The Missoula City Council approved final plans for the first phase of the 10-phase Heron’s Landing subdivision this week, allowing the developers to begin construction on 45 of 347 planned lots.

The council had already approved preliminary plans for the project and annexed the 72 acre property, with the subdivision being one of the few approved in the Sxwtpqyen (Mullan) area before the code-setting Mullan Area Master Plan is potentially adopted.

"This is right on the border with the Sxwtpqyen planning area that was just reviewed, and we conform pretty closely to that particular plan to be honest with you, even though we started doing our project before the plan got off the ground,” said Nick Kaufman, the senior planner with the WGM Group. “It’s been a great project so far.”

The project has been in the works for roughly more than two years, while the master plan for the area started last January.

The first phase is roughly 7.6 acres located in the southwestern portion of the property located north of Mullan Road and south of the 44 Ranch subdivision, with Chuck Wagon Drive bordering the subdivision to the west. The phase also includes 0.7 acres of parkland in the northeast corner, which will be used to develop a park in later phases.

The approval process will happen for each phase of the subdivision. First, public agencies will review the plans to see if it matches existing criteria and if new criteria are required, and then the City Council will review and vote on it.

The project and the the first phase especially will consist of mostly single-family housing, although in other areas of the subdivision, townhomes and row homes are planned.

More From Missoula Current