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Bismarck

Comprehensive Plan Decisions in Bismarck

How comprehensive plan requests are decided across Bismarck, ND council meetings, the vote and the conditions on the record

Meetings
21
Mentions
51
Last Detected
Aug 13, 2026
Year
2026

Comprehensive Plan is one of the most actively tracked zoning topics in Bismarck, ND. ZoneWire has analyzed 21 council meetings and detected 51 instances of comprehensive plan activity. Below are the most recent discussions.

What is Comprehensive Plan Amendment?

A change to a municipality's long-term land use plan that guides future zoning and development decisions.

A comprehensive plan amendment (also called a "general plan amendment" or "future land use map amendment") is a change to the municipality's long-range planning document that guides land use, transportation, infrastructure, and growth across the entire jurisdiction.

Read full definition

Comprehensive Plan in Bismarck, ND

A change to a municipality's long-term land use plan that guides future zoning and development decisions. In Bismarck, ND, local government bodies regularly discuss comprehensive plan as part of zoning and land use decisions.

ZoneWire has analyzed 21 meetings in Bismarck and detected 51 mentions of comprehensive plan, an average of 2.4 mentions per meeting.

Recent Zoning Opportunities in Bismarck

These parcels came up for a zoning decision in Bismarck in the last 30 days, often before they hit the market. See what changed, how the vote went, and hear the moment it happened. According to ZoneWire's analysis of official public meeting records, each decision below links to its timestamped source.

Bismarck · Jul 28, 2026

Approved · Unanimous

6.99 acres rezoned A to C-G

South side of East Main Avenue between 52nd Street Southeast and 66th Street Southeast

6.99 ac · A to C-G

Zoning change from A to C-G (6.99 acres), approved unanimously on Jul 28, 2026 in Bismarck.

Upzone

Your move: Higher-intensity use now allowed. Comp the parcel before the owner reprices.

Bismarck · Jul 20, 2026

Approved

8.41 acres rezoned A to R-1

Clotty Subdivision, near 136th Avenue and 41st

8.41 ac · A to R-1

Zoning change from A to R-1 (8.41 acres), approved on Jul 20, 2026 in Bismarck.

Upzone

Your move: Higher-intensity use now allowed. Comp the parcel before the owner reprices.

Bismarck · Jul 28, 2026

Approved · Unanimous

Rezoned A to R-T

North Central Bismarck, south side of 43rd Street between Normandy and Coleman

A to R-T

Zoning change from A to R-T, approved unanimously on Jul 28, 2026 in Bismarck.

Upzone

Your move: Higher-intensity use now allowed. Comp the parcel before the owner reprices.

Recent Comprehensive Plan meetings in Bismarck

August 13, 20261h 26m10,750 words
9deniedzoningcomprehensive planapprovedmotion to approve
August 11, 20261h 21m12,028 words
20public hearingmotion to approveplatcomprehensive planapproved
July 28, 20262h 40m25,397 words
66public hearingcomprehensive plandeferredapprovedzoning
July 22, 202631m4,407 words
135zoningmotion to approveapprovedpublic hearingresidential
Agenda available
June 24, 202651m6,697 words
72industrialzoningsubdivisionresidentialplat
Agenda available
June 23, 20262h 1m16,119 words
190subdivisionresidentialmotion to approvezoningland use
June 22, 202633m4,447 words
74zoningmotion to approveapprovedresidentialindustrial
June 16, 20262h 8m16,844 words
87approvedmotion to approvepublic hearingplattabled
May 13, 20262h 58m24,166 words
292zoningplatcommercialresidentialapproved
May 12, 20262h 16m20,544 words
26public hearingmotion to approvezoningcomprehensive planapproved
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Why Track Comprehensive Plan?

Every municipality maintains a comprehensive plan (sometimes called a "general plan" or "master plan") that establishes the policy framework for development. The plan typically includes:

Comprehensive Plan Regulations in North Dakota

North Dakota sets the regulatory framework that governs how comprehensive plan decisions are made at the county and municipal level. State statutes define zoning authority, hearing requirements, and appeal processes that directly affect comprehensive plan outcomes in Bismarck.

View all North Dakota zoning activity

Every Comprehensive Plan decision in Bismarck

See how every comprehensive plan request in Bismarck was decided: the vote, the conditions attached, and how it moved through its hearings.

See Comprehensive Plan decisions in Bismarck, ND

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Comprehensive Plan in Other Counties

Clark CountyMaricopa CountyMiami-Dade CountyMecklenburg CountyBexar CountyNashville-Davidson CountyFulton CountyRiverside CountyOrange CountyTarrant CountyAustinKing CountyHillsborough CountyColumbusDenverBostonMilwaukeeSan FranciscoDallasSan Diego CountyBroward CountyPortland MetroSan JosePrince George's CountyChicagoMaui CountyHawaii CountyCharlotteSalt Lake CityHoustonSacramentoJacksonvilleBaltimoreLos AngelesLos Angeles CountyLas VegasLouisvilleHennepin CountyPolk CountyDouglas CountyRamsey CountyDakota CountyMartin CountyJuneauHuntsvilleMobileMesaPhoenixSanta Cruz CountyButte CountyFontanaFresnoLong BeachOaklandRancho CordovaSan DiegoSanta ClaraNapa CountySan Mateo CountyLovelandPueblo CountyNorwalkCitrus CountyMiamiLake CountyPasco CountyPinellas CountySt. Lucie CountyCobb CountyCook CountyOverland ParkWyandotte CountyLivoniaOakland CountyWillmarSpringfieldGulfportMissoula CountyJacksonvilleJersey CityHillsborough TownshipAlbuquerqueWestchester CountyTulsaTulsa CountyPortlandDeschutes CountyAllentownProvidenceGreenvilleLancaster CountyMinnehaha CountyFranklinBrazoria CountyCollege StationColleyvilleFort WorthLeanderMansfieldSan AntonioSugar LandSalt Lake CountyChesterfield CountyHanover CountySpotsylvania CountyStafford CountySeattleSnohomish CountyGreen BayCharlestonLoudoun CountyPrince William CountyFairfax CountyMemphisLaramie CountyNew AlbanyCoweta CountyEagle MountainStorey CountyNewton CountyMount PleasantPort WashingtonSt. Joseph CountyAtlantaConwayWest Des MoinesKunaCaddo ParishLewistonSarpy CountyNottinghamSouth BurlingtonNew Castle CountyArchuleta CountyBox Elder CountyWashtenaw CountyMorgantownSaint PaulPhiladelphiaTucsonPima CountyPittsburghNew OrleansIndianapolisRaleighScottsdaleFort WayneFremontDoverWayne TownshipEast HartfordBuffaloMonticelloDaytonNew York CityOmahaDouglas CountyWeld CountyBoulder CountyLawrence County

Frequently Asked Questions

A comprehensive plan amendment (also called a "general plan amendment" or "future land use map amendment") is a change to the municipality's long-range planning document that guides land use, transportation, infrastructure, and growth across the entire jurisdiction. ZoneWire tracks comprehensive plan activity across Bismarck, ND public meetings.

ZoneWire monitors Bismarck, ND planning and council meetings, transcribes them, and flags comprehensive plan activity. As of the latest update we have analyzed 21 meetings and detected 51 comprehensive plan mentions.

Tracking comprehensive plan in Bismarck surfaces zoning and development signals early, so developers, investors, and brokers can evaluate parcels and approvals before they reach the broader market.

Zoning in the City of Bismarck is administered by the Community Development Department's Planning Division. The Planning and Zoning Commission is an 11-member advisory board that makes recommendations on the comprehensive plan, zoning, subdivision, annexation, and other development requests within the city and its extraterritorial area (ETA). The City Commission holds the final decision authority. For a copy of the zoning ordinance or questions, the Planning Division can be reached at 701-355-1840 or planning@bismarcknd.gov.

A zoning map amendment is a legal change to Bismarck's zoning map and can be initiated by a property owner or by the City. The process involves submitting a Unified Development Application with the required fee, staff review against the comprehensive plan and ordinances, a development review meeting, and public notification (legal ads in the Bismarck Tribune plus letters to nearby property owners). The Planning and Zoning Commission holds the first public hearing and makes a recommendation, and the City Commission holds the final public hearing and makes the ultimate decision.

The Bismarck Planning and Zoning Commission typically meets at 5:00 pm on the fourth Wednesday of each month in the Tom Baker Meeting Room at the City County Office Building, 221 N. 5th St., Bismarck, ND. The Commission hears requests for major and minor subdivision plats, zoning changes, zoning ordinance text amendments, annexations, special use permits, and rural lot splits. Applicants should confirm the specific date on the Commission's posted meeting schedule.

Land-use and development decisions in Bismarck are guided by Together 2045, Bismarck's Comprehensive Plan, which was adopted by the City Commission on December 22, 2022, and is amended periodically. The plan sets goals and objectives related to land use and development and functions as the legal basis for the city's zoning and subdivision ordinance and all development decisions.

Yes. ZoneWire Free sends New Meeting Alerts for Bismarck at no cost, with the agenda for each meeting. ZoneWire Pro adds full transcripts, zoning and development analysis, and keyword alerts for $39 per market per month.

Know how comprehensive plan requests get decided in Bismarck, ND

Get the vote, the conditions, and how each comprehensive plan request was decided, the day it lands.

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What gets approved in Bismarck

In Bismarck, 92% of land-use board decisions were approved over the last 24 months. Subdivision / plat clear 94%, Commercial / office / retail 96%. ZoneWire analyzed 205 land-use board decisions in Bismarck over the last 24 months. Here are the most active project types and how often each one clears.

Project typeDecisionsApproval rate
Subdivision / plat9394%
Commercial / office / retail2796%
Land use / comp-plan amendment2295%
Variance1867%
Special exception / conditional use13100%
Industrial / warehouse11100%
Multifamily / attached housing989%

9 decisions that went against the odds

These are the denials and deferrals in categories that usually sail through, the deals worth understanding before you commit capital.

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