Why a Downtown Master Plan? We're Glad You Asked.
The expected increase in population in the Missoula market, our community’s commitment to preserving open space, and potential conflicts between old and new, commercial and residential are highlighting the need for a Downtown Master Plan in Missoula.
The Missoula Downtown Association and the City of Missoula united to investigate the options of developing a Master Plan for Downtown, a 20-year vision for the heart of our community. Plan elements, study area, and stakeholders were identified. Crandall Arambula, a team of professional planning consultants from Portland, Oregon, was selected to help lead this community through a visioning process that will shape the future of Downtown Missoula and give us a clear understanding of how to accomplish the goals this community sets for our Downtown. The Downtown BID, Missoula Parking Commission, Missoula Redevelopment Agency, MAEDC and the Missoula Downtown Association, along with a significant number of private property and business owners, partnered together to help fund this effort.
While the visioning process for the Downtown Master Plan has come to an end, we are now charged with adoption and implementation. The plan was adopted unanimously by the Missoula City Coucil in August 2009. It will take many years for us to fully implement this plan, and we’ll need to review and revise it every 3-5 years to ensure our vision and goals are still cohesive.
We receive compliments all the time about what a vibrant, exciting and engaging downtown Missoula has. However, it’s imperative to stay vigilant about keeping our Downtown strong and beautiful, fascinating and enjoyable. The Master Plan is a large step in the right direction.
With that in mind, we want to thank the 57 businesses, individuals and organizations that contributed financially to the creation of this plan. We also want to thank all of you who participated in the process. This enormous goal of developing a community vision for our Downtown was accomplished with 85 meetings and more than 2,000 individuals who took the time to attend, engage, articulate their thoughts and complete ballots. Thank you for your passion!
Click here for the Master Plan Download Page