West Riverside's Infrastructure History

The area east of Missoula initially developed in 1886 with the opening of the sawmill in what is now the Bonner Mill Site Industrial Park, which employed over 1,000 workers at its height. In 1910, the West Riverside neighborhood was officially created when Barbara Zaugg subdivided her property, creating an opportunity for home ownership – an uncommon thing during these times in this area - and providing homes that are, to this day, more affordable than many other areas in and around Missoula.

In 2019, with input from West Riverside residents, the Missoula County Land Use Element (also known as the Growth Policy) identified the neighborhood as one that contains essential elements of a livable community, noting that for it to remain livable or develop further, it needs infrastructure investment. During the 2022 County zoning project, West Riverside residents requested the zoning designation “Live/Make,” which is a new zoning designation that provides entrepreneurs and artisans the ability to live on the same property where they work. During that zoning process, the log yard maintained its “industrial” zoning; however, at the request of residents, a “light industrial” buffer was added.** A secondary benefit of Live/Make zoning is that it creates opportunities to use new funding sources for infrastructure if there is interest in becoming a TEDD.

Being in a Targeted Economic Development District does not in itself increase property taxes. A TEDD simply ensures any increases in tax revenue stay in the area to fund infrastructure improvements, rather than going toward the general budgets of local taxing jurisdictions.

**The purpose of heavy industrial is to provide places where the manufacturing, processing, storage and distribution of goods and services can occur freely with limited impacts to nearby districts related to noise, dust, odor and clutter. This district accommodates a range of industrial uses including heavy manufacturing, processing, fabrication, solid waste disposal, power generation, pipeline terminals and similar uses. The purpose of light industrial is to provide opportunities for light industrial, artisan and limited commercial activities with minimal off-site impacts. This is why residents who live near the log yard requested a light industrial buffer.