The City of Missoula will consider adoption of a new Land Use Plan and Place Type Map, replacing the City of Missoula Growth Policy and Future Land Use Map. The Missoula Consolidated Planning Board (also referred to as the Planning Commission) will conduct a public hearing on the adoption draft of the Our Missoula 2045 Land Use Plan on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. in the Sophie Moiese Room of the Missoula County Courthouse, 200 W. Broadway and online.
After considering and responding to public comment on the proposed Land Use Plan and Place Type Map, the Planning Board will make a final recommendation to the City Council regarding adoption, modification, or rejection of the proposed plan and map. The Missoula City Council will conduct a public hearing on Monday, December 9, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 140 W. Pine Street and online. Both meetings will be hybrid, and residents can attend virtually and in person. At its public hearing, the City Council will consider Planning Board recommendations and determine whether to adopt, modify, or reject the Our Missoula 2045 Land Use Plan and Place Type Map.
The adoption draft of the Our Missoula 2045 Land Use Plan and Place Type Map will be available for public review and comment on the Our Missoula project website starting on November 14th. Residents are encouraged to comment on the adoption draft and attend the public hearings. Comments can be provided leading up to and at the public hearings. Printed versions of the adoption draft of the Land Use Plan are available at the Community Planning, Development, & Innovation Department at Missoula City Hall upon request. All public comments received will be considered by the Planning Board and the City Council.
Public Hearing Schedule:
Missoula Consolidated Planning Board/Planning Commission Public Hearing
- Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at 6:00 p.m.
- Sophie Moiese Room of the Missoula County Courthouse, 200 W. Broadway or online
Missoula City Council Public Hearing
- Monday, December 9, 2024, at 6:00 p.m.
- City Council Chambers, 140 W. Pine Street or online
This is an important milestone in the Our Missoula project following a two-year collaborative community process to update the long-term vision for growth in Missoula and will ultimately result in modernizing Missoula’s development regulations. It is also a key component of complying with the new Montana Land Use Planning Act which requires that Missoula comprehensively update its land use plan, zoning, and subdivision regulations.
The Our Missoula 2045 Land Use Plan builds on the foundation of the current Our Missoula 2035 Growth Policy, which establishes Missoula’s policy to focus growth inward toward existing services and amenities, and away from costly sprawl. The proposed Plan outlines a vision for Missoula that can meet community needs and desires; support housing supply; attract new businesses; protect the environment; and plan infrastructure effectively. It includes a Place Types map which reflects the preferred pattern of development within Missoula over the next 20-years. This map is based on population and economic development projections, housing and local service needs, and public input received, while considering the environment, natural resources, and natural hazards of the area.
Visit the Our Missoula website for more information about the Our Missoula project, to stay in touch, and to get involved.
Incorporation and sunsetting
of outdated Neighborhood Plans
Due to recent legislative changes, the City is taking a fresh approach to guiding coordinated and planned growth for the future by creating a new relationship to Neighborhood Plans. State law mandates that neighborhood planning efforts be based on current data and include a robust and continuous engagement process. Any substantive land use recommendations from previous Neighborhood Plans had been considered in the adoption of the 2015 Our Missoula Growth Policy and relevant concepts have been integrated into the draft of this Land Use Plan. Sunsetting these plans means they will no longer be a supplemental consideration for land use and other city planning considerations.
The draft of the Land Use Plan includes an implementation action to develop a Neighborhood Planning Strategic Plan. This strategic plan would establish a process for developing future Neighborhood Plans in coordination with Neighborhood Councils. This step will help establish the ways to prioritize neighborhood planning in the future to support community and neighborhood needs together. If you have questions about Neighborhood Plans, please contact Benjamin Brewer at [email protected] or 406-552-6086.
Legislative Updates Impacting Engagement
During the most recent legislative session, the State of Montana passed the new Montana Land Use Planning Act (MLUPA). The MLUPA shifts the opportunities for public engagement surrounding land use and development to be during the planning and adoption of city land use plans and codes, rather than during site-specific developments. This shift means that public participation during City planning processes, like the Our Missoula project, is critical to ensuring that community voices are heard during the development of the City’s land use policies and regulations.
If you have questions, feedback, or want to get involved,
email Community Engagement Specialist Ashley Brittner Wells at [email protected] or call 406-552-6221.
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