Missoula City Council To Weigh Final Zoning on Champion Site

By Stefanie Kilts, 4-09-07

The Missoula City Council is hearing public comment and possibly making a final decision tonight on the zoning of the old Champion mill site.

The city council is required by law to finalize zoning on the property by April 9 unless the developer offers an extension. Last Wednesday during a Missoula City Council committee meeting, the project’s representative—WGM Group’s Nick Kaufman—asked the council to make a final decision on the zoning for the district.

The Champion mill proposal, presented by the Millsite Revitalization Project, LLC, and represented by WGM Group, is a 46-acre proposed development of 285 lots and 520 units. The project is located between California Street and Hickory Street on the south side of the Clark Fork River.

WGM Group’s Kristin Smith said at Monday’s meeting, the company will present an hour-long presentation which will then be followed by comments from the public and council members.

The mixed-use and multiple-unit development proposal is a $19.4 million partnership between public and private interests. In addition to residential and business units, the developers are planning a 14-acre riverfront city park that will be accessible by the current riverfront trail and an additional three acres for another park area.

The high-density urban development has raised concerns within the community because of high building heights, the tallest of which may reach 100 feet, lack of parking spaces, and bike lane complications.

Smith said in response to concerns over building heights that this is one of the last places for an in-fill project in Missoula. “If we can’t embrace verticalibility, we will have a hard time embracing the affordability and availability of future housing,” she said.

The venture is part of a growing trend of revitalizing industrial areas within city limits for higher-density urban developments.

The public hearing will be held on Monday, April 9 at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.