Wye 2 Targeted Economic Development District
Missoula County commissioners adopted an ordinance creating the Wye 2 Targeted Economic Development District on Nov. 9, 2023.
Let us know your questions on a second Targeted Economic Development District in the Wye area.
On Nov. 9, 2023, the Missoula County Board of Commissioners adopted an ordinance creating a second Targeted Economic Development District at the Wye and voted to approve the comprehensive development plan.
The TEDD designation enables a local government to address infrastructure deficiencies impeding industrial growth. The creation of a Wye 2 TEDD will enable Missoula County to fund infrastructure, such as sewer, water, transportation and life safety services,, to support value-adding enterprises that will improve the economic well-being of the area.
This is a new TEDD, surrounding and separate from the existing Wye TEDD created in 2020. To differentiate it from the existing Wye TEDD, the area is referred to as “Wye 2.”
Blue: Area proposed for Wye 2 TEDDYellow: Existing Wye TEDD
View this graphic in a larger scale in the "Graphics" widget on the right-hand side.
The first step in establishing the Wye 2 TEDD was to conduct a review of infrastructure deficiencies, then adopt a resolution of necessity for the area, which the commissioners did at their Aug. 24 public meeting. The documentation of these conditions, in accordance with state law, provides the necessary foundation upon which a local government may establish a TEDD (see Resolution and Statement of Infrastructure Deficiency in the documents widget on the right-hand side).
Types of infrastructure identified as deficient were:
- transportation
- water
- wastewater
- stormwater
- broadband
- fire protection
- life safety services
Comprehensive Development Plan
The next step was to write a high-level Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) for the Wye 2 area, which staff did and presented to the commissioners at their Oct. 26, 2023, public meeting, and again at their Nov. 9, 2023, public meeting, where the commissioners approved the plan and adopted an ordinance creating the TEDD.
The CDP discusses types of infrastructure projects that are eligible for Tax Increment Financing at the Wye. The CDP sets forth a series of goals and strategies that Missoula County can undertake to address the infrastructure deficiencies in support of secondary, value-adding economic development, such as manufacturing or technology research. It also links the effort to create a TEDD to the overall vision for the County, as defined in the Missoula County Growth Policy, the key land use document, and other associated documents, such as other plans and studies, including zoning.
Residents had several opportunities to learn more about the Wye 2 TEDD and provide their feedback, including at the Missoula Development Authority Board meeting on Sept. 27, the Missoula Consolidated Planning Board meeting on Oct. 17, and the commissioner meetings on Oct. 26 and Nov. 9.
Let us know your questions below on the establishment of the Wye 2 TEDD and stay up to date on the project by following this page.
You can find frequently asked questions in the “FAQ” widget on the right-hand side.
Let us know your thoughts about the creation of a second TEDD in the Wye area.
Missoula County commissioners adopted an ordinance creating the Wye 2 Targeted Economic Development District on Nov. 9, 2023.
Why is the Wye are being targeted? - It is not urban nor at all near that CBD. For industry there are many underutilized interstitial zones closer to town.
The LRTPs' and the community over the recent 15 years has very clearly expressed "Focus Inward" guidance as a far better option and desire.
Envision Missoula LRTP showed that satellite development infrastructure requirements would be considerably more expensive than focus inward infrastructure, not even accounting for their ability to be productive enough to pay for their own long term infrastructure upkeep (satellites cannot).
And in the 2008 report Envision Missoula even had to ask the question:
"Are There Ways to Make Suburban Satellites Work?
The Suburban Satellites concept was consistent with the ideas of half the participants in
the public workshops, however the travel demand model did not find this land use
scheme was as effective as Focus Inward. Is it possible that some type of Interstate BRT
on I-90 might improve I-90’s performance and also support Town Centers better than
would the Multi-Modal corridor along the rail line?"
That would cost more money than we can ever dream of attaining.
Stop this newly cast version of suburban sprawl.