Our Missoula 2045 Land Use Plan
The Missoula City Council 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. Planning Board unanimously recommended adoption of the draft Land Use Plan at their public hearing on November 19.
Public Adoption Schedule
- Land Use and Planning Committee Meeting (Informational): Wednesday, December 4, 1:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. View the meeting agenda and information here.
- Missoula City Council Public Hearing: Monday, December 9, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. Meeting agenda and information will be posted Friday, December 6 here.
- Land Use and Planning Committee Meeting: Wednesday, December 11, (Time TBD).
- (Tentative) Missoula City Council Final Consideration and Adoption: Monday, December 16, at 6:00 p.m.
Meetings can be attended in person at City Council Chambers,
140 W. Pine Street, or online here.
At the public hearing, 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.
Make Your Voice Heard:
Provide Comment on the Land Use Plan!
The final adoption draft of the Our Missoula 2045 Land Use Plan is now available for review. This is the final proposed Land Use Plan that will be considered for adoption by City Council. All feedback received on the final adoption draft will be provided to City Council for their consideration. 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.
There are a number of ways to participate:
- Review the adoption draft of the Land Use Plan at the City of Missoula Community Planning, Development, & Innovation offices by request at 435 Ryman St.
- Review the final adoption draft in the interactive module on the Our Missoula 2045 Land Use Plan website or by downloading the PDF document available in the sidebar under Documents and Resources.
- Submit your comments directly into the interactive module or in the comment feed at the bottom of page of the Our Missoula 2045 Land Use Plan website.
- Email your comments to staff:
- Review and comment directly on the plan maps in the Interactive Place Types + Street Types Map.
- Attend and provide public comment at an upcoming City Council meeting or public hearing.
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 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 brewerb@ci.missoula.mt.us 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. The Planning Act 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 brittnerwellsa@ci.missoula.mt.us or call 406-552-6221.
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