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Residents urge council to rethink Midtown Commons, citing loss of greenway and affordability worries
Summary
Multiple residents told council they are concerned that Midtown Commons’ updated plan reduces green space, covers the waterway, and will yield mostly market‑rate units rather than workforce housing and urged additional public outreach and a town hall.
Dozens of residents used the May 11 public‑comment periods to press the council for more outreach and to urge design changes to the Midtown Commons development — a roughly 13‑acre project adjacent to Southgate — arguing the proposal reduces greenway, covers a valued waterway and will deliver largely market‑rate housing that Missoula workers cannot afford.
Residents described a sequence of public meetings and materials that left them uncertain about what type of housing the project will provide. "It's a 12‑day period to understand the developer's new plan and then choose to sell the land," said Carrie Shriber of the Southgate Triangle Neighborhood Council, criticizing the short review window and urging a town hall; she said neighborhood petition drives produced 160 in‑person signatures and roughly 500 online signatures.
Other commenters highlighted affordability data and infrastructure concerns. Katie Thompson said comparable units the developer built list one‑bedroom rents at about $1,800 and three‑bedrooms at $2,750, figures she said are out of reach for many local workers. Mary Giuliani, a mental‑health therapist, told council she had heard conflicting statements at prior meetings: "Grant Kier talk about that we're going to have affordable housing for Missoula's workers ... Two MRA board members thought that there was going to include workforce housing ... Chris Kimberly, the developer, said it's going to be market rate," she said, calling for clearer public messaging.
Speakers also urged preservation of a small natural corridor — referred to by residents as "the grove" — and asked the council to consider neighborhood‑scale designs that reduce land costs under homes and include community gardens and shaded play areas. Several asked for traffic and pedestrian safety measures, including a crosswalk request that was routed to the city's street‑improvement form.
Mayor Andrea Davis acknowledged public concerns, said the project will return to the land‑use and planning committee on Wednesday and to council on May 18, and clarified that while the Redevelopment Agency's workforce housing program will support project goals, MRA funds will not be used to subsidize individual market‑rate units. Staff and MRA representatives will present site details and park design elements in committee sessions early in the week.
The Midtown Commons material will continue to receive public review through the planning process; residents asked council for a formal town hall to address design and affordability questions before final approvals.
