Frequently Asked Questions

What questions does the County hope this project will address?

Does public ownership address a public need, or does private ownership make more sense?
Is there County-owned land that could and should be used differently? Which properties and how? What are the challenges?
Is the County the proper owner and steward of neighborhood parks and stormwater facilities within city limits? If not, which properties? What is the process for giving that land to the City of Missoula?
Does the County use appropriate methodology to acquire and divest of property? What is the legal process? Should the County give or trade property? What policy or procedural improvements are recommended?
Are County properties accurately described on legal documents? If not, which ones? How can this be clarified in the future?
Is the County taking care of land it owns in an equitable manner? If not, what mistakes can we learn from?
How has county land banking been used successfully? How and where can that success be replicated?

Is the County considering important public uses for its land other than development as part of this project?

Yes. This project is not exclusive to land development.

The assessments and the factors considered were selected thoughtfully to balance all community needs. Staff went through a meticulous process, striving to be as objective as possible when choosing and evaluating factors, while seeking to honor previous engagement and planning efforts that articulated community values. 

The next phase will provide management and policy recommendations designed to improve existing uses as well as create opportunity for land acquisition not necessarily tied to development. Staff and boards that advise on the management of these types of properties will have the opportunity to vet recommendations.

What lands are more developable or less developable, according to this assessment?

The next phase of this project will provide recommendations as to which parcels are developable and which parcels should be improved to become developable in the future.

In order to have a comprehensive understanding of all County-owned land, staff completed assessments for six primary areas related to buildability and community value: Topographical, Built Environment, Administrative, Conservation, Recreation and Cultural.

Assessments from 0 to 3 were then assigned to each parcel in all six areas, 0 being the least restrictive to new use and 3 being the most restrictive to new use. In other words, 3s reflect a high value for a particular area, while 0s indicate no value. If a parcel is assigned a 3 in any area, it is unlikely to be recommended for new use unless that value changes in the future, which is certainly possible as conditions evolve. Likewise, if a parcel received 0s and/or 1s across most areas, it is a good candidate to be recommended for improvement (although that improvement will not necessarily be development). Parcel assessments of 1s and 2s needed and received the most attention and discernment by County staff. We anticipate those assessments, particularly in the more subjective areas, to generate the most robust community discussion as this project moves forward. 

How did staff come up with these six areas for ranking the lands?

Staff selected these six areas because together they encompass factors relevant at this time and paint a full picture in a concise and digestible format that reflects community values: Topographical, Built Environment, Administrative, Conservation, Recreation and Cultural. 

The factors themselves came from a plethora of sources, including but not limited to Missoula County GIS and Cadastral, City of Missoula neighborhood and public utility maps, FEMA floodplain maps, Missoula County’s 2014 Parks and Trails Master Plan, National Register of Historic Places, as well as interviews with County department-level staff.

Will this project cause the land near my house to be developed?

The next phase of this project will provide recommendations as to which parcels are eligible for new use or management and which parcels should be investigated further and may become eligible in the future.

Most properties owned by the County will remain unaffected, either because they are valuable for conducting government operations or have physical constraints. If a parcel has a high recreational, conservation, cultural or administrative value it will likely remain in its current use. However, the tool is fluid – as conditions evolve, assessment values of parcels may also change.

Keep in mind that just because a parcel is recommended for new use or management doesn’t mean that it will be developed. For example, a County-owned park that only serves a single neighborhood may be recommended for divestment to that Homeowner Association to manage.

Will Larchmont Golf Course be developed into housing?

Community interest in the land inventory project piqued in November 2021 when a private developer approached the County to propose a large land trade. In exchange for the 152-acre Larchmont Golf Course, the County would obtain 157 acres of land the developer owned off Highway 93 south of Missoula. The commissioners ultimately shelved the proposal and instead directed staff to proceed with the already planned assessment of County properties to holistically determine if there is opportunity to use them for more public benefit.

Under current conditions, Larchmont is unlikely to be recommended for development because it has a high recreational and moderate cultural value. However, if those values change because of evolving conditions, like if a redundant golf course were built, it could become a good candidate for development.

Learn more about the Larchmont proposal.

Want to learn more? The recording of the presentation to the Missoula County Commissioners on April 19, 2023, titled "Missoula County-owned Land Inventory, Assessment, and Strategic Plan Project Overview" is available online.