City staff outline rollout, training and transition window for Missoula’s new Unified Development Code

City planner Cassie Trippard told the Missoula City Council on March 9 that the city’s new Unified Development Code (Title 22) was adopted by council on Feb. 2 and became effective March 4.

"This new code contains zoning, subdivision, and infrastructure regulations," Trippard said, and it replaces the previous zoning code, subdivision regulations and much of Title 12. She said the code is accompanied by an updated standards and specifications manual that sets design requirements for infrastructure.

Trippard said staff has established a transition period that runs through July 2. During that window, applicants may choose to apply under the new code or the regulations that were in place immediately before adoption, but to use the previous rules an application must be submitted in complete form by July 2. "You don't need to get approval by the state. Just need to get an application into us," she added.

Staff are posting the final code, zoning map, standards manual and related FAQs on the Engage Missoula website and plan to publish training opportunities — including webinars and office hours — once staff training is completed. Trippard also recommended that frequent code users take advantage of free project review team meetings and directed residents with questions to the zoning and engineering desk email addresses posted on Engage Missoula.

The presentation closed with a brief technical issue: staff lost live sound briefly but confirmed the key dates and resources. The city did not take further legislative action at the March 9 meeting; Trippard’s remarks were informational and meant to guide implementation and public inquiries.