Missoula Rural Fire District Impact Fees
Update: The Impact Fee Advisory Committee unanimously approved the use of impact fees on new development to fund needed fire and emergency services in the unincorporated areas of Missoula County. These areas include communities outside the City of Missoula, like Bonner, Turah, Big Flat, Lolo and other neighborhoods. This project will now be considered by county commissioners at their August 13 public hearing meeting.
Board of County Commissioners: Thursday, August 13, 2:00 p.m.
- 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 online(External link).
Maximum Supportable Impact Fees
Project Description:
Ongoing growth in the unincorporated areas of Missoula County has placed greater demand on fire and emergency services. Missoula Rural Fire District (MRFD) is considering impact fees to help fund these needed services. MRFD is one of several fire departments serving Missoula County, with its service area covering more than 84-square miles. The MRFD Board of Trustees, Impact Fee Advisory Committee and the Missoula Board of County Commissioners will review the adoption of impact fees to fund infrastructure improvements and equipment for MRFD.
Project Background:
In 2024, MRFD responded to more than 4,000 incidents. MRFD operates five fire stations, 24 hours per day. MRFD provides fire, advanced life support emergency medical services, technical rescue and hazardous materials response services to more than a dozen neighborhoods and communities in unincorporated Missoula County.
Demands for MRFD’s services have grown, and the district faces increasing needs for expanded facilities and equipment. To fund the improvements required to maintain reliable fire protection, MRFD is completing a study with the intent of proposing impact fees on new development within its service area. MRFD will be the second fire district in Missoula County to propose the use of impact fees for its service area. The County has been collecting impact fees on behalf of the Frenchtown Rural Fire District since 2024.
MRFD has engaged with a consultant, TischlerBise, Inc. to conduct an impact fee study. The study evaluates the need for impact fees and provides guidance on its assessment and collection. Click here to view the study.
The impact fee study will:
- examine MRFD’s existing infrastructure and level of service
- identify capital improvements necessary to meet the future needs for fire protection and emergency services, as well as those necessary for continued operation and maintenance of the infrastructure
- determine the amount of impact fees for each new development
What are impact fees?
Impact fees are one-time payments applied to new development to support growth-related infrastructure costs. Impact fees are calculated by service area location, the size of new development and by category of development. Impact fees can’t be spent on staffing or operation costs; they can only be used for new improvements such as fire stations or equipment. Some impact fees are collected and applied to countywide services, like the Sheriff’s Office, while other impact fees are collected for a specific service area or program, like the Frenchtown Rural Fire District.
Project Timeline:
Impact Fee Advisory Committee Meeting: Wednesday, April 15, 3:30 p.m.
- In-person location: 199 W. Pine St. Conference Room B14. Missoula County Administration Building
- 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 at https://missoulacomt.portal.civicclerk.com/?category_id=34
Missoula Rural Fire District Board Meeting: Tuesday, June 9, 2026, 4:00 p.m.
- Resolution adopted by MRFD
Impact Fee Advisory Committee Meeting: Wednesday, July 15, 3:30 p.m.
- Recommendation to BCC
- In-person location: 301 W, Main St. Conference Room. Lands and Communities Office
- 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 at https://missoulacomt.portal.civicclerk.com/?category_id=34
Board of County Commissioners: Thursday, August 13, 2:00 p.m.
- 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 online(External link).
Public Comment:
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Who's Listening
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Phone 406-258-3425 -
Planning Manager
IVPhone (406) 258-4653 -
Deputy Chief of Missoula Rural Fire District
CH
NO MORE FEES. Plain and simple. You have collected property taxes on all this land since it was first sold. Theoretically this "undeveloped land" had no cost to the county or city. There is no road maintenance, no snow plowing, no infrastructure whatsoever. Yet someone paid the taxes every year. Land like this is some of the most profitable land to the county due to no cost. So these lands should already have a surplus of money to develop without extra fees. This is the problem with all the money going into one pot instead of being located the property that paid for it.
I am a hard no for these fees as stated.
bare in mind, this is not new land in the county, and the previous owner always paid taxes for the fire department before when a different or no structure was on the property.
If you are saying they are only now a new user when building a new structure , where is the money they paid for in taxes for 50 years?
and since there was no impact fee when other homes were built why are they not having to pay a new fee now? Seems they just got a free grace period but still owe the fee.
This just a divide and conquer strategy instead of just taxing everyone equally in the county for the services they equally receive.
Why does it matter what size the building is on the impact fee, they don't send out a smaller fire engine for a smaller house. You don't give better fire protection for a bigger or more expensive home. They don't not put out the fire if you only have grass or trees on the property, they don't give you a discount if your property has fire defenseable space .
This is just socialism when we should have equalism. Everyone should pay the same and everyone gets the same service.
When fire levies were passed before it was to pay for new buildings, are the regular property taxes going to go down now for existing users? No.
Perhaps if we need more funding then we should revisit the regular fire taxes, and add a user fee if you have a fire and use the service. Simply the fire protection fee should be based on the square feet of land you own, period.
wither you just have trees or a building does not matter , the fire department is still coming out with all its resources.
I support the impact fees. This makes sense for safety and the wellbeing of our community.
A one-time impact fee charged to new development and used for rural fire department improvements is a good idea. With increased growth comes increased demands on the rural fire department. New development can and should help cover costs.
Removed by moderator.
I think this sounds like a good idea. You're bringing in more bodies, more people, more potential for emergencies. Makes sense to me!
Yes please! I am in total support of inpact fees on new development. I think it's great for the fire department, but it doesn't go far enough. New developments should have impact fees not only for fire departments, but roads, schools, and all other infrastructure ( street lights, sidewalks, water, sewer). Developers should definitely bear the costs that the development costs the county. Without impact fees, the county budget will never catch up to costs.
I support charging impact fees on new developments. It makes sense to have developers bear the cost of the infrastructure needed to support the developments they are building and profiting from.