Missoula launches multi‑year rewrite of zoning and subdivision rules with broad public process

Mayor John Anken and city planning officials on the evening opened a multi‑year effort to overhaul Missoula’s zoning ordinance and the city’s subdivision rules, telling residents the project will emphasize public input, technical review and a phased drafting process rather than immediate changes to the city’s zoning map.

The kickoff meeting laid out a work plan that will begin with listening and outreach, produce a “zoning principles” or “big ideas” report, and then advance through multiple ordinance drafts, public workshops and formal hearings. Consultant Kirk Bishop described the effort as “a comprehensive and complete overhaul of the city's zoning ordinance,” and said the team expects to spend substantial time up front listening and mapping community values.

Why it matters: zoning rules determine what people can build and where, affecting housing supply, neighborhood character, parking and infrastructure. City and consultant leaders framed the rewrite as an opportunity to make the ordinance clearer and easier to use, add modern standards for reuse and design, and create procedural clarity for permitting and enforcement.

The consu…