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Missoula outlines Unified Development Code changes on sidewalks, bike storage and affordable housing
Summary
City staff and committee members previewed revisions to Missoula’s Unified Development Code to make infrastructure requirements proportional to development scale, preserve a design-exception process for impractical sites, require replacement of hazardous sidewalks and fold parts of the design excellence overlay into base code.
City staff and committee members previewed proposed changes to Missoula’s Unified Development Code (UDC) aimed at making infrastructure requirements proportional to the scale of development and keeping flexibility for small infill projects.
Ross Molenauer, the city engineer, said the UDC language adds a clear intent that ‘‘we're not trying to require roundabouts on a backyard, single unit ADU,’’ and retains the ability to waive requirements for projects where improvements offer little public benefit. He told the committee the UDC will document a design-exception process so applicants can request relief for impractical circumstances, such as cul-de-sacs or very rural frontage.
Molenauer outlined cost examples for on‑site frontage improvements, saying estimates used in the discussion put typical costs at about $300 per foot of frontage and noting corner lots or being the first house on a block can multiply those expenses. He and the host also described existing city tools — liens and special improvement districts — historically used to spread infrastructure costs across properties.
The UDC will also keep a provision requiring replacement of hazardous sidewalk infrastructure discovered during development review, Molenauer said. The committee discussed folding elements of the city’s design-excellence overlay into the base code so standards that encourage walkable building placement (for example, pulling buildings up to the sidewalk) remain but without an extra overlay process.
Erin Pien of housing and community planning said the UDC aims to support ‘‘gentle infill’’ but cautioned small multifamily forms (duplexes through seven-unit buildings) are often financially difficult to build; she told the committee larger multifamily projects (in the range of roughly 13–18 units) are currently more feasible and therefore where much of new multifamily construction is occurring.
Aaron Wilson, speaking about transportation policy, said the city requires bicycle storage to support multimodal travel and long-term, weather‑protected storage for residents of multifamily buildings. Emily Armstrong, community development staff, described how the urban mixed‑use place type (Reserve Street and similar areas) needs zoning that encourages walkable frontages and better building–street relationships.
Committee members discussed next steps for refining the UDC language and the city encouraged the public to consult ci.missoula.mt.us and EngageMissoula.com for full committee reports and webcasts. The broadcast clips did not include a committee vote on the final code; staff indicated further committee meetings and public review would follow.
The Land Use & Planning Committee materials and webcasts are available through the City of Missoula’s civic portal for anyone wanting the full staff reports and draft code language.
