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Developers present two master-plan options for Missoula mill site as floodplain uncertainty limits details
Summary
At a public workshop, designers for the Missoula Mill Site Revitalization Group showed two broad master-plan options emphasizing riverfront park space, mixed housing types and trail connections, and asked residents for feedback while noting floodplain boundaries and market decisions remain unresolved.
Project presenters showed two conceptual master-plan options for the Missoula mill site on Thursday and asked nearby residents to mark preferences and concerns as designers work toward a more detailed plan.
At a public workshop facilitated by the project team, a project presenter said the designs prioritize riverfront parkland and trail connections to downtown while proposing between about 350 and 450 housing units overall, a mix of townhomes and multifamily buildings, and a public park in the floodplain area. “We’ve included, to the best of our knowledge today, those flood plains. But we’ve heard in the last two weeks that we’re not really sure where it is,” the presenter said, describing floodplain mapping as a key unresolved input that will affect where development is permitted.
The uncertainty over floodplain delineation is central to why the team asked for public input now rather than presenting a final plan. The presenter said the landowners who hired the design team are Ed Mitty and Kevin Mitty of the Missoula Mill Site Revitalization Group and that the design process will be iterative, with follow-up meetings to refine the plans.
The two shown options differ in building placement and block character but share major elements: a publicly accessible river-edge park, enhanced trail connections to downtown and nearby amenities, and mixed residential types. The presenter described the proposed housing mix as including ‘‘2 story tuck-under town homes most likely’’ and other ‘‘attached multi-story units’’ that could range from two to four stories. The team also emphasized that in their terminology “multifamily” refers to attached dwelling units (owner-occupied townhomes or condominiums as well as rental apartments) and should not be assumed to mean only rental housing.
Designers emphasized the development’s potential to connect to existing civic assets including the Clark Fork riverfront, Caras Park, McCormick Park, a nearby stadium and local museums. The presenter said the scheme could repair an underused or derelict parcel and ‘‘create a new civic destination’’ if implemented with parks and trail connections.
Workshop participants took part in a quick feedback exercise with three adhesive dots: one blank dot to indicate preferred plan A or B, a plus dot to mark features they liked, and a minus dot to flag features they disliked. Residents raised specific concerns during Q&A: one asked for confirmation of who hired the design team (the presenter named Ed and Kevin Mitty), several questioned the proposed densities and building heights along existing two-story neighborhoods, and another attendee asked whether a retail-market analysis for Missoula was part of the planning work.
The presenter responded that some details will be driven by market conditions and that the team will continue working with city staff over the next month to refine the plans. He said the floodplain boundaries will be updated as new information comes in and that those data will shape where parkland and development are placed.
The project team requested written comments and indicated a plan to return with more refined materials. No formal city action, vote, or permit decision occurred at the workshop; the meeting was an outreach and input session for an early-stage master plan.
