UDC Adoption Path and Temporary Pause on Development Review

Good afternoon,

 To ensure we meet our community’s goal of adopting the Unified Development Code (UDC) by the end of this year, the City of Missoula will temporarily pause review of all development applications, residential and commercial construction building permits involving new construction or additions, zoning desk availability, and business license applications effective immediately through September 15, 2025.   

 We will resume reviews after September 15, with a gradual return to normal schedules. From September 15 through the end of the year, applicants can expect initial reviews for new residential construction permits to be approximately 12 weeks, new commercial construction permits, as well as business licenses, to be approximately 15 weeks.

 This short-term pause allows our planning and engineering staff to focus on finalizing the UDC—a modernized zoning framework that will:

• Support more housing options in every neighborhood.
• Streamline and simplify our development review process.
• Align growth with the vision set in the Our Missoula 2045 Land Use Plan.

What continues during the pause:

• Acceptance and review of permits and license applications that do not require planning review. 
• Review of development applications with state statutory deadlines. 

We understand this may cause temporary delays for some applicants, and we appreciate your patience as we prioritize completing the UDC—an investment in Missoula’s future that will benefit our entire community.

As we move forward, please note these key dates:

• Early October – Release of the zoning framework and start of public engagement
• Early November – Release of the UDC and Development Manual for public review and targeted engagement
• Mid-November through Mid-December – Planning Board and Missoula City Council review
• December 22 – Potential adoption at the regularly scheduled Missoula City Council meeting

For questions or to learn more about the UDC, please visit Engage Missoula or contact Eran Pehan at pehane@ci.missoula.mt.us or Walter Banziger at banzigerw@ci.missoula.mt.us.