Our Missoula Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

That feeling is understandable. Missoula is a special place, and it’s natural to worry about change. But growth is already happening—our choice is how we guide it. Here’s how we’re doing that:

• Change will happen slowly, not overnight.
• New development will be designed to fit with existing neighborhoods through context-sensitive design.
• Planning ahead helps protect what we love while making room for the people who make Missoula strong.
• Saying “no” to all growth would mean telling some people—teachers, nurses, and our own kids—that there’s no place for them here. That’s not the Missoula we believe in.

In short, growth is coming no matter what. The new zoning helps us manage it thoughtfully—so Missoula can grow and change without losing the things that make it home.

“Context-sensitive” means new buildings should blend with the neighborhood around them—in size, scale, and overall look. The idea comes from city planning practices that focus on making growth blend in with its surroundings instead of standing out or replacing what’s there.

In Missoula’s new zoning code, this means new housing should match the feel of the area while still allowing more options. We do this by:

• Keeping apartment buildings similar in scale to surrounding homes.
• Setting rules for height so buildings fit comfortably with others in their neighborhood.
• Using new tools like Floor Area Ratio (FAR) to manage how big a building can be.
• Creating smooth transitions between different zoning areas, like stepping down from taller to shorter buildings.
• Supporting gentle infill—small, gradual changes like adding duplexes or cottage homes.

Context-sensitive development means growing in a way that fits—so neighborhoods can change over time without losing their character.

Gentle infill means adding a few new homes over time in existing neighborhoods—without changing their overall character. It’s a gradual, small-scale way to help more people live in the parts of Missoula that already have schools, parks, and services nearby.

• Examples include duplexes, cottages, and small apartments.
• It happens one lot at a time, over many years.
• Gentle infill is about welcoming gradual change—not big, sudden projects—so neighborhoods can grow in a way that feels familiar and comfortable.

Generally the new zoning provides more flexibility and more development options. The new zoning:

• Doesn’t change existing lots.
• Doesn’t force change on existing buildings.
• Simply offers more options for redevelopment.
• Doesn’t override private development covenants

The goal is to expand opportunities within the zoning.

No. Neighborhood change happens slowly over many years.

• You will not wake up and find your block completely different.
• Most change comes from individual property owners making small decisions over time.

This approach supports existing neighborhood identity while allowing room for future generations.

Many neighborhoods in Missoula have Homeowners Associations (HOAs) or private covenants that set additional rules for how properties can be used or what can be built. These private agreements remain in place even with the new zoning code.

• HOA rules and covenants still apply.
• Even if zoning allows more options—like duplexes or accessory units—your HOA may set stricter limits.
• Only homeowners can change those private agreements, not the City.

Zoning sets the citywide rules, but HOAs and covenants can add their own requirements. The new code doesn’t override those private agreements—it simply provides more flexibility where they don’t apply.

That’s an important question—and one many Missoulians share. Protecting our open lands, rivers, and wildlife is a big part of why we plan carefully for growth. The good news is that building more homes inside the city actually helps protect those natural areas.

• It reduces pressure to build outward into wildlands, farmland, and open space.
• It supports walkability and shorter commutes, which helps limit traffic and pollution.
• It uses existing roads, water lines, and utilities instead of extending services into new, undeveloped areas.

By growing inward—within our existing neighborhoods—we protect the landscapes, wildlife, and open spaces that make Missoula such a special place to live.

It’s true—every Missoula neighborhood is special. Each one has its own story, look, and sense of community. The goal of the new zoning is to honor those differences while helping the whole city grow in a fair and balanced way.

• Growth is already happening, and this approach helps it happen slowly and evenly across the city—not all in one place.
• Small, gentle changes—like a duplex, cottage, or small apartment building—let neighborhoods grow while keeping their identity.
• When every neighborhood plays a role, it helps Missoula stay affordable, welcoming, and strong for everyone who lives here now and in the future.

In short, the new zoning helps Missoula’s neighborhoods keep their charm while sharing in the city’s future growth.

The new code keeps three Historic Resource Overlays—Fort Missoula, the Roosevelt Block, and the Marshall House—because these sites already had special protections and unique standards in place.

• Fort Missoula has been protected by an overlay since the 1990s and remains one of Missoula’s most important historic areas.
• The Roosevelt Block and the Marshall House were already part of special zoning districts that required historic review, so they are shown as overlays on the new map.
• These overlays help make sure any future changes respect each site’s history.
• Other historic buildings in Missoula are still protected through the Historic Preservation Permit process, even without an overlay.

In short, these three overlays were kept because they already had extra rules in place, while other historic sites remain protected in different ways.

What about properties with conservation easements—does zoning affect those? Some properties in and around Missoula have conservation easements, which are legal agreements that permanently protect land for open space, agriculture, habitat, or scenic value. These easements are separate from zoning and remain in place no matter how zoning changes.

• Zoning and conservation easements work separately. Zoning sets what could be built under City rules, but an easement limits what can happen on the land.
• Easements are legally binding. They stay with the property even if ownership changes, and only the landowner and the organization that holds the easement can make changes to it.
• Zoning updates don’t remove or weaken easements. Those protections stay in place regardless of zoning changes.

In short, conservation easements are permanent legal tools that protect land, and zoning changes don’t override them. Even if zoning allows development, an easement may continue to restrict it.