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Residents urge pesticide‑free parks and keeping public land for housing; neighbors raise park‑size and traffic concerns
Summary
Several Missoula residents urged the council to phase out pesticides on city playing fields, keep unsold city land in a land trust for affordable housing, and expressed concern that a proposed park would be too small and increase traffic near existing daycares.
Multiple Missoula residents used the public‑comment period to press the council on parks, city land and neighborhood impacts from proposed developments.
Rebecca Ballentine (Ward 3 resident) opened the evening’s public‑comment block urging the city to make all municipal parks and playing fields “organic pesticide‑free land care.” She said her family spends hours in parks and on trails and told council members children are particularly vulnerable to pesticide exposure, which she said is linked to “cancers, tumors, asthma, ADHD, developmental issues, Parkinson's, birth defects.” Ballentine asked the council to create a timeline this calendar year to transition all municipal parks and fields to organic maintenance similar to McCormick Park.
Suzette Dussaud urged the city not to sell unsold city land and to instead preserve it in a land trust to provide housing for working families, calling the shortage of affordable housing “a crisis.” She suggested using creative financing including MRA‑type tools and highlighted potential for mixed uses such as daycare on the ground floor with senior housing above.
Athena Collins echoed those concerns and praised the guiding principles staff prepared for city land redevelopment, urging caution about selling public land and recommending long‑term leases and stewardship to protect long‑term public benefit.
Katie Thompson, who said she is a nearby landlord, said the park proposed as part of a development felt too small: “It is a 2.2 acre park, and I would beg you guys to drive by that because the park being proposed with the density is 1.2. It is essentially half the size of Boyd Park,” and she raised safety and traffic concerns related to a nearby daycare and potential increased vehicle trips tied to proposed commercial uses.
Council members did not take formal action on these public‑comment requests at the meeting. The issues raised—pesticide policy, the disposition of city land and neighborhood impacts of development—may be addressed in future committee work or specific agenda items. The council encouraged residents to follow related materials on Engage Missoula and noted staff and upcoming committee schedules for further engagement.
