• Within the first 30 days from adoption, we will post final versions of the UDC and the interactive zoning map on Engage Missoula and on the City Website. The UDC will be a searchable PDF, allowing us to update the document with more ease.
• We will no longer be using Municode to host our development regulations. The Municode version of Title 20 will remain available to assist with the transition. Eventually, it will be replaced with an archived PDF version for future reference.

• The new UDC and zoning map take effect on March 4th.
• Development review applications such as zoning compliance permits, building permits, and Design Excellence Applications submitted on or before July 2nd may be reviewed under either the UDC or under the applicable standards and regulations in effect immediately prior to the adoption of the UDC.
• If you have an application pending under the current title 20 and would like to switch to review under the UDC, you will need to withdraw the current application and resubmit a new application under the UDC. The new application can be submitted now prior to the effective date of the new ordinance.
• All applications submitted after June 30th are subject to the UDC, except as otherwise expressly stated.
• If you have already submitted your permit and have questions, you can reach out to our permit coordinators at 406-552-6060 or coordinators@ci.missoula.mt.us
• Applications for subdivisions must comply with the regulations in effect at the time the subdivision is deemed sufficient.

• Final code and map: City staff are updating the new code and zoning map to reflect amendments added through the adoption process. We will make final versions available on Engage Missoula and the CPDI website by March 4th.
• Implementation rollout and customer support: The City will publish clear, plain-language guidance and support resources as they are finalized. These will be posted on Engage Missoula and the CPDI website as they are developed.
• Updated forms, checklists, and online tools: You will see updates to application materials and online references to support a predictable and consistent process. These will replace existing processes and will continue to be hosted on our website.
• Trainings and office hours: We will host opportunities to learn the new code and ask questions. More information to come.
• Early implementation focus: clarity, consistency, and transparency. We will track common questions and publish FAQs and guides as needed.
• Code Refinement: targeted refinements based on what we learn as the code is applied will occur at scheduled intervals, based on need.

The new UDC and zoning map take effect on March 4th.

There will be a transition period where both the current development codes and the new Unified Development Code will both be in effect that will last until July 2nd. All applications submitted after that are subject to the new UDC.

When there aren’t enough homes for the people who want to live here, prices go up and households have to compete. By allowing more homes and different housing types, we can:

• Ease pressure on prices.
• Give more choices for first-time buyers, seniors, and working families.
• Keep people from being pushed out of the community.

A housing market with enough homes is more stable and more affordable.

It’s true that most new homes are built at today’s prices and may still be expensive. But allowing more construction helps in another important way—through something called “housing filtering.”

• When new homes are built, people who can afford them often move out of older homes or apartments.
• Those older homes then become available for other households at lower prices or rents.
• Over time, this creates more movement and more choices in the housing market.

In short, new homes help open existing homes for others, creating more options for everyone.

No. Zoning changes do not raise property taxes. Tax rates are set by the state legislature and local budget decisions, not by zoning. Here’s what that means in practice:

• Zoning does not affect your tax rate. It defines how land can be used, not how it’s taxed.
• New housing and growth can actually help spread costs over more taxpayers, which can reduce pressure on individual households.
• Your tax bill only changes if local or state budgets change, or if your property value changes compared to others—not because zoning rules are updated.

In short, zoning sets rules for how property can be used—it doesn’t decide how much tax you pay.

No. The goal of the new zoning code is to make housing more available and stable—not to reduce the value of existing homes. Here’s what we’re working toward:

• Making it easier to build new homes that people can afford, so more Missoulians can find a place to live.
• Slowing down extreme price increases that make housing out of reach for many families.
• Supporting steady, healthy growth—the kind that helps property values rise at a sustainable rate, instead of spiking quickly and pushing people out.

In short, the new zoning is about building a more balanced housing market—one that keeps Missoula affordable while protecting long-term neighborhood stability.

In the past, Missoula’s zoning rules caused most new housing—like apartments—to be built in our lowest-income neighborhoods. Meanwhile, many higher-income areas allowed for only single-family homes. This made it harder for some families to find housing in parts of the city connected to schools, parks, and services.

The new zoning code is designed to be more fair and balanced by:

• Allowing more housing options in more neighborhoods, not just a few.
• Encouraging smaller, more affordable homes across the city.
• Sharing growth more evenly, so no one neighborhood carries all the change.

In short, the new zoning helps every neighborhood be part of Missoula’s future—so everyone has a fair chance to live where they want.