Missoula County proposes sewer and water impact fees for Lolo; public hearings set

Missoula County has proposed one-time sewer and water impact fees that would apply to new development seeking to connect to Lolo’s sewer and water systems, the Lolo Community Council was told at its Nov. 11 meeting.

The council’s chair read the county notice, saying, "The proposed sewer and water fees would be required for new development proposing to hook into the sewer and or water systems in Lolo." The notice says the fees are intended to fund future expansion of the local systems.

Why it matters: impact fees can raise the upfront cost of development and are intended to pay for infrastructure that new growth requires. The county’s public process will include a meeting of the Impact Fee Advisory Committee on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 3:30 p.m., followed by the Board of County Commissioners’ consideration of a resolution to adopt the Lolo sewer and water impact fees on Jan. 8, 2026 at 2 p.m., both with opportunities for public comment.

The county notice, read to the council, also said the proposed fees and the improvements they would fund are described on missoulacountyvoice.com and that comments will be considered as part of the public-adoption process. Karen Hughes of Missoula County Planning, Development and Sustainability was named in the notice as the county contact for questions.

What’s next: residents and developers who want to weigh in can view materials and submit comments through the county’s online portal before the advisory committee and commissioner hearings next month and in January.

Provenance: topicintro SEG 153; topfinish SEG 192.