Construction and Improvements

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Construction and Improvement Projects

Congratulations! You are the proud owner of land in Glastonbury and are considering ways to improve it. The property belongs to you but many improvements must follow community-approved rules outlined in the Covenants and Master Plan.  Covenants 6.01 requires landowners to submit site and building plans for formal review and approval by the GLA board. The Master Plan sets standards for improvements, provides precise definitions, and is an indispensable source of information.

Settling down and building a home in Glastonbury can bring you a lifetime of happiness. We designed this webpage to help you fulfill your dreams while understanding the administrative process of achieving your vision.

Many land and building improvements do not require formal review. Below is a list of common landowner improvements that do not require a Project Review Application:

 

Improvements That Do NOT Require a Project Review Application
Dirt moving by hand – rake and shovel Dormers Driveway Entry Arches Fences
Fire pit installation Flagpoles Footbridges Front door or garage door upgrades
Gates House painting Irrigation system Landscaping
Outdoor lighting (lampposts and or walkway lights) Patio Pergola Pond (depending upon size & depth)
Roof replacement Siding replacement Stone veneers Stupas
Subsequent skylight installation Trellises Uncovered deck Walk
Window replacement

When is a formal review needed?

Before any construction, before preparing for any construction by bringing materials onto a parcel, and before proceeding with any subdivision, family conveyance, or boundary adjustment, a Board-approved project application is required for projects not listed above. Failure to submit a project application before beginning construction is a violation that will result in a landowner being voted out of good standing and incur a $250.00 late project application fee.

The building season is short in Montana. Planning is critical. Contractors are frequently booked a year in advance. Park County septic, plumbing, and electrical permits take weeks and sometimes months to acquire. Our forms are short but require precise information. Our approval process cannot start until all necessary forms and paperwork are submitted. Please allow yourself ample time. If you study the Covenants and the Master Plan thoroughly our forms and requirements will be much easier to understand and comply with. Knowing the rules will assist you in maximizing your investment and the pleasure you will experience from completing a perfect land improvement.

All project application documents must be completed and submitted to the GLA administrative offices at least two (2) weeks before the next regularly scheduled board meeting. Three to four weeks is better and will allow us to catch errors and ask for more information before the two-week deadline. When you are ready please click the links below to read about GLA driveway standards and the community-approved Master Plan.

Download the Private Road and Driveway Standards

Download the community-approved Master Plan.


All Glastonbury Standards are posted on our website and may
be viewed here.

 

Green T posts are widely used to mark property corners. They can usually be located on plat maps from the Park County Clerk and Recorder’s office. Or you can hire a surveyor to find them. The corner posts must be flagged before your project application is submitted. We will need to view them during the first on-site inspection visit.

The next step is to determine what forms you will need so we can begin the project application process for your property improvements.

Project Application Process

 

What forms do you need?

The Master Plan is a definitive guide to land improvements allowed in Glastonbury. Specific terms are defined and rules are explained.  It is a short document, just 17 pages, and well-written. It will bring clarity to your project and assist greatly with selecting the correct forms.

As required by Section 6.01 of the Glastonbury Covenants, when Glastonbury landowners plan to build a structure they must first submit their plans to the Project Review Committee of the Glastonbury Landowners Association. Below is a list of common property improvements that require Project Review applications and GLA approval. Links are provided so the corresponding form is easily downloadable via a new tab.

 

Buildings and Improvements That REQUIRE a Project Review Application
Addition
Download Form A-4
Barn – smaller than 500 sq ft
Download Form A-2
Barn – larger than 500 sq ft
Download Form A-3
Blasting
Download Form K
Commercial/Institutional
Download Form I
Driveway
Download Form E
Factory-built residence or structure
Download Form F
Garage – smaller than 500 sq ft
Download Form A-2
Garage – larger than 500 sq ft
Download Form A-3
Greenhouse, including hoop houses – smaller than 500 sq ft
Download Form A-2
Greenhouse, including hoop houses – larger than 500 sq ft
Download Form A-3
Guesthouse
Download Form A-5
Manufactured home
Download Form G
Residence
Download Form A-1
Road – refer to road standards
Download Form E
Septic/Sewage disposal system
Download Form C
Signage
Download Form J
Shop – smaller than 500 sq ft)
Download Form A-2
Shop – larger than 500 sq ft)
Download Form A-3
Subdivision/Family conveyance/Boundary adjustment
Download Form D
Variance
Download Form H
Well
Download Form B

 

Project applications are a multi-part process.

Part 1: Your Responsibilities.

    1. Study the Covenants, Master Plan, and GLA Standards that apply to your project. If your land is part of a subdivided parcel obtain and study your subdivision covenants and DEQ certification. Both documents may prove immensely helpful and time-saving. Please create PDF copies and submit them with your Preliminary Application.
    2. Include a plat map or site drawing drawn to scale showing the entire lot indicating the location and dimensions of the proposed construction, setback distances from the proposed construction to the nearest property boundaries, as well as any existing structures or development on the lot for reference including the well, septic system and drain fields (site plan example). Plat maps, DEQ Certification, subdivision covenants, and most other documents about your land may be acquired from the Park County Clerk and Recorder’s office. A small fee is charged for copies.
    3. Elevation and Plan views of the proposed structure(s) as appropriate (building plan example).
    4. Download a Preliminary Project Review Application and the associated Forms that apply to your improvements. Complete the fees and checklist.
    5. Email PDF copies of your completed forms and required documents to ProjectReview@glamontana.org or mail them to: GLA, PO Box 312, Emigrant, MT 59027. Remit payment for all fees and bonds by sending a check to the above address. Or remit payment via PayPal at GLA Payments via PayPal

Part 2: GLA Responsibilities.

    1. The Office of the Treasury will receive your check, and create an invoice listing any balance due, or overpayments. Once the invoice is paid in full your application will be reviewed.
    2. The Project Review Committee will study your documents. They may ask for more information or clarifications. They will contact you for an on-site visit. Once the Project Review Committee is satisfied that all information is correct and included, your application will be put on the agenda for the next Project Review Committee meeting.
    3. At the Project Review Committee meeting your application will be discussed. Possible outcomes include: passing to the GLA board for approval, asking you for more information, or rejecting the application.
    4. The GLA board will review your project. It may be approved, tabled, or rejected. Please try to attend both the Project Review Committee and GLA board meetings. Once the board approves your project, you may begin building subject to Project Review Committee oversight and permission to enter your property to ensure the project conforms to your application.

If the board does not grant preliminary approval or approval is pending, building may not begin until the application fulfills the board’s requirements, and the new/revised version receives approval.

 

  Part 3: You completed your project. $$$ Refund time!

    1.  Congratulations! Now it is time to get your Construction Bonds refunded! Please submit an Application for Final  Approval via email or USPS. The Project Review Committee will contact you to schedule a final on-site inspection. When your project is granted final approval the Office of the Treasury will remit an invoice and appropriate refund.

    2. To qualify for a construction bond refund, you must submit a Final Approval Form within three years of starting the project. If your project is not completed, you may also request an extension.

    3. Download an Application for Final Project Approval.

Project Review Application Forms

 The table below is designed to help you select the correct form(s), A-K, for your project. It uses terms defined in the Master Plan so you can match your project to the proper form(s).

 

Step 1: Please begin your project by downloading a Preliminary Project Review Application packet. The packet will also contain a fee form, a final checklist, an Impact and Construction Bond spreadsheet, and a final review form for your records.

 

Download a Preliminary Project Approval Application packet

 

Project Review Applications Forms – Additional Forms listed below may be needed.
Form A-1:
Residence
Form A-2:
Outbuilding
Form A-3:
Accessory Building
Form A-4:
Addition
Form A-5:
Guesthouse
Form B:
Well
Form C:
Septic / Sewage Disposal System
Form D:
Subdivision / Family Conveyance / Boundary Adjustment
Form E:
Road / Driveway
Form F:
Factory-Built Residence or Structure
Form G:
Manufactured Home Placement
Form H:
Variance
Form I:
Commercial / Institutional
Form J:
Signage / Other Project
Form K:
Blasting

Project Fees:

Project fees help cover the cost of processing and reviewing your application. Impact fees help to cover the expense of maintaining our roads affected by construction. You may remit a check with your Preliminary Project Review Application or pay by PayPal. A PayPal account is not required; you may checkout as a guest and use any major credit or debit card.

Refundable Fees:

A refundable Construction Bond is required in most cases. The bond is refunded when the final approval process is completed.

Non-Refundable Fees:

Application and form fees are nonrefundable. Impact Fees are only refundable if a project is canceled before the GLA board approves it.

A fee of $50.00 is charged for each Preliminary Project Review Application. Each additional form submitted with the Preliminary Project Review Applications costs $20.00. Form fees help to offset GLA administrative expenses. Impact fees help cover the extra road maintenance costs incurred by heavy equipment using our roads during construction projects.

Road Damage:

If the construction or installation process causes damage to a GLA-maintained road the GLA will have their maintenance contractor fix the damage. A bill for the damage will be sent to the landowner, to be paid within 30 days.

Project Review – Process Summary

The Project Review Committee will review project materials to ensure that the guidelines established by the Covenants and standards of Glastonbury are being met. The committee will also give recommendations and conditions for preliminary approval as needed.

Part of this process is an in-person site review to determine if setback requirements have been met: any building, septic system, drain field, well, or driveway must have adequate distance from property lines, streams, ponds, etc. to meet county and GLA standards. In the case of driveways and roads, there must be adequate sight distance at the point where the driveway or road enters into a Glastonbury platted road or subdivision road. The road or driveway grade should be no greater than 10%. When there is an existing ditch along the side of the platted road, the Committee will determine whether a culvert is needed under the driveway. All proposed roads and driveways must meet GLA Road Standards.

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