MISSOULA — The final four phases of a Missoula Valley subdivision received an extension from the City Council this week.
The 44 Ranch project located off Mullan Road was first approved by the city in 2005 and included 545 residential lots on 132 acres.
An amended phasing plan completed in 2018 set a 2024 deadline for Phases 16 and 17 and a 2025 deadline for phases 18 and 19.
Senior city planner Lauren Stevens said the developer requested the new extension due to economic factors that included the recession in 2008, the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in ownership.
On Wednesday, council members approved the extension but with conditions that address right-of-way, street connections and stormwater, among other issues.
“Because the future development to the west has not been submitted for review, we wanted to ensure dead-end roads would not be left in place in these two phases (17 and 18),” Stevens said.
Stevens said city regulations now require that all phases of a phased subdivision be filed within 20 years of preliminary approval.
But that deadline was not in place for earlier phases of 44 Ranch prior to 2017, when both city and state laws were changed.
“It was not a requirement for phased subdivisions prior to that update,” said Stevens.
The city adopted its new land-use plan late last year and is now working toward code reform.
Stevens said the final document will address the review process of future phased projects to allow for more flexibility.
The economic factors that slowed the phasing of 44 Ranch have also impacted other large subdivisions. Missoula County approved a phasing extension for both the Ranch Club and Gallatin Estates in 2023.
Last month, the county also approved an extensionfor the Circle H Ranch, which was first approved back in 1994.
