Missoula County Zoning Regulations Billboard Amendment
Project Description:
The Missoula County Commissioners have proposed to amend the sign code in the Missoula County Zoning Regulations (MCZR) to prohibit billboards as a sign type in areas zoned Industrial Center, Light (ICL), and Industrial Center, Heavy (ICH). They are also proposing to prohibit conversion of existing static copy billboards to electronic message display billboards.
Current zoning regulations outlined in Section 8.8.B. (MCZR) allow billboards, including digital or electronic copy billboards, up to 300 square feet in size, in industrial zoned areas.
If approved, the amendment will:
- Prohibit installation of new billboards in areas subject to Part 2 zoning applied in 2022, including adding a second face on an opposite side of an existing billboard.
- Permit existing billboards to remain in place as nonconforming signs subject to Section 10.6 and allow upkeep and maintenance.
- Prohibit reconstruction of existing billboards that are damaged or destroyed where the cost of reconstruction exceeds 50% of the replacement cost.
- Permit only external illumination of billboard signs.
- Prohibit the conversion of any static copy billboard to an electronic message display (digital billboard).
Project Timeline:
Missoula County Consolidated Land Use Board public meeting: 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 4
In-person location: 200 W. Broadway, Missoula County Courthouse Annex, Sophie Moiese Room
Virtual option: Residents can attend the meeting via Microsoft Teams. To join the meeting on your device, follow the links on the agenda that will be published on the Missoula County’s public meeting portal.
County Commissioners’ public hearing meeting: 2 p.m. Thursday, March 26
In-person location: 200 W. Broadway, Missoula County Courthouse Annex, Sophie Moiese Room
Virtual option: Residents can attend the meeting via Microsoft Teams. To join the call on your phone, call 406-272-4824, Conference ID 467 457 758#. To join the meeting on your device, follow the links on the agenda that will be published at http://missoula.co/bccmeetings.
Public Comment:
We welcome your comments up until the close of the public hearing, so please submit public comment by March 25 using the comment tool below.
Project Lead:
Jennie Dixon, 406-258-4946
Important Links and Documents:
Who's Listening
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Phone 406-258-4946
Important Documents
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Current Billboard Sign Regulations Section 8.8.B (1.28 MB) (pdf)
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Proposed Sign Regulations to prohibit new billboards including internally lit and electronic message displays (2.07 MB) (docx)
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Summary of changes in table format.docx (36 KB) (docx)
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Overall map of industrial zoned areas (shown above) (1.8 MB) (jpg)
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Report with 9 subareas map.docx (2.07 MB) (docx)
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Zoning Amendment_Prohibit Billboards and EMD_FINAL.pdf (2.23 MB) (pdf)
I support prohibiting new billboard construction and replacement. This is an archaic form of advertisement that is an eye-sore for our community.
Electronic billboard should be outlawed across the entire city, this isn't Las Vegas. We also need to look at LED lights on buildings, the whitefish Credit Union on Russell is an embarrassment and dangerous to drivers in the dark commuting hours.
I do not approve. There are already to many regulations that inhibit business. Also, seems like you are targeting very specific locations, and conveniently leaving out very specific locations. For example, I notice you conveniently are leaving out the land just east of the airport where you just wasted all of our tax money by rerouting a dry creek. Why might that be, why would that area be left out I wonder? If you want Missoula to grow, business and commerce is necessary. Quit making regulations and changes that prevent that.
I am 10000% in favor of prohibiting all billboards and phasing them out wherever possible.
YES, in favor of this amendment. Billboards are visual pollution and an insult to the senses of so many who feel bombarded with advertising at every turn in our lives already. I would be in favor of cutting them all down but this is a start.
This amendment seems to be directly targeted at one particular business, which I have no affiliation with. I understand the county also tried to stop the installation of a flag pole to fly our countries flag with pride. This kinds of red tape pushes manufacturers out of Missoula county, and jobs with them.