Columbia Falls planning commissioners forward housing needs study to City Council after presentation and public comment

Wendy Sullivan, a consultant with WXW Consulting, presented a final housing needs study to the Columbia Falls Planning Commission and the commission voted to forward the study to City Council for a public hearing on May 5.

The study, Sullivan said, was commissioned to "estimate housing needed by price point in tenure currently and over the next 5 to 10 years" to guide growth management, zoning and grant applications. Sullivan told commissioners the analysis combined secondary data, local records and interviews with local brokers, property managers and employers to capture on-the-ground demand.

Why it matters: the report frames how the city may use incentives, zoning changes and local funding to address shortages that Sullivan tied to both workforce retention and rising investor/second-home pressure. Sullivan reported limited developable land in the city ("as of early 2024, we have…