MISSOULA — After lamenting a disconnect between development and infrastructure, the Missoula Consolidated Planning Board on Tuesday night recommended that a South Hills subdivision be approved when it goes before the City Council in the coming weeks.
The board voted unanimously in support of Meadowview Partners' request to rezone a 31-acre parcel on Hillview Way to better align with the city's land-use designation.
As proposed, Meadowview Homes would create 97 residential lots for either single-family homes or two-unit townhouses. Current zoning on the parcel allows for only one lot per acre, though the city's land-use designation seeks three to 11 units per acre.
Senior city planner Lauren Stevens said the requested rezone better aligns with surrounding zoning.
“It would allow densities and development types that are consistent with surrounding land uses,” she said. “It's planned in five phases and assumes full build-out within 11 years of preliminary plat approval.”
While residents expressed concerns over an increase in traffic, city officials said a recent traffic study found no issues of concern.
City engineer Troy Monroe said that once Meadowview Homes is fully developed, along with the nearby Wildroot subdivision in the South Hills, various intersections at 39th Street have the capacity to serve any increase in traffic.
“The intersections of concern of Hillview Way at 39th Street, and 23rd Street at 39th, have capacity for all the proposed development that's up there,” said Monroe. “The level of service at the two signalized intersections represent an acceptable service level, and no improvements are necessary.”
However, among the 50 conditions placed upon Meadowview Homes, one would require improvements at a nearby uncontrolled intersection. Monroe said that could include either bulb-outs or a roundabout.
“The intersection at Clearview Way and Gardland is currently a big sea of asphalt. A condition will require the developer to improve this intersection,” Monroe said.
Despite the city's assurance that the area's current infrastructure is capable of handling more traffic as new residents move in, several existing residents expressed a range of concerns.
One resident said neighbors are considering a protest petition to oppose the rezoning. Others expressed concerns about the Missoula County School District's lack of comment on several South Hills subdivisions, along with traffic and winter conditions.
“There are horrible ruts of pure ice,” said Jill Murphy. “It really is treacherous at some times. What's that going to look like in the winter when we have rarely a snowplow that comes down our road?”
Most members of the Planning Board said their decisions space could only consider the project's compliance with city policy, though some took the opportunity to express their personal frustrations with both the state Legislature and the city's inability to fund infrastructure at the same pace as development.
Board chair Sean McCoy was critical of new state law that prevents consideration of a development's impact on agricultural soils, as well as growth and the city's lack of transportation infrastructure.
“Traffic and the infrastructure around it and the planning of it is something all of us are feeling in this city. It's all I can offer – some empathy as a fellow citizen,” he said. “There's not a neighborhood in town that's not feeling this growth and this buildout that's happening, and our inability to build infrastructure at the same time.”
Other board members including Danny Tenenbaum said the only question before the board was whether the rezone request complies with the city's growth policy.
“In this case, the current zoning on this parcel is not in compliance with the growth policy. It's the only R-40 (rural zoning) parcel in Missoula right now,” said Tenenbaum. “With the rezone, it will come into compliance with the growth policy.”
A project representative with Professional Consultants Inc. of Missoula said the developers planned to improve one trail that currently crosses the property and introduce a number of other trails to improve connectivity.
He said the project also plans to honor a former ranch in the South Hills with interpretive signs.
“There would be no more than 97 homes on this 31-acre parcel,” he said. “This is an area of various housing types. There will be restrictive covenants on the property, especially in regard to landscape maintenance and building colors.”
