Some council members have blasted single-family zoning as the source of Missoula's housing woes. Details offered by the city's consultant have fed that growing sentiment.
While the 2023 Legislature has created a number of bills the City of Missoula views as unfavorable, including the removal of greenhouse gasses from environmental review, a handful of other bills have enjoyed the city's backing.
The measure was turned from a dramatic reshaping of zoning laws in the state into an effort to assess statewide housing needs without preemptions on local governments.
Marijuana regulations that would apply countywide and address the industry's massive energy consumption received the unanimous backing of the Missoula Consolidated Planning Board this week.
Kelly Lynch writes, "The housing bills we have seen fail to address the primary driver of Montana’s housing problems - outdated statutes that no longer reflect the type and pressure of housing development our communities face."