Notes from the Community Conversation
West Riverside Community Conversation
Residents from West Riverside and staff members from a range of Missoula County and City of Missoula departments gathered on Wednesday, May 24th to engage in conversation about hopes and concerns particular to infrastructure for West Riverside. Residents and staff members asked and answered questions about current plans for the area, future scenarios, and priorities.
Below are notes from the event, which includes a summary of the most asked questions and shared information organized by topic area:
Traffic Safety, Connectivity, Roads
Community members are concerned about traffic safety, especially for pedestrians.
Priority areas for community members were –
Safe navigation along 1st St. to Town Pump.
Safe navigation for children from West Riverside to Bonner School.
Intersection at Hwy 200, Tremper, and West Riverside
Community members are also concerned about speeding in the neighborhood, increased traffic on Highway 200, and road conditions. They are interested in learning more about the shared-use path to Missoula and the parking project at Sha-Ron.
Missoula County Public Works has developed a plan for the intersection at Highway 200, Tremper, and West Riverside. This plan needs to locate funding before Missoula Metropolitan Organization can implement it.
Parks, Trails, Open Space
Community members appreciate access to parks, trails, and open spaces and want to see that access maintained and improved.
Priority areas for community members were –
Improved access to Woody Mountain.
Improved access to the Blackfoot River Trail.
Improved playground equipment for children.
Bike trail connectivity to East Missoula > Missoula.
Improved pedestrian facilities for children to Town Pump and Bonner School
Projects to address these priorities can be viewed in the following documents: in the
Most funding for parks is available through grants, which require local funding matches. There is $50,000 in matching funds available for capital improvements (ex: playground equipment) to support recreation. If community members have ideas, they should contact Missoula County Parks, Trails and Open Lands staff.
Water and Wastewater
Many community members were curious about community wastewater options and funding for those options. However, residents also shared concerns that public wastewater or public water supply improvements could allow for undesired growth and have significant costs.
Staff members from Missoula City-County Health Department and Missoula County Public Works were asked the following questions from community members and provided these answers:
Q: How would a public water supply system impact the level of water in the water table?
A: This question would require the technical expertise of, or a study from, engineers or hydrologists to answer, which an infrastructure plan would address.
Q: If we want a public wastewater system, do we have to get a public water?
A: No, the community could decide to build a public wastewater system and still maintain their individual wells.
Q: How does wastewater affect wells and water rights?
A: Wastewater and water are different needs and can be done independently of one another.
Q: Is the EPA still sampling for arsenic in wells?
A: Residential well testing was last conducted in 2014. More limited ongoing testing of monitoring wells by the EPA continues with two samples taken each year. Arsenic still exceeds the drinking water standard in some of these monitoring wells. High arsenic is not caused by, or an indicator of, contamination from septic systems.
Q: What happens when a septic system fails?
A: Health department staff members try to help find a solution but there are constraints. The new system must be set back 100’ from any well, which causes challenges in dense areas.
Q: When a system fails and is replaced, what are the “deed restrictions”?
A: Replacement systems that use seepage pits or new or increased use (ex: adding bedrooms to a house) require a “deed restriction” that limits the ability to protest expansion of municipal sewer and requires connection within 180 days of it being available.
Q: When a system is replaced are there still limitations?
A: Yes, there are limitations for many properties for increasing use (ex: adding bedrooms).
Q: If we’re interested in sewer, do we have to connect to the City of Missoula’s sewer system?
A: No, a smaller, local system is a possibility.
Q: What is the timing for hook-up to a new wastewater system?
A: If the community decided to move forward on a wastewater treatment system, it would likely take years of planning and building. Any decisions on timing could be addressed through an Infrastructure Plan.
Zoning, Growth and Housing
Many community members shared concerns about unregulated growth. Residents shared that they wanted to maintain the closeness of their community and many did not want to see increased growth in the way of high-rise buildings (apartments or hotels). The County adopted a growth plan and new zoning for West Riverside, which guides and regulates growth. Even with development of infrastructure such as public wastewater and water supply systems, new development and growth must be in compliance with the adopted plan and zoning regulations.
However, many community members wish to see targeted development in the form of child care, a grocery store, and laundry services. In many cases, higher levels of commercial development require wastewater and water supply infrastructure.
Housing staff at Missoula County shared their priority – keeping residents in their homes. They offered residents more information about the Homeowner Rehab & Repair Loan program.
Much of West Riverside is newly zoned “live/make” which is a unique designation that allows agricultural-related businesses, home daycare and home occupation amongst other uses. It does not allow for animal shelter or boarding kennel, cannabis dispensary or junk and salvage yard amongst other uses.
This zoning extends north past Flagler Dr. south to W. Riverside Dr., east to 9th St. and west to Tremper Dr.
The West Log Yard is zoned “industrial” and “light industrial” and has some river protections for riparian and wildlife that consider:
The proposed water supply and sanitation systems and the ability of these systems to prevent disease, contamination and unsanitary conditions;
The effect of the project on streamside vegetation and the stability of the streambank;
The effect of the project on water rights;
The effects on species protected by the Endangered Species Act or of special interest or concern to the State of Montana.
Zoning changes can be initiated by private parties or Missoula County. Any changes to the zoning must be consistent with the 2019 Missoula Area Land Use Element and the 2016 Missoula County Growth Policy. Changes to the zoning require public notice and comment prior to approval.
Infrastructure Planning and Funding
County staff members shared that there are unprecedented funding opportunities for infrastructure at the federal level. However, most of this funding requires a local match. Additionally, all this funding requires communities to have a plan in place before applying for the funding.
Q: What types of plans need to happen to receive funding and how does a community do this?
A: An infrastructure plan is a way for a community to study the different options for providing services to an area through a combination of detailed analysis and community engagement. They typically focus on core infrastructure like roads, non-motorized circulation, water, sewer or wastewater treatment and stormwater. These plans are an opportunity to thoroughly analyze different ways to provide service and identify a preferred course of action; they are not project level engineering plans.
Q: What types of funding are available?
A: Tax increment from the Bonner West Log Yard Targeted Economic Development District (TEDD) is one local funding source that could benefit West Riverside community members. The TEDD district ensures tax increment from the defined area is used for infrastructure improvements in that area. Rather than only using the funding to support infrastructure development in the current (Bonner West Log Yard) TEDD area, County staff members shared that it could also be used as matching funds for infrastructure that benefits a broader area, or that infrastructure could be scaled to benefit the broader community.
Additionally, the Economic Development Administration has grants available that may be applicable to the community. These grants can be used to fund water supply, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. The systems must be owned by a public entity (such as the County).
Q: What types of infrastructure opportunities would be available to community members from the TEDD?
A: As the private property within the Bonner West Log Yard is developed, a wastewater system will also have to be planned. The wastewater system could be built with connecting infrastructure and scaled so that community members could hook up to the wastewater system at some point.
Q: What would the cost to the community be?
A: A TEDD does not cause an increase in taxes. Funding from a TEDD could be used to support infrastructure in a number of different ways, including as a match for grant funding. If a wastewater system were developed and there were grants and other funds to pay for the capital improvement, service and maintenance would be billed to the users.
Though this discussion will never be "over," the consultants who worked on this project for the County have provided their input and next steps, and staff will be in touch as steps progress with infrastructure in the area.
