MISSOULA — The Missoula City Council this week set a public hearing for the phasing plan of a subdivision proposed last year off Mary Jane Boulevard.
Setting the hearing is a mere formality and brings the first three phases of the project closer to receiving final approval before construction begins.
Missoula Loft Homes, planned by Miramonte Homes LLC, will include 162 dwelling units in a variety of housing types, including single-family homes and row houses. The 16-acre project also includes three acres of parkland.
The city in 2019 approved a development agreement for the project and gave initial approval last summer. That included 17 conditions of approval including right-of-way improvements, lighting and street connections within the project.
“There's no new information that would create significant impacts,” city planner Alex Bramlette said Wednesday. “There are no proposed change to the 17 conditions of approval from preliminary plat approval.”
The city and county of Missoula have invested more than $15 million in infrastructure in the greater Mullan area, which includes the Sxwtpqyen Neighborhood Master Plan.
In doing so, they dedicated several thousand acres for city growth, including the housing needed to accommodate more than 6,000 residents.
The city's new Land Use Plan acknowledges a housing deficit of nearly 3,000 homes and calls for the construction of 1,500 new homes each year for the next 10 years, followed by 1,100 homes each year through 2045.
“The developer sees the need out here and wanted to bring these to fruition as soon as possible,” project representative Joe Dehnert said last year. “It makes a lot of sense out here, but it also aligns with the adjacent development. We think this will definitely fit into the character here.”
Several other projects have already been approved for the area including the 600-unit Icon Apartments, West End Homes, which will provide 260 units, and Sapphire Place, which includes 300 units.
The public hearing has been set for Dec. 9.
