Public Forum: YMCA and Missoula County Landscaping, Parking, and Signage for Renovations and New Facilities
UPDATE: On May 15, 2023 City Council held the public forum. This case is now closed for comment.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Community Planning, Development, and Innovation received an application from Paradigm Architecture on behalf of the YMCA and Missoula County for the parcel at 3000 Russell St.
The proposed project includes the renovation of the existing YMCA facility and the addition of an Airnasium, childcare facility, and five new signs. There are several variations from local zoning regulations across the site and structures.
A Day Care Center of thirteen children or more is not a permitted use in OP3. There is currently a day care with the same use on the existing site. That building will be demolished, and a new childcare facility will be constructed.
The required number of vehicle parking spaces for the proposed new structures and uses is not met on site but is fulfilled by an adjacent lot to the south, leased from the City of Missoula by the YMCA. The site will also not meet short or long-term bicycle parking requirements.
General landscaping, street frontage landscaping, interior parking lot landscaping, and perimeter parking lot landscaping requirements will not be met. The number of trees and shrubs required for general landscaping will not be provided. The number of shrubs required for street frontage landscaping will not be provided. The parking lot will be mostly unchanged and the existing parking lot islands are not landscaped with trees or groundcover. There are not as many existing parking lot islands as are required. The new islands in the parking lot addition for the childcare facility will have trees but not groundcover. Perimeter parking lot landscaping standards will not be met through a berm, wall, or plantings. The ground-mounted mechanical equipment on site will not be screened from view of the street or park.
There will be six signs in total, five wall signs and one window sign. There is proposed to be two wall signs on the existing YMCA building, when only one is allowed per building. Both signs will be larger and taller than is permitted. There is also proposed to be a window sign on the second floor of the existing building, which is not permitted. There is proposed to be two wall signs on the new childcare facility. Both signs will be larger than the maximum area permitted and taller than the maximum height permitted. There is proposed to be a wall sign on the new Airnasium to be larger and taller than permitted.
City Council is authorized by state law to hold a public hearing, known as a public forum, when a public agency proposes to use public land contrary to the local zoning regulations. The public agency in this case is Missoula County. City Council does not have the power to deny or condition the approval of the project. The proposed use is permitted regardless of the outcome of the hearing. However, public comment is greatly appreciated.
PROJECT APPLICATION LINKS:
The application packet can be viewed here: https://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/1638/Private-Development-Projects
PROJECT TIMELINE:
The hearing date is scheduled for May 15th, 2023 at 6:00 PM. Information on how to attend the meetings virtually or in-person is posted here: https://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/1149/AgendasWebcastsMinutes
PROJECT COMMENT DEADLINE:
Public comment will be taken by City Council until the public hearing is closed. Comments can be submitted through Engage Missoula, via email to the planner noted below, by mailing in a letter to the City of Missoula office at 435 Ryman Street, Missoula, MT 59802, or during the public meeting.
Provide your comment by May 12th, 2023 to be included in the staff report provided to City Council. Your comments may be considered by Missoula County when moving forward with their proposal.
PROJECT PLANNER:
The project planner is Charlie Ream who can be reached at (406) 552-6351, or reamc@ci.missoula.mt.us.
