Council sets sidewalk-deferral hearing and declines to authorize Eaton Street Phase 2 after contested votes

Missoula city council spent substantial time on Dec. 9 debating sidewalk assessments and the Eaton Street Phase 2 project. The items included (a) whether to move forward with right-of-way improvements on Eaton Street Phase 2 and (b) preliminary approval to set a public hearing on proposed ordinance changes expanding eligibility for the sidewalk deferral program.

Mayor Andrea Davis reminded council that the two items were related: staff sought to expand the deferment program while council considered pausing certain sidewalk projects amid broader code reform. Councilor Mirta Becerra read the committee recommendation, which initially urged not approving Eaton Street Phase 2 so the council could revisit sidewalk assessments and equity questions.

Councilors expressed differing views. Councilor Daniel Carlino said neighbors who attended committee meetings would be surprised by immediate vote changes and urged clearer communication for residents who would face assessment costs. Councilor Kristen Jordan stressed a priority to extend one sidewalk on a busy corridor before building sidewalks on both sides of streets where connectivity is poor. Councilor Mike Nugent emphasized that rising construction costs put pressure on the city to proceed with some projects.

A complex roll-call process followed with a "do not pass" recommendation and confusion over how members should vote. The council ultimately used a motion to reconsider the earlier action (which passed) and re-voted; the final record shows the council voted to "not approve" the Eaton Street Phase 2 resolution at this meeting (i.e., decline to authorize the right-of-way improvement at this time). Council also set a public hearing for Jan. 6, 2025 to consider the proposed ordinance changes to Missoula Municipal Code (titles 3 and 12) that would update sidewalk deferral program eligibility, with the ordinance to be effective Feb. 5, 2025 if adopted.

What this means: Eaton Street Phase 2 will not move forward from council authorization at this meeting; the council has scheduled a public hearing to consider changes to the sidewalk deferral program. Staff signaled there are other sidewalk projects not yet bonded (Turner Street and Franklin & Ivy) that could be affected by program changes. Several councilors said they want staff to continue exploring funding and priority-setting so that infrastructure work aligns with the upcoming code reform and budget cycle.

Councilors emphasized options for low-income homeowners and noted that deferral terms can lead to higher long-term costs for property owners who choose to finance; council set the public hearing to gather further input before adopting changes.