Missoula County Government: Missoula County Publishes Updated Zoning Code Draft; Public Hearings Begin March 1

Press release from the Missoula County Government:

01/24/2022 9:00 AM

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Missoula County invites public input on the newly published zoning code draft. Community and Planning Services staff will present the updated draft virtually during the first public hearing at the Missoula Consolidated Planning Board meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 1.

To view the proposed draft, provide comments and to find additional meeting information, people can visit www.mczoningupdate.com. While staff have already incorporated many changes into the zoning code based on the hundreds of comments received this past year, additional feedback is encouraged prior to the public hearing.

“The current zoning code has been guiding the community since 1976,” Senior Planner Andrew Hagemeier said. “Missoula County has changed a lot since then. An update is needed to not only tackle the growth we are currently seeing but to plan for the future. We hope that everyone will take a look at what we are proposing and provide feedback for our team.”

The goal of the zoning update is to improve quality of life and address the issues within the community. The County’s new zoning update would apply to the Missoula urban area outside city limits, including Bonner, East Missoula and the Wye. It represents significant steps forward from the 1976 code for resource protections, sustainability and housing availability.

If adopted, the new code would increase protections for agricultural lands, ensuring the community continues to have access to locally grown food. The code would guide new development away from wildlife corridors and stream banks, allowing fish and wildlife populations continued access to their natural habitats. Incentives would be included that encourage everyone to build sustainably, an important step in reaching a carbon-free future.

The code also would incentivize developers of new subdivisions and apartments to include permanently affordable housing. More housing options also would be available to all developments, providing more homes for Missoula’s working families looking to rent and buy. Once in place, the new code would ultimately improve the quality of life and access to resources for current residents as well as future generations.

Missoula County planners and staff began working with the community to update the zoning code in 2019. The County released a public working draft with a host of online tools to view and comment on in May 2021. Throughout the past year, planners and staff held numerous outreach events including open houses, online workshops, tabling at community events, public presentations and dozens of stakeholder meetings on the draft. After reviewing and listening to all comments, the team updated the zoning code to better align with the values and address the needs and wants of the community.

Those interested in learning more or providing comments can contact Hagemeier at ahagemeier@missoulacounty.us.

For more information about the zoning code update, visit www.mczoningupdate.com or call 406-258-3707.

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This press release was produced by the Missoula County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.