City staff seek rezoning of Linda Vista Estates phases 2–4 to allow missing‑middle housing, preserve 18‑acre open space

Lauren Stevens, a senior planner with the City of Missoula, told the Land Use and Planning Committee that the rezoning request covers about 81 acres in the Linda Vista Estates subdivision, located at the south end of town and accessed from Shaver Drive and Lower Miller Creek Road. "The area to be rezoned is approximately 81 acres in size," Stevens said. The request would change most of the site from R5.4 residential to RT5.4 and designate an 18‑acre common area as OP2 (Open and Resource Lands).

The planning staff presented background that the subdivision received preliminary plat approval in February 2009, a phasing plan amendment in 2015, and that phase 2 was final platted on January 2 of this year. Stevens said the development as approved has an overall density of about 3.6 dwelling units per acre and that the RT5.4 district would allow the same maximum density but permit additional building forms, including two‑unit houses (duplexes) and two‑unit townhouses, which are not allowed under the existing R5.4 zone.

Stevens said the 18‑acre area proposed for OP2 is part of the existing Twite conservation easement administered by the 5 Valleys Land Trust and contains steep slopes and trails used for recreation. "The OP2 zoning district is intended to preserve open space and sensitive natural resource areas that have development constraints," Stevens said, adding that the conservation easement prevents low‑density residential development in that common area.

Stevens told the committee that one of the requested districts (RT5.4) is consistent with the Missoula 2045 land use plan's Limited Urban Residential place type, while OP2 is not strictly comparable to that place type but would advance land‑use plan goals by preserving constrained lands for park and recreation uses. She said staff's recommended motion is for City Council to adopt an ordinance rezoning the property as discussed, and noted that "At their meeting on March 4, the planning board voted to recommend that city council approve the adoption of an ordinance rezoning the subject property." The item is scheduled for City Council public hearing as noted in the presentation.

Council member Campbell asked whether there is an agreement or party responsible for managing weeds and tall grass on the OP2 common area, citing potential fire hazard. "Is there any sort of agreement in place, or is there some party that's responsible for, like, mitigation of weeds or tall grass?" Campbell asked. Stevens said she was not sure and that she would need to review the conservation easement and the Linda Vista Estates covenants and bylaws to determine whether specific maintenance or mitigation obligations are recorded.

No formal council action was taken at the committee meeting; the item was presented for information and placed for a future public hearing before City Council. Staff and the applicant team were available to answer questions at the committee meeting, and staff indicated it would follow up on Campbell's maintenance and fire‑hazard question prior to further hearings.

Background and procedural notes: the proposed rezoning would keep the same parcel and building standards (setbacks and maximum height) for the RT5.4 portions as under R5.4 but would allow attached two‑unit building types; the subdivision map as presented shows phases 1–4 currently zoned R5.4 and phase 5 zoned RT2.7. Planning staff described surrounding county zoning as a mixture of Residential Medium and Agricultural/Bridger Residential 5 and noted adjacency to the Miller Creek View Addition PUD.

The committee meeting included public comment earlier on unrelated matters. The rezoning item will move to City Council with a planning board recommendation and a staff recommendation that council adopt an ordinance rezoning Linda Vista Estates phases 2–4 as presented.