The Butte‑Silver Bow Zoning Board of Adjustment voted to table action on Special Use Permit 25‑16, a proposal by Montana Knapp to operate an indoor‑outdoor special‑event venue at 304 East Broadway, and requested additional information from the applicant.

Planning staff said the building, constructed in 1899 and located in an R‑2 two‑family residential zone within the uptown edge place type, has historically included commercial uses on the ground floor and a residence above. Staff recommended conditions including that outdoor events run no earlier than 9 a.m. and no later than 10 p.m., indoor events start no earlier than 8 a.m. and end no later than midnight, and that the applicant meet all building, health and fire codes and secure a final business license.

Staff reported the department had received five written letters and three phone calls opposing the proposal; summaries were provided to board members. The planner also confirmed Butte‑Silver Bow currently has no municipal noise ordinance or a specified decibel limit for special events.

Jennifer Plute, who spoke as a representative for Montana Knapp, described recent renovations, the size of the outdoor stage and the applicant’s preference for intimate performances. Plute said the outdoor space would be small and largely grass seating, and acknowledged neighborhood concerns: “Butte needs a noise ordinance,” she told the board.

Several nearby residents urged the board to deny an outdoor venue. Steve Kujawa, of 328 East Broadway, said he moved into the neighborhood recently and objected to an outdoor stage 30 feet from his house: “I don’t want to hear music next door outside next to my house which is only, you know, 30 feet from where the amphitheater is proposed to be,” he said. Other residents cited repeated festival‑period parking congestion, winter snow‑plowing constraints that make angle parking impractical, and concerns about late‑night noise.

Board members said they were not ready to make a decision without clearer information on the likely attendance and schedule for outdoor events and on restroom accommodations. The board voted to continue the item and asked the applicant to provide projected attendee counts, a tentative schedule, and a plan for outdoor bathrooms; members suggested the applicant consult with the fire chief on attendance estimates. The motion to continue passed on a voice vote with all present members saying “aye.”

Staff noted the board has up to 60 days to act and said the item will be placed on a future agenda; if necessary the board may hold a special meeting between regular sessions to meet statutory deadlines.