About
the Project
Through the
leadership of Mayor John Engen and the Missoula City
Council, the Zoning and Subdivision Regulations Update project was initiated by the Office of
Planning and Grants, Why? Because the existing development
rulebook is woefully out-of-date, maybe even downright
broken. It is difficult to use, administer and implement
consistently. Those who deal with the zoning
ordinance—whether daily or infrequently—lament its
sometimes crude, often unpredictable and mostly
incomprehensible nature. And perhaps most important, the
existing regulations often fail to produce the results Missoulians desire with any degree of certainty.
These observed
shortcomings are not surprising. The last comprehensive
overhaul of city’s zoning ordinance occurred in 1972 and
many of the ordinance’s provisions date to 1932, when
zoning was first adopted in the city. Yet despite near
universal frustration with the existing regulatory system,
previous efforts to update it have fallen short.…at least
partly because of inadequate community input and
involvement. Successful completion this time around will
require and be founded on true community collaboration.
Updating Missoula’s
regulatory framework for growth and development is one of
the most responsible and deliberate things the city can do
for its future. But before attempting to craft viable
regulatory tools, a broad-based community discussion must
occur—and be documented. To that end, we invite everyone
in the community to participate in the update project.
In the beginning
stages of the process there will be opportunities to share
your observations about the existing regulations and your
views about the types of things the new ordinance must
address in order for the update project to be considered
worthwhile and successful. We also invite your input on
the types of public outreach and involvement that will
work best in engaging people in meaningful ways throughout
the process. Later, as new ideas are formulated, we invite
you learn about initial proposals and help shape them into
concrete approaches that best fit Missoula.
Frequently Asked Questions
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