on your phone, call 406-272-4824, Conference ID 467 457 758#. To join the meeting on your device, follow the links on the agenda that will be published at http://missoula.co/bccmeetings

Project Lead

Kevin Dantic, 406-258-4657

Public Comment

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Important Links and Documents

Handy Family Transfer Exemption application

Handy Family Transfer Proposed Conditions