Billboard Variance – 2030 River Road, Missoula

Project Description

Eric Sweet of Lamar Signs has submitted a billboard variance request for the property at 2030 River Road, west of Reserve Street. (The property is owned by the Myrna L. Saulter Trust and is legally described in Book 485 of Micro Records Page 574 in the records of Missoula County.)

The applicant is requesting to remove two existing billboards from the property and install a new 41-foot digital billboard. The property is zoned C-I2 (Heavy Industrial), which allows digital billboards with a maximum height of 28 feet. Since the height of the proposed billboard exceeds this, the applicant must get a variance approved to build it.

What is a variance?

A variance is a relaxation of specific provisions of zoning regulations that can be granted if certain criteria can be met. The Board of Adjustment may only approve a zoning variance if it’s not contrary to the public interest and does not give an advantage to a particular business that is not enjoyed by other businesses in the same zoning district. They must evaluate proposed variances using the following criteria and find favorably that:

1. The variance will not authorize a use that is not already allowed in the zoning district.
2. The variance will not authorize additional density beyond what is allowed in the zoning district.
3. Special conditions exist that are unique to the property, such as size, shape, topography or location, that do not apply to other lands in the same zoning classification.
4. Literal enforcement of the provisions of the regulations will result in unnecessary hardship that is not of the applicant’s own making.
5. Granting the variance will be in harmony with the general purpose and intent of these regulations and the Missoula County Growth Policy and will not be injurious to the neighborhood or otherwise detrimental to the public welfare.
6. The request for the variance is not based on monetary factors.

Project Timeline

Board of Adjustment Public Hearing: Wednesday, Sept. 17, 6 p.m.

Participants may attend the public hearing in person in the Sophie Moiese Room of the Missoula County Courthouse Annex, 200 West Broadway in Missoula. Participants may attend the meeting virtually by accessing the meeting agenda and Microsoft Teams information at http://missoula.co/boameetings. To join the call on your phone, call 406-272-4824, Conference ID 311 766 349#.

This project is not subject to review by the Board of County Commissioners.

Public Comment

Submit public comment using the comment tool below before the Sept. 17 hearing.

Project Lead

Patrick Swart, 406-258-4841, pswart@missoulacounty.us

Related Links & Documents

2030 River Road Variance Application