Our Missoula 2045 Land Use Plan

12/16/24


* I am writing this morning in regard to the 2045 Missoula Land Use Plan.
* While I was aware the initiative dealt with residential types and density, I had no particular opinion of expertise on those issues, so I largely left discussion on it to others.
* However, when a casual reading of the document uncovered that a major portion of Fort Missoula was to be re-designated from “parks and open space” to “civic,” and that the new designation was “not anticipated to provide housing but could be supported” - my attention as head of two Fort Missoula historic preservation organizations covered in the gray zone, was secured
* This plan is apparently fast-tracked for City Council approval Monday night. I became aware of the above late last week, and consultations over the weekend with the three primary Fort Missoula historic agencies indicate none of their staff members, board members, or support organizations was made aware of this proposed change, either in formulation or final presentation. After a number of years in government and 28 spent working on Fort Missoula planning I can confidently say that if problems of this extent are present in the notification process - then there was effectively none. (And no, email blasts containing mainly generalities do not count.)
* A change of this magnitude warranted direct contact between the Dept. of Community Planning, Development and Innovation and the Fort Missouia landowning and administering agencies - at the minimum the Rocky Mountain Museum of Military History, the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula, the Northern Rockies Heritage Center, plus several more and the Historic Fort Missoula Coalition, representing over thirty interested organizations. The executive leadership of the above was especially deserving of such - they have full agendas and cannot be expected to spend large amounts of time poring through the entirety of the minutiae produced by city government.
* In further review, multiple episodes since the early 1990’s - in editorial statements, ballot referendum, litigation, and legislative actions - have clearly and emphatically shown that the public is satisfied with the existing preservation protections and land use matrix at Fort Missoula, and is resolutely opposed to residential/commercial development and the introduction of neighborhood problems into the Fort. Preference has been strong and clear for the present mix of historic preservation, cultural, recreational, and office park use. Fifty years of investment under that combination has made Fort Missoula a recognized and prized community resource unique among national historic sites. I cannot see what circumstances or direction mandate CPDI to overturn the above.
* This plan as applied to the Fort essentially creates a keyhole to begin reduction of all that - and it should be pointedly noted here that the Fort agencies in entirety were satisfied with the existing parks and open space designation; here a solution has been set loose in search of a problem. None of the Fort public and/or nonprofit agencies has expressed any desire to get into the housing business; the only possible contingency this designation might be generally applied to is that RMMMH, HMFM, NRHC, UM, US Army, USFS, and others will simultaneously dissolve and/or relocate elsewhere.
* As is, the plan does offer an undeserved lifeline of sorts to the one land speculation entity attempting to insert tract housing into the historic Fort Missoula core - FAE-Wolf of Denver, Colorado. As expressed by Mr. Max Wolf in a hearing last week (one the above agencies were entirely unaware pertained to Fort Missoula and did not attend):

“One of the owners of the Old Post Hospital, which previously proposed 16 residential units at the fort, asked the city council for a more dense land use type to allow for more intense development. 
"Unlike the surrounding tax-exempt property, This site actively supports our community's tax base and deserves equitable treatment in zoning," owner Max Wolf said at the meeting.” (Missoulian, 12/12/24)

Concerning the above -

- If FAE-Wolf (which retains a full time lawyer-lobbyist to keep track of these things, a resource unavailable to the Fort Missoula historic agencies) is considered to be representing Fort Missoula here, the hearing process on the plan reaches the highest levels of contrivance.
- FAE-Wolf has been resolute in attempting to roll back a half-century of Fort Missoula land use planning, protection and precedent to exclusively benefit a private financial land speculation project; their most recent scheme was decisively defeated in the City Council last spring.
- In his purported framing of the issue, Mr. Wolf shows little to no understanding of the role of nonprofit organizations. NPO’s and government lands were and are not designed to be part of the tax base. Rather, the later provides public benefit through conservation, service or other purposes, and private NPO’s receive nontaxable status after public review to ensure their activities are directed toward the same.
- FAE-Wolf has received more than equitable treatment by regulatory authorities throughout their application process - and furthermore it was incumbent on them to understand existing Fort Missoula land planning and protections, “equitably” written into statute and available to all. That they purchased property gambling they could change such and lost is not a matter for concern to anyone outside their ownership and office staff.

* I will again note further that over 28 years I have participated in multiple Fort Missoula land planning processes. When collaboration with the Fort agencies is sought in advance, productive things happen. When top-down dictates are attempted without preliminary discussion, the main product is an adversarial relationship. As of today this plan is leaning toward the latter category.

This morning, I would respectfully request that the portion of the 2045 Missoula Land Use Plan dealing with the “civic” designation for Fort Missoula be withdrawn from further consideration until further discussion between the Fort Missoula agencies and CPDI. I would be pleased to facilitate such.

Sincerely,

Tate Jones

Executive Director
Rocky Mountain Museum of Military History

President
Northern Rockies Heritage Center

Member
Historic Fort Missoula Coalition

A few days before Christmas 1993 the Missoula City Council was faced with a choice: should it enact Ordinance 2877 granting residential zoning on the 82 acre site of the WW2 Japanese and Italian concentration camp at Fort Missoula or do as the large number of its constituents urged and NOT enact Ordinance 2877? That Council chose residential development - which proved to be the wrong choice.
The incensed constituents now had 30 days before the ordinance took effect to draft a petition, get it approved by the City Attorney and then collect the necessary number of signatures. With barely a week remaining and armed with a certified petition - 100 plus brave souls stood on street corners in freezing January and collected 13 thousand signatures which put the question on the June 7th Primary Ballot.
A 4-month media battle ensued. Developers standing to make millions vs citizens who knew and deeply cared about the extraordinary "Civic" value of those 82 acres.
On June 7, 1994 - the bad choice made by the Council was overwhelmingly corrected at the ballot box. It's now 30 years later and a similar choice is at hand.
Fort Missoula represents something unique. Especially now with all the ugly talk of rounding people up and putting them in camps. That place is sacred. There is a choice before us - before the Council - to humbly recognize - in the most respectful way possible - what that place was in our journey and to acknowledge that private residential housing does not fit in that picture.
Under the Plan being proposed - some of the Fort would change from OP3 to "Civic." The "Civic" designation states that "Civic uses are not generally anticipated to provide housing, but could be supported if proposed." This language should be clarified so that it PROHIBITS private residential housing developments.
The Fort might represent the most "Civic" place in all of Western Montana and as such is no place for private residential housing. Even the University eventually recognized that residential housing is inappropriate on the 82 acres it still controls at the Fort - and as such has enacted a memorandum to NEVER allow private residential housing there. The Missoula City Council should do the same.

I have had the opportunity to review the draft plan and would like to comment on the proposed changes to the land use designations at Fort Missoula. The Land Use Plan is changing from Parks and Open Space to Civic that recognizes housing in limited situations. I would prefer that we use this opportunity to strengthen and enhance historic preservation measures for the Fort instead of opening the door to development. There are ways to encourage adaptive reuse of historic buildings at the Fort. There are also ways to require compatible new construction in the historic district. The council should table the decision on the land use plan to give staff and the community the opportunity to develop ways to strengthen and enhance historic preservation measures for Fort Missoula.

Please clarify language concerning “housing” at Fort Missoula. No residential uses should be permitted or conditional except for health care facilities. Allowing anything other than this is a matter of community concern and will be strongly opposed.

The online Draft version is unapproachable. Print is tiny, text is dense and occasionally nonsensical as if it was cut/pasted and not proof-read. There are too many moving parts, and the jargon is thick. I get that it's a draft, but it's daunting. Makes me, with humble expertise merely as a lifelong Missoulian, feel ill-equipped to comment. Makes my concerns feel irrelevant.

Indeed, I'm not usually inclined to offer my two cents on topics I don't have a firm grasp on. But on this topic I feel an urgency that's caused me countless sleepless nights.

So I'll try to talk mostly about what I do know. My primary qualifications are that I've lived in Missoula since birth. I attended public schools and the UM, worked here, shopped here, biked, walked, hiked, driven thousands of miles and scored many hundreds of parking spaces within our small valley. My spouse and I met here, made a life here, and our kids started out intending to make their lives here as well - all from a single place in Ward 6 that we somehow manage to still call home. For now.

Having been designated as a high-density urban residential place-type (ca. 2015?), that stability came under threat by zoning changes that divided our neighborhood’s lots, obstructed our views and natural light, altered or destroyed routes and pathways, and increased my grievances toward on-street parking, commuter and commercial traffic, glare, screaming emergency vehicles, collisions and close-calls, trash, debris, dust, offensive odors, respiratory illnesses, the number of rental properties and homeless souls staggering through, looking for somewhere to go.

And I can't help thinking, “There, but for the grace of God, go I…” because, in exchange for these enormous sacrifices, we're nickled and dimed to death by property taxes that are inching us closer and closer to being out on the street. These changes have helped bring an end to growing our own food, to having reasons to be outside, and to meaningful interaction with neighbors and strangers alike, among other things.

Suffice it to say my mood has been foul, and now this proposal comes along and I feel like another hammer is about to drop. Granted, growing communities suffer growing pains. But Missoula can do better. As a lifelong Missoulian, *I* expect better.

Based more on my lived daily experience than on my cursory comprehension of the Draft, please afford me this chance to articulate some specific thoughts or observations about how we might hope to do better, to remediate inequities and restore balance that might bring us some peace of mind and offer a sense of stability.

1. Dial back density targets in UR

The proposal's suggestion to distribute diverse housing types across ALL neighborhoods is encouraging. But the stated “Inward Focus” priority is at complete odds with that vision.

Mixed-income neighborhoods, where diverse households have mingled, where their kids have historically grown, learned, played together, was disrupted in the past two growth policies. Balanced housing distribution and opportunities will ensure that every neighborhood shares both benefits and challenges equitably.

2. Remedy Economic Segregation in Zoning

Likewise, past policies aimed at curbing sprawl have, in practice, reinforced class divides. Take Lower Miller Creek, for example, where taxpayer-funded infrastructure (vis a vis the abandonment of Cold Springs School and adoption of Jeannette Rankin) primarily benefited wealthier residents, leaving areas experiencing increased density, like Ward 6, underserved. Such imbalances foster inequity, and where there's inequity, there's resentment.

3. Demand Compliance, Accountability and Transparency

Future policies must safeguard against development that exploits public resources for exclusive projects, meanwhile ensuring underrepresented areas receive just and equitable investment.

4. Preserve, Expand and Create Green Spaces and Pathways in Ward 6

Distribution of these types of amenities in Missoula is glaringly imbalanced compared to others, and increased density in UR would just make that worse. We deserve the same consideration for green spaces and opportunities to be outside that lower-density neighborhoods enjoy.

5. Recognize the Environmental Impacts on Residents Dealing with Density Trends

Increased density in areas like Ward 6 has led to significant environmental challenges. Visible ground ozone, light pollution, absurd traffic patterns, noise, glare from concrete and vehicles that radiate scorching sun, seasonal inversions, wildfire smoke, etc. is all exacerbated by the loss of trees, lawns and gardens, and absurd traffic patterns that concentrate pollutants in already burdened areas. A pledge toward equity would distribute density more evenly across wards and zones with thoughtful, common sense consideration of environmental impacts.

6. Reassess Parking and Transit Proposals

Reducing off-street parking without viable, imminent public transit alternatives, exacerbates congestion, safety risks, and environmental challenges. For many residents juggling work, school, and family, cars remain a necessity and possibly always will. Even the most robust public transit system is unlikely to meet the diversity of needs that drive us to drive. Missoula needs more off-street parking options, not fewer. Covered structures or underground lots would help alleviate some of the aforementioned environmental impacts, as well as improve safety and increase maintenance efficiency.

7. Reopen South Avenue to Eastbound Traffic

The closure of South Avenue at Malfunction Junction has diverted traffic, with its noise, emissions, carbon deposits, and safety hazards, into residential neighborhoods as far as 2 to 3 road miles away. Reopening South Avenue with a roundabout or bypass system would restore intuitive traffic patterns that ease congestion and encourage commuters to stop taking short cuts through residential neighborhoods.

8. Emphasize Desirable, Affordable Cottage Courts and Duplexes among ALL areas, and Include Provisions for Manufactured Housing Options

More housing supply is not a solution to high housing costs. That's just a fact. Missoula’s previous growth policies have not delivered on their promises to improve affordability or quality of life. Instead, they’ve created inequities, environmental challenges, and frustration among residents.

Missoulians are income/class-diverse, yet policies that brought us here today have largely functioned to segregate the Haves from and the Have-Nots. If “equity” is to be a goal, we can't prioritize “Inward Focus.”
…

Haste makes waste. I feel rushed here, pretty sure I’ve neglected something important. My concern is that the City is also rushing, neglecting something important - namely, us - the people just trying to relax in a place we consider our home.

Missoula has become a miserable place to live. There was a time when it was pretty mellow. I urge us, please, let's aim to make it mellow again.

The online Draft version is unapproachable. Print is tiny, text is dense and occasionally nonsensical as if it was cut/pasted and not proof-read. There are too many moving parts, and the jargon is thick. I get that it's a draft, but it's daunting. Makes me, with humble expertise merely as a lifelong Missoulian, feel ill-equipped to comment. Makes my concerns feel irrelevant.

Indeed, I'm not usually inclined to offer my two cents on topics I don't have a firm grasp on. But on this topic I feel an urgency that's caused me countless sleepless nights.

So I'll try to talk mostly about what I do know. My primary qualifications are that I've lived in Missoula since birth. I attended public schools and the UM, worked here, shopped here, biked, walked, hiked, driven thousands of miles and scored many hundreds of parking spaces within our small valley. My spouse and I met here, made a life here, and our kids started out intending to make their lives here as well - all from a single place in Ward 6 that we somehow manage to still call home. For now.

Having been designated as a high-density urban residential place-type (ca. 2015?), that stability came under threat by zoning changes that divided our neighborhood’s lots, obstructed our views and natural light, altered or destroyed routes and pathways, and increased my grievances toward on-street parking, commuter and commercial traffic, glare, screaming emergency vehicles, collisions and close-calls, trash, debris, dust, offensive odors, respiratory illnesses, the number of rental properties and homeless souls staggering through, looking for somewhere to go.

And I can't help thinking, “There, but for the grace of God, go I…” because, in exchange for these enormous sacrifices, we're nickled and dimed to death by property taxes that are inching us closer and closer to being out on the street. These changes have helped bring an end to growing our own food, to having reasons to be outside, and to meaningful interaction with neighbors and strangers alike, among other things.

Suffice it to say my mood has been foul, and now this proposal comes along and I feel like another hammer is about to drop. Granted, growing communities suffer growing pains. But Missoula can do better. As a lifelong Missoulian, *I* expect better.

Based more on my lived daily experience than on my cursory comprehension of the Draft, please afford me this chance to articulate some specific thoughts or observations about how we might hope to do better, to remediate inequities and restore balance that might bring us some peace of mind and offer a sense of stability.

1. Dial back density targets in UR

The proposal's suggestion to distribute diverse housing types across ALL neighborhoods is encouraging. But the stated “Inward Focus” priority is at complete odds with that vision.

Mixed-income neighborhoods, where diverse households have mingled, where their kids have historically grown, learned, played together, was disrupted in the past two growth policies. Balanced housing distribution and opportunities will ensure that every neighborhood shares both benefits and challenges equitably.

2. Remedy Economic Segregation in Zoning

Likewise, past policies aimed at curbing sprawl have, in practice, reinforced class divides. Take Lower Miller Creek, for example, where taxpayer-funded infrastructure (vis a vis the abandonment of Cold Springs School and adoption of Jeannette Rankin) primarily benefited wealthier residents, leaving areas experiencing increased density, like Ward 6, underserved. Such imbalances foster inequity, and where there's inequity, there's resentment.

3. Demand Compliance, Accountability and Transparency

Future policies must safeguard against development that exploits public resources for exclusive projects, meanwhile ensuring underrepresented areas receive just and equitable investment.

4. Preserve, Expand and Create Green Spaces and Pathways in Ward 6

Distribution of these types of amenities in Missoula is glaringly imbalanced compared to others, and increased density in UR would just make that worse. We deserve the same consideration for green spaces and opportunities to be outside that lower-density neighborhoods enjoy.

5. Recognize the Environmental Impacts on Residents Dealing with Density Trends

Increased density in areas like Ward 6 has led to significant environmental challenges. Visible ground ozone, light pollution, absurd traffic patterns, noise, glare from concrete and vehicles that radiate scorching sun, seasonal inversions, wildfire smoke, etc. is all exacerbated by the loss of trees, lawns and gardens, and absurd traffic patterns that concentrate pollutants in already burdened areas. A pledge toward equity would distribute density more evenly across wards and zones with thoughtful, common sense consideration of environmental impacts.

6. Reassess Parking and Transit Proposals

Reducing off-street parking without viable, imminent public transit alternatives, exacerbates congestion, safety risks, and environmental challenges. For many residents juggling work, school, and family, cars remain a necessity and possibly always will. Even the most robust public transit system is unlikely to meet the diversity of needs that drive us to drive. Missoula needs more off-street parking options, not fewer. Covered structures or underground lots would help alleviate some of the aforementioned environmental impacts, as well as improve safety and increase maintenance efficiency.

7. Reopen South Avenue to Eastbound Traffic

The closure of South Avenue at Malfunction Junction has diverted traffic, with its noise, emissions, carbon deposits, and safety hazards, into residential neighborhoods as far as 2 to 3 road miles away. Reopening South Avenue with a roundabout or bypass system would restore intuitive traffic patterns that ease congestion and encourage commuters to stop taking short cuts through residential neighborhoods.

8. Emphasize Desirable, Affordable Cottage Courts and Duplexes among ALL areas, and Include Provisions for Manufactured Housing Options

More housing supply is not a solution to high housing costs. That's just a fact. Missoula’s previous growth policies have not delivered on their promises to improve affordability or quality of life. Instead, they’ve created inequities, environmental challenges, and frustration among residents.

Missoulians are income/class-diverse, yet policies that brought us here today have largely functioned to segregate the Haves from and the Have-Nots. If “equity” is to be a goal, we can't prioritize “Inward Focus.”
…

Haste makes waste. I feel rushed here, pretty sure I’ve neglected something important. My concern is that the City is also rushing, neglecting something important - namely, us - the people just trying to relax in a place we consider our home.

Missoula has become a miserable place to live. There was a time when it was pretty mellow. I urge us, please, let's aim to make it mellow again.

The online Draft version is unapproachable. Print is tiny, text is dense and occasionally nonsensical as if it was cut/pasted and not proof-read. There are too many moving parts, and the jargon is thick. I get that it's a draft, but it's daunting. Makes me, with humble expertise merely as a lifelong Missoulian, feel ill-equipped to comment. Makes my concerns feel irrelevant.

The online Draft version is unapproachable. Print is tiny, text is dense and occasionally nonsensical as if it was cut/pasted and not proof-read. There are too many moving parts, and the jargon is thick. I get that it's a draft, but it's daunting. Makes me, with humble expertise merely as a lifelong Missoulian, feel ill-equipped to comment. Makes my concerns feel irrelevant.

The online Draft version is unapproachable. Print is tiny, text is dense and occasionally nonsensical as if it was cut/pasted and not proof-read. There are too many moving parts, and the jargon is thick. I get that it's a draft, but it's daunting. Makes me, with humble expertise merely as a lifelong Missoulian, feel ill-equipped to comment. Makes my concerns feel irrelevant.

Indeed, I'm not usually inclined to offer my two cents on topics I don't have a firm grasp on. But on this topic I feel an urgency that's caused me countless sleepless nights.

So I'll try to talk mostly about what I do know. My primary qualifications are that I've lived in Missoula since birth. I attended public schools and the UM, worked here, shopped here, biked, walked, hiked, driven thousands of miles and scored many hundreds of parking spaces within our small valley. My spouse and I met here, made a life here, and our kids started out intending to make their lives here as well - all from a single place in Ward 6 that we somehow manage to still call home. For now.

Having been designated as a high-density urban residential place-type (ca. 2015?), that stability came under threat by zoning changes that divided our neighborhood’s lots, obstructed our views and natural light, altered or destroyed routes and pathways, and increased my grievances toward on-street parking, commuter and commercial traffic, glare, screaming emergency vehicles, collisions and close-calls, trash, debris, dust, offensive odors, respiratory illnesses, the number of rental properties and homeless souls staggering through, looking for somewhere to go.

And I can't help thinking, “There, but for the grace of God, go I…” because, in exchange for these enormous sacrifices, we're nickled and dimed to death by property taxes that are inching us closer and closer to being out on the street. These changes have helped bring an end to growing our own food, to having reasons to be outside, and to meaningful interaction with neighbors and strangers alike, among other things.

Suffice it to say my mood has been foul, and now this proposal comes along and I feel like another hammer is about to drop. Granted, growing communities suffer growing pains. But Missoula can do better. As a lifelong Missoulian, *I* expect better.

Based more on my lived daily experience than on my cursory comprehension of the Draft, please afford me this chance to articulate some specific thoughts or observations about how we might hope to do better, to remediate inequities and restore balance that might bring us some peace of mind and offer a sense of stability.

1. Dial back density targets in UR

The proposal's suggestion to distribute diverse housing types across ALL neighborhoods is encouraging. But the stated “Inward Focus” priority is at complete odds with that vision.

Mixed-income neighborhoods, where diverse households have mingled, where their kids have historically grown, learned, played together, was disrupted in the past two growth policies. Balanced housing distribution and opportunities will ensure that every neighborhood shares both benefits and challenges equitably.

2. Remedy Economic Segregation in Zoning

Likewise, past policies aimed at curbing sprawl have, in practice, reinforced class divides. Take Lower Miller Creek, for example, where taxpayer-funded infrastructure (vis a vis the abandonment of Cold Springs School and adoption of Jeannette Rankin) primarily benefited wealthier residents, leaving areas experiencing increased density, like Ward 6, underserved. Such imbalances foster inequity, and where there's inequity, there's resentment.

3. Demand Compliance, Accountability and Transparency

Future policies must safeguard against development that exploits public resources for exclusive projects, meanwhile ensuring underrepresented areas receive just and equitable investment.

4. Preserve, Expand and Create Green Spaces and Pathways in Ward 6

Distribution of these types of amenities in Missoula is glaringly imbalanced compared to others, and increased density in UR would just make that worse. We deserve the same consideration for green spaces and opportunities to be outside that lower-density neighborhoods enjoy.

5. Recognize the Environmental Impacts on Residents Dealing with Density Trends

Increased density in areas like Ward 6 has led to significant environmental challenges. Visible ground ozone, light pollution, absurd traffic patterns, noise, glare from concrete and vehicles that radiate scorching sun, seasonal inversions, wildfire smoke, etc. is all exacerbated by the loss of trees, lawns and gardens, and absurd traffic patterns that concentrate pollutants in already burdened areas. A pledge toward equity would distribute density more evenly across wards and zones with thoughtful, common sense consideration of environmental impacts.

6. Reassess Parking and Transit Proposals

Reducing off-street parking without viable, imminent public transit alternatives, exacerbates congestion, safety risks, and environmental challenges. For many residents juggling work, school, and family, cars remain a necessity and possibly always will. Even the most robust public transit system is unlikely to meet the diversity of needs that drive us to drive. Missoula needs more off-street parking options, not fewer. Covered structures or underground lots would help alleviate some of the aforementioned environmental impacts, as well as improve safety and increase maintenance efficiency.

7. Reopen South Avenue to Eastbound Traffic

The closure of South Avenue at Malfunction Junction has diverted traffic, with its noise, emissions, carbon deposits, and safety hazards, into residential neighborhoods as far as 2 to 3 road miles away. Reopening South Avenue with a roundabout or bypass system would restore intuitive traffic patterns that ease congestion and encourage commuters to stop taking short cuts through residential neighborhoods.

8. Emphasize Desirable, Affordable Cottage Courts and Duplexes among ALL areas, and Include Provisions for Manufactured Housing Options

More housing supply is not a solution to high housing costs. That's just a fact. Missoula’s previous growth policies have not delivered on their promises to improve affordability or quality of life. Instead, they’ve created inequities, environmental challenges, and frustration among residents.

Missoulians are income/class-diverse, yet policies that brought us here today have largely functioned to segregate the Haves from and the Have-Nots. If “equity” is to be a goal, we can't prioritize “Inward Focus.”
…

Haste makes waste. I feel rushed here, pretty sure I’ve neglected something important. My concern is that the City is also rushing, neglecting something important - namely, us - the people just trying to relax in a place we consider our home.

Missoula has become a miserable place to live. There was a time when it was pretty mellow. I urge us, please, let's aim to make it mellow again.

Several attempts to comment keep encountering a "server error 500"

The Draft presents as unapproachable. Print is tiny, text is dense and occasionally nonsensical as if it was cut/pasted and not proof-read. There are too many moving parts, and the jargon is thick. I get that it's a draft, but it's daunting. Makes me, with humble expertise merely as a lifelong Missoulian, feel ill-equipped to comment. Makes my concerns feel irrelevant.

Indeed, I'm not usually inclined to offer my two cents on topics I don't have a firm grasp on. But on this topic I feel an urgency that's caused me countless sleepless nights.

So here I'll talk about what I do know. My primary qualifications are that I've lived in Missoula since birth. I attended public schools and the UM, worked here, shopped here, biked, walked, hiked, driven thousands of miles and scored many hundreds of parking spaces. My spouse and I met here, made a life here, and our kids started out intending to make their lives here as well - all from a single place in Ward 6 that we somehow manage to still call home. For now.

Having been designated as a high-density urban residential place-type (ca. 2015?), that stability came under threat by zoning changes that divided our neighborhood’s lots, obstructed our views, natural light, routes and pathways; while increasing on-street parking, commuter and commercial traffic, glare, screaming emergency vehicles, high-speed pursuits, collisions and close-calls, trash, debris, dust, offensive odors, respiratory illnesses, the number of rental properties and homeless souls staggering through, looking for somewhere to go.

And I can't help thinking, “There, but for the grace of God, go I…” because, in exchange for these enormous sacrifices, we're nickled and dimed to death by property taxes that are inching us closer and closer to being out on the street.

These factors have combined to bring an end to growing our own food, to having reasons to be outside, and to meaningful interaction with neighbors and strangers alike, among other things.

Suffice it to say my mood has been foul, and now this proposal comes along and I feel like another hammer is about to drop. Granted, growing communities suffer growing pains. But Missoula can do better. As a lifelong Missoulian, *I* expect better.

Missoula has become a miserable place to live. There was a time when it was pretty mellow. I urge us, please, let's aim to make it mellow again.

The Draft presents as unapproachable. Print is tiny, text is dense and occasionally nonsensical as if it was cut/pasted and not proof-read. There are too many moving parts, and the jargon is thick. I get that it's a draft, but it's daunting. Makes me, with humble expertise merely as a lifelong Missoulian, feel ill-equipped to comment. Makes my concerns feel irrelevant.

Indeed, I'm not usually inclined to offer my two cents on topics I don't have a firm grasp on. But on this topic I feel an urgency that's caused me countless sleepless nights.

So here I'll talk about what I do know. My primary qualifications are that I've lived in Missoula since birth. I attended public schools and the UM, worked here, shopped here, biked, walked, hiked, driven thousands of miles and scored many hundreds of parking spaces. My spouse and I met here, made a life here, and our kids started out intending to make their lives here as well - all from a single place in Ward 6 that we somehow manage to still call home. For now.

Having been designated as a high-density urban residential place-type (ca. 2015?), that stability came under threat by zoning changes that divided our neighborhood’s lots, obstructed our views, natural light, routes and pathways; while increasing on-street parking, commuter and commercial traffic, glare, screaming emergency vehicles, high-speed pursuits, collisions and close-calls, trash, debris, dust, offensive odors, respiratory illnesses, the number of rental properties and homeless souls staggering through, looking for somewhere to go.

And I can't help thinking, “There, but for the grace of God, go I…” because, in exchange for these enormous sacrifices, we're nickled and dimed to death by property taxes that are inching us closer and closer to being out on the street.

These factors have combined to bring an end to growing our own food, to having reasons to be outside, and to meaningful interaction with neighbors and strangers alike, among other things.

Suffice it to say my mood has been foul, and now this proposal comes along and I feel like another hammer is about to drop. Granted, growing communities suffer growing pains. But Missoula can do better. As a lifelong Missoulian, *I* expect better.

Based on my cursory comprehension of the Draft, please afford me this chance to articulate some specific thoughts or observations about how we might hope to do better, to remediate inequities and restore balance that might bring us some peace of mind and offer a sense of stability. Keep in mind, if I sound like I'm ill-informed, it's because I am. It's just that I'm desperate to change some trends.

1. Dial back density targets in UR:

The proposal's suggestion to distribute diverse housing types across ALL neighborhoods is encouraging. But the stated “Inward Focus” priority is at complete odds with that vision.

Mixed-income neighborhoods, where diverse households have mingled, where their kids have historically grown, learned, played together, was disrupted in the past two growth policies. Balanced housing distribution and opportunities will ensure that every neighborhood shares both benefits and challenges equitably.

2. Remedy Economic Segregation in Zoning:

Likewise, past policies aimed at curbing sprawl have, in practice, reinforced class divides. Take Lower Miller Creek, for example, where taxpayer-funded infrastructure (vis a vis the abandonment of Cold Springs School and adoption of Jeannette Rankin) primarily benefited wealthier residents, leaving areas experiencing increased density, like Ward 6, underserved. Such imbalances foster inequity, and where there's inequity, there's resentment.

3. Demand Accountability and Transparency:

Future policies must safeguard against development that exploits public resources for exclusive projects, meanwhile ensuring underrepresented areas receive just and equitable investment.

4. Preserve, Expand and Create Green Spaces and Pathways in Ward 6:

Imbalanced distribution of these types of amenities in Missoula is glaringly obvious compared to others, and increased density in UR would just make that worse. We deserve the same consideration for green spaces and opportunities to be outside that lower-density neighborhoods enjoy.

5. Recognize the Environmental Impacts on Residents Dealing with Density Trends:

Increased density in areas like Ward 6 has led to significant environmental challenges. Visible ground ozone, light pollution, absurd traffic patterns, noise, glare from concrete and vehicles that radiate scorching sun, seasonal inversions, wildfire smoke, etc. is all exacerbated by the loss of trees, lawns and gardens, and absurd traffic patterns that concentrate pollutants in already burdened areas. A pledge toward equity would distribute density more evenly across wards and zones with thoughtful, common sense consideration of environmental impacts.

6. Reassess Parking and Transit Proposals:

Reducing off-street parking without viable, imminent public transit alternatives, exacerbates congestion, safety risks, and environmental challenges. For many residents juggling work, school, and family, cars remain a necessity and possibly always will. Even the most robust public transit system is unlikely to meet the diversity of needs that drive us to drive. Missoula needs more off-street parking options, not fewer. Covered structures or underground lots would help alleviate some of the aforementioned environmental impacts, as well as improve safety and increase maintenance efficiency.

7. Reopen South Avenue to Eastbound Traffic:

The closure of South Avenue at Malfunction Junction has diverted traffic, with its noise, emissions, carbon deposits, and safety hazards, into residential neighborhoods as far as 2 or 3 road miles away. Reopening South Avenue with a roundabout or bypass system would restore intuitive traffic patterns that ease congestion and encourage commuters to stop taking short cuts through residential neighborhoods.

8. Emphasize Desirable, Affordable Cottage Courts and Duplexes among ALL areas, and Include Provisions for Manufactured Housing Options:

More housing supply in and of itself is not a solution to high housing costs. That's just a fact. Missoula’s previous growth policies have not delivered on promises to improve affordability or quality of life. Instead, they’ve created inequities, environmental challenges, and frustration among residents.

Missoulians are income/class-diverse, yet policies that brought us here today have largely functioned to segregate the Haves from and the Have-Nots. If “equity” is to be a goal, we can't prioritize “Inward Focus.”
…
Haste makes waste. I feel rushed here, pretty sure I’ve neglected something important. My concern is that the City is also rushing, neglecting something important - namely, us - the people just trying to relax in a place we consider our home.

Missoula has become a miserable place to live. There was a time when it was pretty mellow. I urge us, please, let's aim to make it mellow again.

The Draft presents as unapproachable. Print is tiny, text is dense and occasionally nonsensical as if it was cut/pasted and not proof-read. There are too many moving parts, and the jargon is thick. I get that it's a draft, but it's daunting. Makes me, with humble expertise merely as a lifelong Missoulian, feel ill-equipped to comment. Makes my concerns feel irrelevant.

Indeed, I'm not usually inclined to offer my two cents on topics I don't have a firm grasp on. But on this topic I feel an urgency that's caused me countless sleepless nights.

So here I'll talk about what I do know. My primary qualifications are that I've lived in Missoula since birth. I attended public schools and the UM, worked here, shopped here, biked, walked, hiked, driven thousands of miles and scored many hundreds of parking spaces. My spouse and I met here, made a life here, and our kids started out intending to make their lives here as well - all from a single place in Ward 6 that we somehow manage to still call home. For now.

Having been designated as a high-density urban residential place-type (ca. 2015?), that stability came under threat by zoning changes that divided our neighborhood’s lots, obstructed our views, natural light, routes and pathways; while increasing on-street parking, commuter and commercial traffic, glare, screaming emergency vehicles, high-speed pursuits, collisions and close-calls, trash, debris, dust, offensive odors, respiratory illnesses, the number of rental properties and homeless souls staggering through, looking for somewhere to go.

And I can't help thinking, “There, but for the grace of God, go I…” because, in exchange for these enormous sacrifices, we're nickled and dimed to death by property taxes that are inching us closer and closer to being out on the street.

These factors have combined to bring an end to growing our own food, to having reasons to be outside, and to meaningful interaction with neighbors and strangers alike, among other things.

Suffice it to say my mood has been foul, and now this proposal comes along and I feel like another hammer is about to drop. Granted, growing communities suffer growing pains. But Missoula can do better. As a lifelong Missoulian, *I* expect better.

Based on my cursory comprehension of the Draft, please afford me this chance to articulate some specific thoughts or observations about how we might hope to do better, to remediate inequities and restore balance that might bring us some peace of mind and offer a sense of stability. Keep in mind, if I sound like I'm ill-informed, it's because I am. It's just that I'm desperate to change some trends.

1. Dial back density targets in UR:

The proposal's suggestion to distribute diverse housing types across ALL neighborhoods is encouraging. But the stated “Inward Focus” priority is at complete odds with that vision.

Mixed-income neighborhoods, where diverse households have mingled, where their kids have historically grown, learned, played together, was disrupted in the past two growth policies. Balanced housing distribution and opportunities will ensure that every neighborhood shares both benefits and challenges equitably.

2. Remedy Economic Segregation in Zoning:

Likewise, past policies aimed at curbing sprawl have, in practice, reinforced class divides. Take Lower Miller Creek, for example, where taxpayer-funded infrastructure (vis a vis the abandonment of Cold Springs School and adoption of Jeannette Rankin) primarily benefited wealthier residents, leaving areas experiencing increased density, like Ward 6, underserved. Such imbalances foster inequity, and where there's inequity, there's resentment.

3. Demand Accountability and Transparency:

Future policies must safeguard against development that exploits public resources for exclusive projects, meanwhile ensuring underrepresented areas receive just and equitable investment.

4. Preserve, Expand and Create Green Spaces and Pathways in Ward 6:

Imbalanced distribution of these types of amenities in Missoula is glaringly obvious compared to others, and increased density in UR would just make that worse. We deserve the same consideration for green spaces and opportunities to be outside that lower-density neighborhoods enjoy.

5. Recognize the Environmental Impacts on Residents Dealing with Density Trends:

Increased density in areas like Ward 6 has led to significant environmental challenges. Visible ground ozone, light pollution, absurd traffic patterns, noise, glare from concrete and vehicles that radiate scorching sun, seasonal inversions, wildfire smoke, etc. is all exacerbated by the loss of trees, lawns and gardens, and absurd traffic patterns that concentrate pollutants in already burdened areas. A pledge toward equity would distribute density more evenly across wards and zones with thoughtful, common sense consideration of environmental impacts.

6. Reassess Parking and Transit Proposals:

Reducing off-street parking without viable, imminent public transit alternatives, exacerbates congestion, safety risks, and environmental challenges. For many residents juggling work, school, and family, cars remain a necessity and possibly always will. Even the most robust public transit system is unlikely to meet the diversity of needs that drive us to drive. Missoula needs more off-street parking options, not fewer. Covered structures or underground lots would help alleviate some of the aforementioned environmental impacts, as well as improve safety and increase maintenance efficiency.

7. Reopen South Avenue to Eastbound Traffic:

The closure of South Avenue at Malfunction Junction has diverted traffic, with its noise, emissions, carbon deposits, and safety hazards, into residential neighborhoods as far as 2 or 3 road miles away. Reopening South Avenue with a roundabout or bypass system would restore intuitive traffic patterns that ease congestion and encourage commuters to stop taking short cuts through residential neighborhoods.

8. Emphasize Desirable, Affordable Cottage Courts and Duplexes among ALL areas, and Include Provisions for Manufactured Housing Options:

More housing supply in and of itself is not a solution to high housing costs. That's just a fact. Missoula’s previous growth policies have not delivered on promises to improve affordability or quality of life. Instead, they’ve created inequities, environmental challenges, and frustration among residents.

Missoulians are income/class-diverse, yet policies that brought us here today have largely functioned to segregate the Haves from and the Have-Nots. If “equity” is to be a goal, we can't prioritize “Inward Focus.”
…
Haste makes waste. I feel rushed here, pretty sure I’ve neglected something important. My concern is that the City is also rushing, neglecting something important - namely, us - the people just trying to relax in a place we consider our home.

Missoula has become a miserable place to live. There was a time when it was pretty mellow. I urge us, please, let's aim to make it mellow again.

The Draft presents as unapproachable. Print is tiny, text is dense and occasionally nonsensical as if it was cut/pasted and not proof-read. There are too many moving parts, and the jargon is thick. I get that it's a draft, but it's daunting. Makes me, with humble expertise merely as a lifelong Missoulian, feel ill-equipped to comment. Makes my concerns feel irrelevant.

Indeed, I'm not usually inclined to offer my two cents on topics I don't have a firm grasp on. But on this topic I feel an urgency that's caused me countless sleepless nights.

So here I'll talk about what I do know. My primary qualifications are that I've lived in Missoula since birth. I attended public schools and the UM, worked here, shopped here, biked, walked, hiked, driven thousands of miles and scored many hundreds of parking spaces. My spouse and I met here, made a life here, and our kids started out intending to make their lives here as well - all from a single place in Ward 6 that we somehow manage to still call home. For now.

Having been designated as a high-density urban residential place-type (ca. 2015?), that stability came under threat by zoning changes that divided our neighborhood’s lots, obstructed our views, natural light, routes and pathways; while increasing on-street parking, commuter and commercial traffic, glare, screaming emergency vehicles, high-speed pursuits, collisions and close-calls, trash, debris, dust, offensive odors, respiratory illnesses, the number of rental properties and homeless souls staggering through, looking for somewhere to go.

And I can't help thinking, “There, but for the grace of God, go I…” because, in exchange for these enormous sacrifices, we're nickled and dimed to death by property taxes that are inching us closer and closer to being out on the street.

These factors have combined to bring an end to growing our own food, to having reasons to be outside, and to meaningful interaction with neighbors and strangers alike, among other things.

Suffice it to say my mood has been foul, and now this proposal comes along and I feel like another hammer is about to drop. Granted, growing communities suffer growing pains. But Missoula can do better. As a lifelong Missoulian, *I* expect better.

Based on my cursory comprehension of the Draft, please afford me this chance to articulate some specific thoughts or observations about how we might hope to do better, to remediate inequities and restore balance that might bring us some peace of mind and offer a sense of stability. Keep in mind, if I sound like I'm ill-informed, it's because I am. It's just that I'm desperate to change some trends.

1. Dial back density targets in UR:

The proposal's suggestion to distribute diverse housing types across ALL neighborhoods is encouraging. But the stated “Inward Focus” priority is at complete odds with that vision.

Mixed-income neighborhoods, where diverse households have mingled, where their kids have historically grown, learned, played together, was disrupted in the past two growth policies. Balanced housing distribution and opportunities will ensure that every neighborhood shares both benefits and challenges equitably.

2. Remedy Economic Segregation in Zoning:

Likewise, past policies aimed at curbing sprawl have, in practice, reinforced class divides. Take Lower Miller Creek, for example, where taxpayer-funded infrastructure (vis a vis the abandonment of Cold Springs School and adoption of Jeannette Rankin) primarily benefited wealthier residents, leaving areas experiencing increased density, like Ward 6, underserved. Such imbalances foster inequity, and where there's inequity, there's resentment.

3. Demand Accountability and Transparency:

Future policies must safeguard against development that exploits public resources for exclusive projects, meanwhile ensuring underrepresented areas receive just and equitable investment.

4. Preserve, Expand and Create Green Spaces and Pathways in Ward 6:

Imbalanced distribution of these types of amenities in Missoula is glaringly obvious compared to others, and increased density in UR would just make that worse. We deserve the same consideration for green spaces and opportunities to be outside that lower-density neighborhoods enjoy.

5. Recognize the Environmental Impacts on Residents Dealing with Density Trends:

Increased density in areas like Ward 6 has led to significant environmental challenges. Visible ground ozone, light pollution, absurd traffic patterns, noise, glare from concrete and vehicles that radiate scorching sun, seasonal inversions, wildfire smoke, etc. is all exacerbated by the loss of trees, lawns and gardens, and absurd traffic patterns that concentrate pollutants in already burdened areas. A pledge toward equity would distribute density more evenly across wards and zones with thoughtful, common sense consideration of environmental impacts.

6. Reassess Parking and Transit Proposals:

Reducing off-street parking without viable, imminent public transit alternatives, exacerbates congestion, safety risks, and environmental challenges. For many residents juggling work, school, and family, cars remain a necessity and possibly always will. Even the most robust public transit system is unlikely to meet the diversity of needs that drive us to drive. Missoula needs more off-street parking options, not fewer. Covered structures or underground lots would help alleviate some of the aforementioned environmental impacts, as well as improve safety and increase maintenance efficiency.

7. Reopen South Avenue to Eastbound Traffic:

The closure of South Avenue at Malfunction Junction has diverted traffic, with its noise, emissions, carbon deposits, and safety hazards, into residential neighborhoods as far as 2 or 3 road miles away. Reopening South Avenue with a roundabout or bypass system would restore intuitive traffic patterns that ease congestion and encourage commuters to stop taking short cuts through residential neighborhoods.

8. Emphasize Desirable, Affordable Cottage Courts and Duplexes among ALL areas, and Include Provisions for Manufactured Housing Options:

More housing supply in and of itself is not a solution to high housing costs. That's just a fact. Missoula’s previous growth policies have not delivered on promises to improve affordability or quality of life. Instead, they’ve created inequities, environmental challenges, and frustration among residents.

Missoulians are income/class-diverse, yet policies that brought us here today have largely functioned to segregate the Haves from and the Have-Nots. If “equity” is to be a goal, we can't prioritize “Inward Focus.”
…
Haste makes waste. I feel rushed here, pretty sure I’ve neglected something important. My concern is that the City is also rushing, neglecting something important - namely, us - the people just trying to relax in a place we consider our home.

Missoula has become a miserable place to live. There was a time when it was pretty mellow. I urge us, please, let's aim to make it mellow again.

The Draft presents as unapproachable. Print is tiny, text is dense and occasionally nonsensical as if it was cut/pasted and not proof-read. There are too many moving parts, and the jargon is thick. I get that it's a draft, but it's daunting. Makes me, with expertise as a lifelong Missoulian, feel ill-equipped to comment. Makes my concerns feel irrelevant.

Indeed, I'm not usually inclined to offer my two cents on topics I don't have a good grasp on. But on this topic I feel an urgency that's caused me countless sleepless nights.

So here I'll talk about what I do know. My primary qualifications are that I've lived in Missoula since birth. I attended public schools and the UM, worked here, shopped here, biked, walked, hiked, driven thousands of miles and scored many hundreds of parking spaces. My spouse and I met here, made a life here, and our kids started out intending make their lives here as well - all from a single place in Ward 6 that we somehow manage to still call home. For now.

Having been designated as a high-density urban residential place-type (ca. 2015?), that stability came under threat by zoning changes that divided our neighborhood’s lots, obstructed our views, natural light, routes and pathways; while increasing on-street parking, commuter and commercial traffic, glare, screaming emergency vehicles, high-speed pursuits, collisions and close-calls, trash, debris, dust, offensive odors, respiratory illnesses, the number of rental properties and homeless souls staggering through, looking for somewhere to go.

And I can't help thinking, “There, but for the grace of God, go I…” because, in exchange for these enormous sacrifices, we're nickled and dimed to death by property taxes that are inching us closer and closer to being out on the street.

These factors have combined to bring an end to growing our own food, to having reasons to be outside, and to meaningful interaction with neighbors and strangers alike, among other things.

Suffice it to say my mood has been foul, and now this proposal comes along and I feel like another hammer is about to drop. Granted, growing communities suffer growing pains. But Missoula can do better. As a lifelong Missoulian, *I* expect better.

Based on my cursory comprehension of the Draft, please afford me this chance to articulate some specific thoughts or observations about how we might hope to do better, to remediate inequities and restore balance that might bring us some peace of mind and offer a sense of stability. Keep in mind, if I sound like I'm ill-informed, it's because I am. It's just that I'm desperate to change some trends.

1. Dial back density targets in UR:

The proposal's suggestion to distribute diverse housing types across ALL neighborhoods is encouraging. But the stated “Inward Focus” priority is at complete odds with that vision.

Mixed-income neighborhoods, where diverse households have mingled, where their kids have historically grown, learned, played together, was disrupted in the past two growth policies. Balanced housing distribution and opportunities will ensure that every neighborhood shares both benefits and challenges equitably.

2. Remedy Economic Segregation in Zoning:

Likewise, past policies aimed at curbing sprawl have, in practice, reinforced class divides. Take Lower Miller Creek, for example, where taxpayer-funded infrastructure (vis a vis the abandonment of Cold Springs School and adoption of Jeannette Rankin) primarily benefited wealthier residents, leaving areas experiencing increased density, like Ward 6, underserved. Such imbalances foster inequity, and where there's inequity, there's resentment.

3. Demand Accountability and Transparency:

Future policies must safeguard against development that exploits public resources for exclusive projects, meanwhile ensuring underrepresented areas receive just and equitable investment.

4. Preserve, Expand and Create Green Spaces and Pathways in Ward 6:

Distribution of these types of amenities in Missoula is glaringly imbalanced compared to others, and increased density in UR would just make that worse. We deserve the same consideration for green spaces and opportunities to be outside that lower-density neighborhoods enjoy.

5. Recognize the Environmental Impacts on Residents Dealing with Density Trends:

Increased density in areas like Ward 6 has led to significant environmental challenges. Visible ground ozone, light pollution, absurd traffic patterns, noise, glare from concrete and vehicles that radiate scorching sun, seasonal inversions, wildfire smoke, etc. is all exacerbated by the loss of trees, lawns and gardens, and absurd traffic patterns that concentrate pollutants in already burdened areas. A pledge toward equity would distribute density more evenly across wards and zones with thoughtful, common sense consideration of environmental impacts.

6. Reassess Parking and Transit Proposals:

Reducing off-street parking without viable, imminent public transit alternatives, exacerbates congestion, safety risks, and environmental challenges. For many residents juggling work, school, and family, cars remain a necessity and possibly always will. Even the most robust public transit system is unlikely to meet the diversity of needs that drive us to drive. Missoula needs more off-street parking options, not fewer. Covered structures or underground lots would help alleviate some of the aforementioned environmental impacts, as well as improve safety and increase maintenance efficiency.

7. Reopen South Avenue to Eastbound Traffic:

The closure of South Avenue at Malfunction Junction has diverted traffic, with its noise, emissions, carbon deposits, and safety hazards, into residential neighborhoods as far as 2 to 3 road miles away. Reopening South Avenue with a roundabout or bypass system would restore intuitive traffic patterns that ease congestion and encourage commuters to stop taking short cuts through residential neighborhoods.

8. Emphasize Desirable, Affordable Cottage Courts and Duplexes among ALL areas, and Include Provisions for Manufactured Housing Options:

More housing supply is not a solution to high housing costs. That's just a fact. Missoula’s previous growth policies have not delivered on their promises to improve affordability or quality of life. Instead, they’ve created inequities, environmental challenges, and frustration among residents.

Missoulians are income/class-diverse, yet policies that brought us here today have largely functioned to segregate the Haves from and the Have-Nots. If “equity” is to be a goal, we can't prioritize “Inward Focus.”
…
Haste makes waste. I feel rushed here, pretty sure I’ve neglected something important. My concern is that the City is also rushing, neglecting something important - namely, us - the people just trying to relax in a place we consider our home.

Missoula has become a miserable place to live. There was a time when it was pretty mellow. I urge us, please, let's aim to make it mellow again.

The Draft presents as unapproachable. Print is tiny, text is dense and occasionally nonsensical as if it was cut/pasted and not proof-read. There are too many moving parts, and the jargon is thick. I get that it's a draft, but it's daunting. Makes me, with expertise as a lifelong Missoulian, feel ill-equipped to comment. Makes my concerns feel irrelevant.

Indeed, I'm not usually inclined to offer my two cents on topics I don't have a good grasp on. But on this topic I feel an urgency that's caused me countless sleepless nights.

So here I'll talk about what I do know. My primary qualifications are that I've lived in Missoula since birth. I attended public schools and the UM, worked here, shopped here, biked, walked, hiked, driven thousands of miles and scored many hundreds of parking spaces. My spouse and I met here, made a life here, and our kids started out intending make their lives here as well - all from a single place in Ward 6 that we somehow manage to still call home. For now.

Having been designated as a high-density urban residential place-type (ca. 2015?), that stability came under threat by zoning changes that divided our neighborhood’s lots, obstructed our views, natural light, routes and pathways; while increasing on-street parking, commuter and commercial traffic, glare, screaming emergency vehicles, high-speed pursuits, collisions and close-calls, trash, debris, dust, offensive odors, respiratory illnesses, the number of rental properties and homeless souls staggering through, looking for somewhere to go.

And I can't help thinking, “There, but for the grace of God, go I…” because, in exchange for these enormous sacrifices, we're nickled and dimed to death by property taxes that are inching us closer and closer to being out on the street.

These factors have combined to bring an end to growing our own food, to having reasons to be outside, and to meaningful interaction with neighbors and strangers alike, among other things.

Suffice it to say my mood has been foul, and now this proposal comes along and I feel like another hammer is about to drop. Granted, growing communities suffer growing pains. But Missoula can do better. As a lifelong Missoulian, *I* expect better.

Based on my cursory comprehension of the Draft, please afford me this chance to articulate some specific thoughts or observations about how we might hope to do better, to remediate inequities and restore balance that might bring us some peace of mind and offer a sense of stability. Keep in mind, if I sound like I'm ill-informed, it's because I am. It's just that I'm desperate to change some trends.

1. Dial back density targets in UR:

The proposal's suggestion to distribute diverse housing types across ALL neighborhoods is encouraging. But the stated “Inward Focus” priority is at complete odds with that vision.

Mixed-income neighborhoods, where diverse households have mingled, where their kids have historically grown, learned, played together, was disrupted in the past two growth policies. Balanced housing distribution and opportunities will ensure that every neighborhood shares both benefits and challenges equitably.

2. Remedy Economic Segregation in Zoning:

Likewise, past policies aimed at curbing sprawl have, in practice, reinforced class divides. Take Lower Miller Creek, for example, where taxpayer-funded infrastructure (vis a vis the abandonment of Cold Springs School and adoption of Jeannette Rankin) primarily benefited wealthier residents, leaving areas experiencing increased density, like Ward 6, underserved. Such imbalances foster inequity, and where there's inequity, there's resentment.

3. Demand Accountability and Transparency:

Future policies must safeguard against development that exploits public resources for exclusive projects, meanwhile ensuring underrepresented areas receive just and equitable investment.

4. Preserve, Expand and Create Green Spaces and Pathways in Ward 6:

Distribution of these types of amenities in Missoula is glaringly imbalanced compared to others, and increased density in UR would just make that worse. We deserve the same consideration for green spaces and opportunities to be outside that lower-density neighborhoods enjoy.

5. Recognize the Environmental Impacts on Residents Dealing with Density Trends:

Increased density in areas like Ward 6 has led to significant environmental challenges. Visible ground ozone, light pollution, absurd traffic patterns, noise, glare from concrete and vehicles that radiate scorching sun, seasonal inversions, wildfire smoke, etc. is all exacerbated by the loss of trees, lawns and gardens, and absurd traffic patterns that concentrate pollutants in already burdened areas. A pledge toward equity would distribute density more evenly across wards and zones with thoughtful, common sense consideration of environmental impacts.

6. Reassess Parking and Transit Proposals:

Reducing off-street parking without viable, imminent public transit alternatives, exacerbates congestion, safety risks, and environmental challenges. For many residents juggling work, school, and family, cars remain a necessity and possibly always will. Even the most robust public transit system is unlikely to meet the diversity of needs that drive us to drive. Missoula needs more off-street parking options, not fewer. Covered structures or underground lots would help alleviate some of the aforementioned environmental impacts, as well as improve safety and increase maintenance efficiency.

7. Reopen South Avenue to Eastbound Traffic:

The closure of South Avenue at Malfunction Junction has diverted traffic, with its noise, emissions, carbon deposits, and safety hazards, into residential neighborhoods as far as 2 to 3 road miles away. Reopening South Avenue with a roundabout or bypass system would restore intuitive traffic patterns that ease congestion and encourage commuters to stop taking short cuts through residential neighborhoods.

8. Emphasize Desirable, Affordable Cottage Courts and Duplexes among ALL areas, and Include Provisions for Manufactured Housing Options:

More housing supply is not a solution to high housing costs. That's just a fact. Missoula’s previous growth policies have not delivered on their promises to improve affordability or quality of life. Instead, they’ve created inequities, environmental challenges, and frustration among residents.

Missoulians are income/class-diverse, yet policies that brought us here today have largely functioned to segregate the Haves from and the Have-Nots. If “equity” is to be a goal, we can't prioritize “Inward Focus.”
…
Haste makes waste. I feel rushed here, pretty sure I’ve neglected something important. My concern is that the City is also rushing, neglecting something important - namely, us - the people just trying to relax in a place we consider our home.

Missoula has become a miserable place to live. There was a time when it was pretty mellow. I urge us, please, let's aim to make it mellow again.

The Draft presents as unapproachable. Print is tiny, text is dense and occasionally nonsensical as if it was cut/pasted and not proof-read. There are too many moving parts, and the jargon is thick. I get that it's a draft, but it's daunting. Makes me, with expertise as a lifelong Missoulian, feel ill-equipped to comment. Makes my concerns feel irrelevant.

Indeed, I'm not usually inclined to offer my two cents on topics I don't have a good grasp on. But on this topic I feel an urgency that's caused me countless sleepless nights.

So here I'll talk about what I do know. My primary qualifications are that I've lived in Missoula since birth. I attended public schools and the UM, worked here, shopped here, biked, walked, hiked, driven thousands of miles and scored many hundreds of parking spaces. My spouse and I met here, made a life here, and our kids started out intending make their lives here as well - all from a single place in Ward 6 that we somehow manage to still call home. For now.

Having been designated as a high-density urban residential place-type (ca. 2015?), that stability came under threat by zoning changes that divided our neighborhood’s lots, obstructed our views, natural light, routes and pathways; while increasing on-street parking, commuter and commercial traffic, glare, screaming emergency vehicles, high-speed pursuits, collisions and close-calls, trash, debris, dust, offensive odors, respiratory illnesses, the number of rental properties and homeless souls staggering through, looking for somewhere to go.

And I can't help thinking, “There, but for the grace of God, go I…” because, in exchange for these enormous sacrifices, we're nickled and dimed to death by property taxes that are inching us closer and closer to being out on the street.

These factors have combined to bring an end to growing our own food, to having reasons to be outside, and to meaningful interaction with neighbors and strangers alike, among other things.

Suffice it to say my mood has been foul, and now this proposal comes along and I feel like another hammer is about to drop. Granted, growing communities suffer growing pains. But Missoula can do better. As a lifelong Missoulian, *I* expect better.

Based on my cursory comprehension of the Draft, please afford me this chance to articulate some specific thoughts or observations about how we might hope to do better, to remediate inequities and restore balance that might bring us some peace of mind and offer a sense of stability. Keep in mind, if I sound like I'm ill-informed, it's because I am. It's just that I'm desperate to change some trends.

1. Dial back density targets in UR:

The proposal's suggestion to distribute diverse housing types across ALL neighborhoods is encouraging. But the stated “Inward Focus” priority is at complete odds with that vision.

Mixed-income neighborhoods, where diverse households have mingled, where their kids have historically grown, learned, played together, was disrupted in the past two growth policies. Balanced housing distribution and opportunities will ensure that every neighborhood shares both benefits and challenges equitably.

2. Remedy Economic Segregation in Zoning:

Likewise, past policies aimed at curbing sprawl have, in practice, reinforced class divides. Take Lower Miller Creek, for example, where taxpayer-funded infrastructure (vis a vis the abandonment of Cold Springs School and adoption of Jeannette Rankin) primarily benefited wealthier residents, leaving areas experiencing increased density, like Ward 6, underserved. Such imbalances foster inequity, and where there's inequity, there's resentment.

3. Demand Accountability and Transparency:

Future policies must safeguard against development that exploits public resources for exclusive projects, meanwhile ensuring underrepresented areas receive just and equitable investment.

4. Preserve, Expand and Create Green Spaces and Pathways in Ward 6:

Distribution of these types of amenities in Missoula is glaringly imbalanced compared to others, and increased density in UR would just make that worse. We deserve the same consideration for green spaces and opportunities to be outside that lower-density neighborhoods enjoy.

5. Recognize the Environmental Impacts on Residents Dealing with Density Trends:

Increased density in areas like Ward 6 has led to significant environmental challenges. Visible ground ozone, light pollution, absurd traffic patterns, noise, glare from concrete and vehicles that radiate scorching sun, seasonal inversions, wildfire smoke, etc. is all exacerbated by the loss of trees, lawns and gardens, and absurd traffic patterns that concentrate pollutants in already burdened areas. A pledge toward equity would distribute density more evenly across wards and zones with thoughtful, common sense consideration of environmental impacts.

6. Reassess Parking and Transit Proposals:

Reducing off-street parking without viable, imminent public transit alternatives, exacerbates congestion, safety risks, and environmental challenges. For many residents juggling work, school, and family, cars remain a necessity and possibly always will. Even the most robust public transit system is unlikely to meet the diversity of needs that drive us to drive. Missoula needs more off-street parking options, not fewer. Covered structures or underground lots would help alleviate some of the aforementioned environmental impacts, as well as improve safety and increase maintenance efficiency.

7. Reopen South Avenue to Eastbound Traffic:

The closure of South Avenue at Malfunction Junction has diverted traffic, with its noise, emissions, carbon deposits, and safety hazards, into residential neighborhoods as far as 2 to 3 road miles away. Reopening South Avenue with a roundabout or bypass system would restore intuitive traffic patterns that ease congestion and encourage commuters to stop taking short cuts through residential neighborhoods.

8. Emphasize Desirable, Affordable Cottage Courts and Duplexes among ALL areas, and Include Provisions for Manufactured Housing Options:

More housing supply is not a solution to high housing costs. That's just a fact. Missoula’s previous growth policies have not delivered on their promises to improve affordability or quality of life. Instead, they’ve created inequities, environmental challenges, and frustration among residents.

Missoulians are income/class-diverse, yet policies that brought us here today have largely functioned to segregate the Haves from and the Have-Nots. If “equity” is to be a goal, we can't prioritize “Inward Focus.”
…
Haste makes waste. I feel rushed here, pretty sure I’ve neglected something important. My concern is that the City is also rushing, neglecting something important - namely, us - the people just trying to relax in a place we consider our home.

Missoula has become a miserable place to live. There was a time when it was pretty mellow. I urge us, please, let's aim to make it mellow again.

I read the Missoulian article Nov 21, 2024 about Our Missoula 2045 plan, and it made me wonder how annexation is factoring into the plan, so I read the portions of the draft plan focusing on annexation. On pg20, the map mostly makes sense, although it seems the areas north of 3rd and west of Reserve, and south of Mullan, ought to be included in Plan A. I realize a large majority of Target Range are fiercely opposed to annexation, but really, it seems like it also ought to be in A. I don’t live in those areas, and don’t know all the considerations, so these are just my perspectives. I also realize that while annexation has to be considered when drafting the Our Missoula 2045 plan, it is the responsibility of others to identify the areas to be considered for annexation.

I also realize the plan is focused on the next 20 years, but I feel like you ought to do some very general projections and planning for the next 100 years, and include that in the 2045 plan. My prediction is that in the next 50-100 years the entire Missoula valley floor, from Mount Sentinel to Huson, and North Hills to Blue Mountain, will be urban, with 3 city centers. Probably 3 different cities that are part of one urban district that work together on common needs, with city centers in Missoula (already existing), the Wye, and Frenchtown. All of these cities would have their own infrastructure (water, sewer, etc) and major shopping centers. Some major services, like hospitals, may still be in Missoula only. Not sure if all 3 could meet the definition of the 15-minute city, but it ought to be a rough goal.

I read the Missoulian article Nov 21, 2024 about Our Missoula 2045 plan, and it made me wonder how annexation is factoring into the plan, so I read the portions of the draft plan focusing on annexation. On pg20, the map mostly makes sense, although it seems the areas north of 3rd and west of Reserve, and south of Mullan, ought to be included in Plan A. I realize a large majority of Target Range are fiercely opposed to annexation, but really, it seems like it also ought to be in A. I don’t live in those areas, and don’t know all the considerations, so these are just my perspectives. I also realize that while annexation has to be considered when drafting the Our Missoula 2045 plan, it is the responsibility of others to identify the areas to be considered for annexation.

I also realize the plan is focused on the next 20 years, but I feel like you ought to do some very general projections and planning for the next 100 years, and include that in the 2045 plan. My prediction is that in the next 50-100 years the entire Missoula valley floor, from Mount Sentinel to Huson, and North Hills to Blue Mountain, will be urban, with 3 city centers. Probably 3 different cities that are part of one urban district that work together on common needs, with city centers in Missoula (already existing), the Wye, and Frenchtown. All of these cities would have their own infrastructure (water, sewer, etc) and major shopping centers. Some major services, like hospitals, may still be in Missoula only. Not sure if all 3 could meet the definition of the 15-minute city, but it ought to be a rough goal.

I read the Missoulian article Nov 21, 2024 about Our Missoula 2045 plan, and it made me wonder how annexation is factoring into the plan, so I read the portions of the draft plan focusing on annexation. On pg20, the map mostly makes sense, although it seems the areas north of 3rd and west of Reserve, and south of Mullan, ought to be included in Plan A. I realize a large majority of Target Range are fiercely opposed to annexation, but really, it seems like it also ought to be in A. I don’t live in those areas, and don’t know all the considerations, so these are just my perspectives. I also realize that while annexation has to be considered when drafting the Our Missoula 2045 plan, it is the responsibility of others to identify the areas to be considered for annexation.

I also realize the plan is focused on the next 20 years, but I feel like you ought to do some very general projections and planning for the next 100 years, and include that in the 2045 plan. My prediction is that in the next 50-100 years the entire Missoula valley floor, from Sentinel to Huson, and North Hills to Blue Mountain, will be urban, with 3 city centers. Probably 3 different cities that are part of one urban district that work together on common needs, with city centers in Missoula (already existing), the Wye, and Frenchtown. All of these cities would have their own infrastructure (water, sewer, etc) and major shopping centers. Some major services, like hospitals, may still be in Missoula only. Not sure if all 3 could meet the definition of the 15-minute city, but it ought to be a rough goal.