The Growth Policy influences how Missoula's built environment looks and feels - this includes all of the places we live, work, and play. Input from the community is crucial to ensure that the Growth Policy captures a shared vision for the future of Missoula. Share your thoughts with us below!

Our Current Growth Policy

A Growth Policy, also known as a land use plan or a comprehensive plan, is the foundational document that cities in Montana use to:

• Highlight community priorities for future growth.
• Put in place long-term land use strategies that aim to address the City's emerging issues and challenges.
• Align development rules and regulations with community priorities and City plans.

The policy is generally responsible for guiding plans for future urban growth and development over the next 20 years. Missoula’s current Growth Policy, Our Missoula 2035, was adopted in 2015. The Growth Policy contains a Future Land Use Map (FLUM) that assigns future land use designations based on the vision expressed in the Growth Policy. The FLUM is the policy basis for the City's zoning districts.

Watch the brief presentation below to learn how the Growth Policy shapes land use and the development process in Missoula.

Why are we Updating the Growth Policy?

The Montana Land Use Planning Act (MLUPA) requires that cities with 5,000 or more people adopt new land use plans and new zoning and subdivision codes. While the City of Missoula was already planning on updating the Growth Policy through the Our Missoula project prior to this legislation, the MLUPA provides the City with specific parameters to follow as we do so.

While many of the values and visions expressed in the current Growth Policy remain relevant today, there are issues that have become more pressing, especially in recent years, that are not captured in our current vision. These include, but are not limited to: social, cultural, and racial inequities; housing shortages and the rise in housing costs; and the accelerating effects of climate change.

Watch the brief presentation below to learn more about the reasons why the City of Missoula is updating the Growth Policy.

Interact

Tell us your vision for the future! Use the news feed and tools below to find updates, documents, and opportunities to provide your input related to the Growth Policy Update process of the Our Missoula project.