CHAPTER 2: MISSOULA COUNTY PROFILE

INTRODUCTION

This chapter is a profile of Missoula County's human and natural resources. The information provides an overall picture of existing conditions and projected trends for the life of the Growth Policy.1 More detailed information and analyses are available from other sources including regional land use plans and issue specific plans. The Missoula Community Health Assessment presents demographic, infrastructure, and health indicators for the community to improve the health of Missoula County communities. The PLACE2 project provides natural and cultural resource information for government, landowners, and community groups to use during review of subdivision and open space projects. This chapter is organized into the following sections:

A. Land Use and Development Patterns E. Local Services B. Population F. Public Facilities C. Housing G. Natural Resources D. Economic Conditions H. Cultural Resources

Projected trends in this chapter are based on forecasts for the 20 year life of the Growth Policy. Longer term changes and trends may be predicted based on climate change. According to a Geos Institute report for the Missoula area3, potential changes with a high degree of certainty in Missoula County include:

4 • Up to 2-5 degrees F warmer by 2035-2045. 5 • Lower and extended low stream flow in late summer with warmer overall stream temperatures. 6 • Earlier and greater spring runoff. 7 • Shifts in species ranges for wildlife and plants. 8 • Greater likelihood of severe wildfire. 9 • Increased spread of invasive plants and animals.

Potential implications of climate related changes are described in a background document provided to participants in a ClimateWise workshop held in 2011.10 It concludes that Missoula County may also be impacted by changes occurring in other parts of the country. Among the 11 concerns identified at the workshop were:

• More people moving to the area due to sea level rise and other climate change impacts in other parts of the country.

1 MCA 76-1-601(2)(3). 2 Practical Landscape Assessment for Conservation and Enhancement (PLACE), Missoula County Community and Planning Services 3 Future Climate Conditions in Missoula County and the Western Montana Region, Geos Institute, August 2011. 4 Ibid, pages 8, 15-18. 5 Future Climate Conditions in Missoula County and the Western Montana Region, Geos Institute, August 2011, pages 8, 23-24. 6 Ibid, pages 8, 24, 34. 7 Future Climate Conditions in Missoula County and the Western Montana Region, Geos Institute, August 2011, pages 8, 34. 8 Ibid, pages 8, 10-13, 24-25, 30-34. 9 Future Climate Conditions in Missoula County and the Western Montana Region, Geos Institute, August 2011. Pages 25, 34. 10 The People, Economy, Land, and Resources of Missoula County and Potential Vulnerabilities to Climate Change, Headwaters Economics, June 2011. 11 Missoula County Climate Action: Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Community. M.E. Koopman, J. Alban, B. Randall, M. Haggerty, and R. Rasker. 2011, pages 22-58.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-1 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 • Increased demand for domestically produced energy, leading to increased land use for local production and new transmission corridors. • Increased demand for water from a growing population. • Higher land prices making it more expensive to produce local food. • Disproportionate effect of climate change on low-income populations. • Food production capacity may become even more important, since it is projected that our region may be less severely impacted by climate change than other food producing regions.

Preparation for and adaptation to potential impacts from climate change will need to be considered for the long term. Adapting to climate change and its potential impacts poses challenges and opportunities for managing resources, infrastructure, and the economy.

COUNTY OVERVIEW Missoula County encompasses 1,675,584 acres, or approximately 2,600 square miles, which is roughly equivalent to the size of Delaware. Missoula County ranks 25th for land area among Montana counties. Approximately 104,678 acres in the County are located within the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ Flathead Reservation. As of 2010, there were an estimated 109,299 residents in the County, which ranks second in the State for population, behind Yellowstone County. Missoula County has a population density of 42 persons per square mile, which is significantly denser than the State’s population density of 6.4 persons per square mile. Missoula County is governed by the Board of County Commissioners, which has three members who serve six-year terms. Within the County, there are numerous unincorporated communities and one incorporated City (Map 1). Seven communities have a Community Council that acts a liaison between the citizens of the Community Council and the County Commissioners to advance and promote the interests and welfare of the citizens. The Community Councils include:

● Bonner Milltown ● East Missoula ● Evaro-Finley-O’Keefe ● Lolo ● Seeley Lake ● Swan Valley ● West Valley

The incorporated City of Missoula has an estimated 66,788 residents and is the County Seat. The City is governed by a Mayor and City Council, which has 12 members who represent six wards.

A. LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS This section provides an overview of current and projected land use and development patterns in Missoula County based on land ownership, land uses based on tax assessment, recent development patterns, and potential future development.

LAND OWNERSHIP Almost 60% of the land within the County is managed by State, Federal, or local government entities, with Tribal lands accounting for an additional 5.8% (Table 1, Figure 1). Almost 35% of the County is within private ownership, of which 10% is owned by Plum Creek Timber Company, Inc. (PCT). Most of the private non-corporate land (321,077 acres) is located on the valley floors. Private land ownership in the County has decreased from 736,648 acres in 2005 to 576,916 acres in 2012. This is a result of a transfer of private Plum Creek land to public ownership via the Montana Legacy Project. Map 2 depicts land ownership in Missoula County.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-2 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014

TABLE 1. OWNERSHIP OF MISSOULA COUNTY BY ACRE, 2014 General Ownership Acres Percentage Private Lands 567,080 33.8% Plum Creek 166,010 9.9% FVLT 200 0.0% Other Private 322,627 19.3% The Nature Conservancy 78,243 4.7% Federal Lands 834,669 49.8% Forest Service 814,021 48.6% BLM 20,621 1.2% Military (Dept. of Defense) 16 0.0% U.S. Government 10 0.0% State Lands 156,884 9.4% State Trust Lands 95,823 5.7% University System 21,122 1.3% MDOT 360 0.0% MT Fish, Wildlife, and Parks 39,579 2.4% Tribal Lands 97,801 5.8% CSKT Lands 96,366 5.7% Individually-owned held in Trust by BIA 1,435 0.1% Water 9,862 0.6% City, County, Other 9,008 0.5% Total Area 1,675,304 100% *Parcels smaller than 40 acres are not distinguished from their surrounding land ownerships. For instance, small parcels of city land are included within the private lands acreage. Depending upon the source, county acreage totals vary due to data source’s map projection and scale. (Montana State Library)

FIGURE 1. LAND OWNERSHIP

Water General City, County, 0.6% Tribal Lands Other Ownership 5.8% 0.5% Private Lands State Lands Private Federal Lands 9.4% Lands State Lands 33.8% Tribal Lands Federal Lands Water 49.8% City, County, Other

FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL OWNERSHIP Within Missoula County, over 59% (989,627 acres) of the land is publicly managed, an increase 18.7% (156,144 acres) since 2005. The U.S. Forest Service owns over 804,721 acres (48.1%) of all land in the County that includes portions of the Lolo, Flathead, and Bitterroot National Forests. It increased its ownership by over 104,000 acres since 2005. The majority of this land was divested from PCT land through the Montana Legacy Project.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-3 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 U.S.F.S. lands are managed under Land and Resource Management Plans, also known as Forest Plans. In 2012, the U.S.F.S. established administrative procedures to develop, revise, or amend forest plans.12 The Flathead National Forest began revising its land management plans in August 2013. The Bitterroot and Lolo National Forest Plans updates have not been scheduled.

The State owns 161,466 acres (9.7%), an increase of 57,575 acres from 2005. The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation owns over half of this land in the form of State school trust lands. The land generates revenue for Montana’s schools, primarily through agriculture, grazing, mineral and timber extraction, and special uses. Special uses include leasing the land for residential housing, as well as commercial and industrial purposes. DNRC’s Real 13 Estate Management Programmatic Plan guides the use of trust lands for real estate projects. Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) has increased its ownership since 2005 from roughly 14,000 acres to almost 38,205 acres. FWP owns wildlife management areas, fishing access sites, and state parks which contribute to the County’s resources, tourism, and public access.

The County and City of Missoula own more than 2,675 acres. County-owned land includes County Parks, the Missoula Fairgrounds, the Development Park, and portions of Fort Missoula. The majority of city-owned land is within the City of Missoula's Conservation Lands system.

Tribal Ownership A portion of the Flathead Reservation is located within Missoula County. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes own over 95,000 acres with Missoula County. Other Reservation land was allotted to Tribal members in parcels through the Flathead Allotment Act of 1908. Despite the Tribes’ continued opposition to such practices, the Federal government allotted parcels to Tribal members and continues to retain those titles on behalf of owners. Parcels are also assigned through inheritance or purchase by a Tribal member. Other land on the 14 Reservation is held in Federal, State, or fee ownership.

Plum Creek – Land Transfers PCT is the largest private land owner with ownership of 10% of all private land in the County. Plum Creek lands are located in the Clearwater drainage, Lolo Creek watershed, south of Frenchtown, and south of Miller Creek. PCT typically manages land for long term timber production and permits public and recreational use. The company assesses land according to the highest or best use. In some cases, recreation and residential development have higher values than timber production. Habitat loss or fragmentation, wildfire hazard, and access may limit the suitability of some of these lands for residential development.

The Montana Legacy Project was a three-phase purchase of 310,000 acres of PCT land by the Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Trust for Public Land across several Montana counties from 2008 to 2010 to protect fish and wildlife habitat, maintain the land as productive working forests, and to provide public access for a variety of outdoor recreation activities. From 2010 to 2012, TNC divested approximately 153,300 acres to the U.S. Forest Service, Montana Departments of Natural Resources and Conservation and Parks; City of Missoula; and private owners. TNC maintains ownership of over 76,600 acres from this project.

12 National Forest System Land Management Planning, Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. January 2012 13 The Real Estate Management Plan. Guiding Real Estate Development on Montana’s School Trust Lands. Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation 14 Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Flathead Reservation Comprehensive Resources Plan, 1996.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-4 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 LAND USES Montana Department of Revenue classifications15 for tax purposes can provide a general idea of amounts of different land uses within Missoula County (Table 2). The classifications identify lands that are taxed based on residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, vacant, exempt, and Tribal uses. Exempt property, which is primarily public forest land, agricultural land, and corporate timberland, comprises 85% of the land area in Missoula County.

TABLE 2. LAND USE IN MISSOULA COUNTY Land Use Acres 2012 Percent of Total Area 2012 Exempt Property 1,046,490 62.5% Agricultural 393,041 23.5% Farmstead* 109,230 6.5% Residential 57,744 3.5% Commercial 10,206 0.6% Industrial 2,379 0.1% Tribal Property** 11,998 0.7% Other*** 3,033 0.2% Not classified**** 18,552 1.1% Vacant 20,984 1.3% Total 1,673,657 100.0% *For tax purposes, farmsteads are one-acre parcels that are a part of agricultural land but have built structures on them such as farmhouses and barns. The built on acreage is taxed at a different rate than the rest of the agricultural land. **Does not include individually owned land held in trust status. ***Includes centrally assessed, condo rural, condo urban, assessed utility, non-valued property, townhouse rural, and townhouse urban classifications. ****A combination of public right-of-way, water courses and other misc. lands. Variance in total County acreage is due to differences in mapping projections and techniques. Montana State Department of Revenue, 2011.

AGRICULTURAL LAND USES The 2007 Census of Agriculture reports that the number of farms in Missoula County more than doubled between 1974 and 2007, increasing from 310 to 699.16 Although the total number of farms has increased, the size of farms has decreased by over 50%.

TABLE 3. FARMING FOR MISSOULA COUNTY 1974–2007 1974 1997 2002 2007 Number of Farms 310 608 641 699 Total Acres in Farms 262,024 269,357 258,315 281,893 Average Farm Size (Acres) 845 443 403 403 Farm Size Number of Farms Number of Farms Number of Farms Number of Farms 1-9 acres 29 104 127 149 10-49 acres 77 241 229 265 50-179 acres 68 122 141 161 180-499 acres 54 68 71 68 500-999 acres 39 28 33 25 1000 acres or > 43 45 40 3 Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2007

Nearly half of the farms in the County now sell less than $1,000 worth of agricultural products in a year, do not make their primary living from farming, or even produce the majority of their own

15 Montana State Department of Revenue, 2011. 16 USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. 2007. Census of Agriculture – County Data, Montana County Summary Highlights.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-5 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 food. Many of the County’s farms may be primarily rural residences with agriculture playing a secondary role on the property.17 Direct markets in Missoula such as farms offering Community Supported Agriculture and food being sold through the Western Montana Growers cooperative contribute to the agricultural economic activity within Missoula County. Cooperative sales increased from $200,000 in 2003 to nearly $1 million in 2012.18 Within the County, $7.6 million of farm products sold in 2007.19 Of this, $2.7 million was earned selling crops. Missoula County ranks 2nd in the state for sales of horse and ponies, 4th in sales of fruits and nuts, 6th in th 20 Christmas tree sales, and 9 in nursery and ornamental crops.

Over 16,000 acres of cropland are used to grow and harvest crops. Since 1974, the amount of 21 harvested cropland acres harvested declined by over 13,000 acres, a decrease of 44%. About 87,000 acres of grazing land remain in the County. There were over 108,000 acres in the mid-1980s.22 Since 1986, almost 29,000 acres of farm and ranchlands have been approved as 23 residential subdivisions that will convert the land from productive agricultural use.

Decreasing prices for agricultural products and development pressures affect farmers and ranchers in Missoula County. The Natural Resources Conservation Service estimates that 80% 24 of the County’s best agricultural lands have been subdivided into parcel sizes under 40 acres. Less than 8% of the County’s soils are ideal for crops or livestock, and much of that has already been developed.

County’s farmers and ranchers are aging. The average age of the principal operator is 60 years old—up from 49 in 1982.25 Many may soon retire, and their land will change hands. Even though subdivision pressure slowed and land prices have not come down, land prices continue to make it difficult for beginning farmers and ranchers to buy land. As the total market value of farm and ranch products declines, farm and ranch lands become more profitable when sold for development.

DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS AND PATTERNS Most subdivision and development activity in Missoula County has occurred in the valleys and near existing communities. Studies since 1920 have shown that as population increases, more land must also be set aside for the needs of the general population, such as recreation and roads. These needs can increase competition for land in some areas.26 As developable land decreases, pressure increases to develop steep terrains, floodplains, hillsides, and agricultural lands and areas with difficult access and far from public services. Missoula County uses Growth Policy land use designations, zoning regulations, and subdivision regulations to manage growth within the County.

Land Use Designations The land use designations identified in the Growth Policy and its adopted regional and neighborhoods plans are one indicator of a community’s future development trends. Land use

17 CFAC (Community Food and Agriculture Coalition). 2010. Losing Ground: The Future of Farms and Food in Missoula County. 18 Local food co-op growing by leaps and bounds after 10-years. Martin Kidston, Missoulian. December 7, 2013. 19 Tools for Community Self-Determination: Western Montana Local Farm & Food Economy, Highlights of a Data Compilation. Ken Meter, Crossroads Resource Center. Minneapolis, Minnesota. March 7, 2011. 20 Ibid. 21 USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. 2007. Census of Agriculture – County Data, Montana County Summary Highlights. 22 CFAC (Community Food and Agriculture Coalition). 2010. Losing Ground: The Future of Farms and Food in Missoula County. 23 Ibid. 24 CFAC (Community Food and Agriculture Coalition). 2010. Losing Ground: The Future of Farms and Food in Missoula County. 25 Ibid. 26 The Fairway Farms Project" by M. L. Wilson, The Journal of Land & Public Utility Economics, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Apr., 1926).

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-6 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 27 designations define the direction a community should take in future land use development. Land use designations include Open and Resource Lands, Residential, Commercial, and Residential. These designations are not regulatory but can help guide development. Maps 3 and 4 show the boundaries of adopted regional and neighborhood plans within Missoula County and the Missoula urban area. Each plan describes specific land use designations and recommendations for the particular area.

Zoning Zoning regulates the types of uses that are permitted on a property. About 7% of land in the county is zoned.28 Of the land in the City of Missoula, 96% is zoned (minus rivers and rights-of- way). Missoula County adopted a zoning resolution in 1976. Zoning was first established in the City of Missoula in 1932.

Urban Fringe Development Area Project The 2008 Urban Fringe Development Area Project analyzes where additional residential growth might occur within the Missoula urban services area with particular emphasis on potential growth on lands between the City limits and the Missoula Urban Service Area boundary.29 The project provides City and County governments with recommendations to accommodate 30 residential growth over the next 20 years.

Based on building permit data and population trends, the Missoula urban area will grow at an average rate between 1% and 2% per year. As a result, the Missoula Urban Service Area will have to accommodate approximately 15,000 new dwelling units within the next 20 years in accordance with adopted policies applicable to the areas.31 Map 5 shows the preferred residential development allocation within the Missoula Urban Services Area.

The 2012 UFDA Yearbook showed that housing growth slowed to 1.1% annually in the last five years, which is less than the projected 1.5% Census growth rate. During this time period, 1,665 new units were built, which is an average of 383 new units annually.32 In 2012, out of 288 new units in the urban services area, 31 were outside the city limits. Over the last five years, out of 1,665 new units in the urban services area, ¼ of were outside the city limits.

Subdivision Activity State law under Title 76 of Montana Code Annotated (MCA 76) requires that local governments adopt and provide for the enforcement and administration of subdivision regulations.33 MCA 76 establishes minimum requirements for subdivision regulations,34 including local review procedures and review criteria.35 The County and City adopted subdivision regulations in accordance with State law to review subdivision projects to ensure orderly development, prevent overcrowding, and promote public health and safety and environmental protection.

Subdivision activity provides one snapshot of Missoula County development patterns. Land division through subdivision review exemption is common and contributes to the land

27 Missoula County Regional Land Use Guide. Missoula County. August 2002. 28 Casey Wilson. Personal communication. Development Services, City of Missoula. 2011. 29 The Urban Services Area Boundary is the City’s Wastewater and Sewer Service Treatment Area 30 Urban Fringe Development Area Project, 2008. City of Missoula. 31 Urban Fringe Development Area Project Update 2009. City of Missoula. 32 Urban Fringe Development Area Yearbook 2012. City of Missoula. 33 MCA 76-3-501. 34 MCA 76-3-504. 35 MCA 76-3-601.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-7 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 development throughout the County. From 1990 to 2010, the Missoula Board of County Commissioners approved 731 subdivisions that divided 20,070 acres into 9,401 lots. The Missoula City Council preliminarily approved 206 subdivisions that created 4,270 lots from 2,409 acres. Figure 2 shows the subdivision activity in the County and City from 1990 to 2010.

IGURE OTS REATED F 2. L C 1990-2010

1,400 1,200 Lots Created- 1,000 Missoula 800 County Subdivisions 600 400 Lots Created- City of Missoula 200 Subdivisions 0

90 10 92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08 9 0 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 Missoula County Community and Planning Services

Figures 3 and 4 display subdivision activity by region from 2005 to 2010. While more lots were created in the Missoula Valley, more land was subdivided outside of the Missoula Valley. The average lot size for County and City subdivisions was 2.1 acres and 0.5 acres per lot. More acres were subdivided in the Lolo Planning Region than Frenchtown/Huson but more lots were created in the Frenchtown/Huson Planning Region than the Lolo.

FIGURE 3. NUMBER OF ACRES SUBDIVIDED BY REGION, 2005-2010 Seeley LakeS,wan, 279 Evaro, 20 Clinton & Turah, 532 408 Potomac/ Greenough, Frenchtown & 192 Nine mi le, Huson, 742 90

Lolo, 1,288 Missoula Valley, 2,444

Missoula County Community and Planning Services

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-8 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 FIGURE 4. NUMBER OF LOTS SUBDIVIDED BY REGION, 2005-2010

Potomac/ Seeley Lake, 64 Swan, 12 Clinton & Evaro, 4 Greenough, 28 Turah, 70 Ninemile, 11 Frenchtown & Huson, 888

Lolo, 395

Missoula Valley, 3,405

Missoula County Community and Planning Services

As of 2011 there were roughly 5,900 entitled lots within the urban services area and another 950 outside. Entitled lots are those lots with unbuilt dwelling units in approved major residential subdivisions. Figure 4 shows total lots created from 1990-2010.

Building Permit Activity Building permits are required to ensure that county building codes are met for future safe use. Building permit review has been conducted by the City of Missoula since the 1940s. In 1974, at the request of the County, the City started reviewing building permits within 4.5 miles of the City limits. In 2003, the State legislature repealed the City’s ability to review building permits outside the City limits. In 2006, the County adopted a building code enforcement program and established a building inspection division within the Public Works Department. Building permits show what residential development types are most common from year to year.

TABLE 4. BUILDING PERMITS Missoula County City of Missoula Year SFR Duplex Multi-family Total Year SFR Duplex Multi-family Total 2007 220 0 12 232 2007 303 28 125 456 2008 137 2 0 139 2008 180 20 93 293 2009 42 0 0 42 2009 134 8 41 183 2010 73 10 40 123 2010 119 12 162 293 2011 54 2 0 56 2011 83 12 403 498 2012 31 0 0 31 2012 113 12 132 257 Missoula County Community and Planning Services an d City of Missoula Development Services

As seen in Table 4, County and City permits for new residential construction have fluctuated since 2007.36 In 2012 in Missoula County, the majority of permits were for single family residences. In the city, over half of the permitted structures were multi-family followed by single family and duplexes.

PROJECTED LAND USE TRENDS • The mix of land ownership is not expected to change as much as it has since 2005. The transfer of private land to public ownership is expected to slow with the completion of the

36 Urban Fringe Development Area Plan Update.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-9 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 Montana Legacy Project. Another project at this scale is not likely to occur again soon. The remaining TNC land purchased as part of the Montana Legacy Project will likely be transferred to other public and private owners. . Pressures to convert land from agricultural use are likely to continue. . Commodity values show all-time high prices in beef, wheat, and hay. . While new development slowed with the recession, particularly outside the city limits, as the economy recovers, new building and building of single family homes on entitled lots in already approved subdivisions are likely to increase within the City limits. . As housing in the Missoula Valley reaches capacity, pressure is increasing to develop other areas such as floodplains and hillsides. . Assuming that Missoula urban area will continue to grow at an average rate between 1% and 2% per year, the Missoula Urban Service Area will have to accommodate approximately 37 15,000 new dwelling units within the next 20–30 years. . The City of Missoula is growing primarily in western direction as farm and grazing land is converted to housing, commercial and industrial uses and as sewer has been extended to the Wye area. It is expected that this area will continue to develop while the core of the city will continue to accommodate the aging population. . The Miller Creek/Linda Vista area is expected to grow within the next 10-20 years as over 1200 residential lots have been preliminarily approved for development in that area.

B. POPULATION This section describes the County’s population and provides a comparison of the County population to the State, region and national populations; the geographic dispersion of the population within the County; and projected future trends.

COUNTY POPULATION The County’s population increased 14.1% between 2000 and 2010 at an average annual growth rate of 1.3%. This is a lower rate of population growth than between 1990-2000 with a 21.8% rate and a 2.0% average annual growth rate. The 2000-2010 rate of increase outpaced the State of Montana (9.7%), the western region of the country (13.8%), and the U.S. (9.7%).

As of the 2010 census, the Missoula County population was 109,299 people. The 2011 population estimate shows 110,138 people. The County’s population is projected to be 123,553 in 2020 and 134,085 in 2030.38 Figure 5 shows past and projected county population growth.

FIGURE 5. MISSOULA COUNTY POPULATION GROWTH AND PROJECTION 160,000 140,000 134,085 120,000 123,553 100,000 109,443 96,178 Actual 80,000 79,080 Population 60,000 Projected 40,000 Population 20,000 0 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030

37 Urban Fringe Development Area Project Update 2009. 38 Missoula County Population Projections, Projected Figures for 2011 – 2060. Census & Economic Information Center, Montana Department of Commerce, 2013.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-10 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 Projections: Montana Department of Commerce with permission from Regional Economic Models, Inc.

The primary factors affecting population change are natural change (the difference between births and deaths) and in-migration. According to the Census, between 2000 and 2010, Missoula County gained 4,774 residents due to natural change. During this time period, the County gained 8,520 residents through net migration.39 From 2010 to 2012, Missoula County population increased by 1,678 persons with a natural change of 961 persons. During the same time period, 752 people moved into the County, of which 636 were from the United States and 116 came internationally.

Census data indicate that almost 83% of the population in Missoula County resides within the Missoula urban area with the remainder residing in the rural areas.40 The population density in Missoula County in 2010 was 42.1 persons per square mile, an increase from 36.9 persons per square mile in 2000. The population density in the urban area was 92.2 persons per square mile. The population density in the rural areas was 4.0 persons per square mile.

Map 6 shows the population change by census tract in the Missoula urban area and rural regions in Missoula County. With the exception of two areas within the city of Missoula, population increased throughout the County with the largest change in the Wye-Mullan area. Map 7 depicts the population distribution across the County by census tract. Map 9 shows census tracts and Planning Region boundaries.

SELECTED POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS As with the rest of the United States, Missoula County’s population is aging. As shown in Table 5, the portion of the population between the ages of 18 to 65 years of age continues to increase 41 in proportion to total population, while the portion under the age of 18 continues to decrease.

TABLE 5. AGE DISTRIBUTION 1990 TO 2010 1990 2000 2010 Total Percent Total Percent Total Percent Total Population 78,687 100.0% 95,802 100.0% 109,299 100.0% Under 18 20,233 25.7% 21,917 22.9% 21,828 20.0% 18-65 years 50,351 64.0% 64,300 67.1% 75,014 68.6% 65 years and older 8,103 10.3% 9,585 10.0% 12,457 11.4% Median Age 31.7 33.2 34.3 U.S. Census Bureau 2010, 2011 Census

The Missoula County median age of 34.3 is lower than the median age in Montana of 39.8 and in the U.S. of 37.2. The City of Missoula median age is 30.3. According to Census data, 14.8% of the Montana population and 12.6% of the U.S. population is over the age of 65. In comparison, 11.4% of the County’s population is over 65. Only 20.0% of the County population is under the age of 18. Conversely, 22.6% percent of the Montana population and 24.6% of the 42 U.S. population is under the age of 18.

Census data indicate that the population of Missoula County is largely homogenous, with approximately 7.3% of the population of non-white ethnicity as of 2010. This is a slight increase

39 US Census Bureau 2011. 2010 Summary File 1-Montana. 40 US Census Bureau 2011. 2010 Summary File 1-Montana. 41 US Census Bureau 2011. 2010 Summary File1-Montana.. 42 US Census Bureau 2011. 2010 Summary File1-Montana.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-11 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 from 6% in 2000. American Indian and Alaska Native comprise the single largest non-white ethnic group at 2,843. All ethnic groups are dispersed across all census tracts.

HOUSEHOLD CHARACTERISTICS In 2010, there were an estimated 45,926 occupied housing units in Missoula County. The average household size has slightly decreased over the last 20 years. It was 2.47 persons in 1990 and 2.4 persons in 2000. It is now 2.3 persons.43 The average U.S. household size is 2.6 persons and Montana’s is 2.35 persons.

In Missoula County, 56% of households are family households (containing two or more people related by birth, marriage or adoption), which is lower than the State (62.8%) and the nation (66.4%)44 Only 26.2% of family households have children under 18. More than half of family households had children over eighteen or no children. This suggests that family households may have elderly parents living with them. Over 26% of households had one or more people 45 over the age of 65.

PROJECTED POPULATION TRENDS • The population of Missoula County will likely continue to increase during the next two decades. Assuming a continued average annual growth rate of 1.3%, by the year 2020 the population will be 125,750 and by the year 2030 the population will be 142,220. Population growth of the urban area will likely continue to outpace the rural population growth. • If the average household size remains constant at 2.3 people per household (pph) and assuming the same vacancy rate, Missoula County will need an additional 6,691 units. If the household size decreases to 2.2 pph, there will be demand for 6,995 additional units. • Although the percentage of the population over the age of 65 has remained relatively constant during the last twenty years, Missoula County’s population is aging and this number is 46 expected to increase over the next twenty years.

C. HOUSING According to the United States Census, the number of housing units in Missoula County increased from 41,319 in 2000 to 50,106 in 2010.47 Of these, 45,926 units were occupied and 4,180 were vacant.48 The County’s housing consists of 62% single-family residential units, 28% 49 multi-family units, and 10% mobile homes.

Map 8 shows the housing units in census areas throughout the County. Housing increased in Airport/Wye/Mullan Road area by 101.6% from 2000 to 2010. During the same time, 79.8% of new housing units were built in the Missoula urban area and 20.2% were built in rural areas.

The percentage of occupied housing units in Missoula County has remained fairly constant over the past decade. Owner-occupied units represented 61.9% of total housing in 2000 and 59.4% in 2010. Renter occupied units stood at 38.1% in 2000 and 40.6% in 2010.

43 US Census Bureau 2011. 2010 Summary File1-Montana. 44 US Census Bureau 2011. 2010 Summary File1-Montana. 45 US Census Bureau 2011. 2010 Summary File1-Montana.. 46 Haynes, Watts, and Young, 2008. Project 2030 Montana’s Ageing Population. 47 U.S. Census Bureau 2011, 2010 Census. 48 Montana Department of Commerce, Census and Economic Information Center 49 U.S. Census Bureau 2010. 2005-2009 ACS 5-year Average

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-12 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 Most of the housing is relatively new. Countywide the median age of homes was 33 years. Approximately 31% of the housing units were built after 1990, 43% were built between 1960 and 1990, and 26% were built prior to 1960. The age of housing is important because lead-based paint, a health risk particularly to children, was commonly used in homes built prior to 1960. Additionally, age can act as a key indicator of a home’s level of energy efficiency.

HOUSING COST According to the Missoula Organization of Realtors, the median home sale price dropped between 2008 and 2010 after a continuous increase from 2001’s median home sale price of $140,000 peaking at $219,850 in 2007. In 2008, the median home sale price was $215,000, down to $208,775 in 2009, and $202,500 in 2010.50 Sale prices increased to $205,000 in 2011 and to $209,700 in 2012.51 The median assessed value of owner-occupied houses in 2009 was $244,100, which represents a 79% increase over the 2000 median assessed value of $136,500.

Of owner-occupied units, 61.2% have a mortgage. For 33.3% of those with a mortgage, selected monthly housing costs are more than 35% of their household income. Conversely, 12.5% of 52 renters have monthly housing costs more than 35% of their income.

Missoula County’s foreclosure rate ranged between 1.3% and 6.0% per 1,000 housing units in 2010, or roughly 3% of mortgages. This is similar to a 4% rate of foreclosure in Flathead and Ravalli counties.53 Foreclosures have decreased since 2009 with 262 homes, 233 in 2010, 142 54 in 2011, and 152 in 2012.

Rental housing is defined as affordable when rent, including utilities, does not cost more than 30% of a person’s income. In 2009, 10,974 households were low-income, making less than 80% of the area’s median income. Of those reporting housing issues, 7,860 households spent more than 30% of household income on housing costs. There were 149 households living in 55 substandard units, and 117 reported overcrowding.

Table 6 compares the Fair Market Rent and Area Median Income from 2000 to 2010. Area Median Income has kept pace with the rise in Fair Market Rent for 2, 3, and 4 bedroom rentals, but has lagged behind Fair Market Rent for 0 and 1 bedroom rentals.

TABLE 6. PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN FAIR MARKET RENTS AND AREA MEDIAN INCOME, 2000–2010 # of Bedrooms 2000 2010 2012 % Increase 0 $328 $496 $462 51.2% 1 $385 $571 $682 48.3% 2 $513 $721 $838 40.5% 3 $661 $934 $997 41.3% 4 $840 $1,118 $1,103 33.1% Area Median Income $42,600 $61,400 $61,400 44.1% Fair Market Rent Documentation Center. U.S. Housing and Urban Development.

50 Missoula Organization of Realtors, 2010 Missoula Housing Report 51 Missoula Organization of REALTORS, 2013 Missoula Housing Report 52 BBER, Housing Affordability and Montana’s Real Estate Markets, 2011. 53 BBER, Housing Affordability and Montana’s Real Estate Markets, 2011. 54 Missoula Organization of REALTORS, 2013 Missoula Housing Report 55 Housing Problems of Low Income Households. HUD 2010.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-13 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 Based on the area’s median income (AMI) of $42,887 in 2010, the maximum affordable monthly housing cost for those earning 30% AMI was $461. In contrast, the Fair Market Rent for a one- bedroom unit was $571 and for a two-bedroom it was $721.

HOUSING DEMAND The vacancy rate56 in Missoula County has remained relatively constant. In 2010, the vacancy rate in Missoula County was 8.3%, which slightly higher than the 7% vacancy rate in 2000. The Montana rate was 14.9%. The U.S. vacancy rate was 14.3% rate in 2010.

There were 4,180 vacant housing units in Missoula County in 2010, 4% of the total homes in the County. Over 47% (1,983) were for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use. The majority of these (1,444) were in the Potomac/Seeley/Swan areas, comprising 39.2% of the units. In 2000 the number of seasonal homes was 1,315; comprising 3.2% of the total homes in the County.

PROJECTED HOUSING TRENDS • With rising gas prices and an aging population, there is a trend toward smaller households located closer to services. This trend may lead the market to develop more multifamily, townhouse, and condominium projects. The projected need is at odds with the availability of approved suburban large lots developments on the edge of town.

D. ECONOMIC CONDITIONS Although it has experienced several setbacks, new business activity is occurring in the County. Missoula’s economic recovery in rail, truck, and out-of-state hospitality services is growing modestly while the University of Montana payroll growth continues to increase. As noted in the Land Use and Development Patterns section, agricultural activity within the County contributes to the County’s economic well-being and recovery. The Missoula, Clark Fork, Missoula Carousel, Missoula Tuesday, Orchard Homes, Seeley Lake, and Target Range Markets in Missoula County sell locally grown produce.57 In 1997, 37 farms sold $91,000 of economic goods. By 2007, 68 farms had sales of $272,000. Economic growth in Missoula County is projected to grow about 2.4% per year between 2013 and 2016

Several businesses including --- Willis Enterprises (wood chipping), Northwest Factory Finishing (building materials finishing), ALCOM (aluminum trailer manufacturer), and Hellgate Forge (decorate architectural forge work) --- operate at the former Stimson Mill site in Bonner. These businesses employ approximately 200 workers. An investment company intends to redevelop 58 the Smurfit-Stone land as a business site with residential development and open space.

EMPLOYERS The 2010 Census shows almost 4,500 businesses in Missoula County. Of these, 4,384 were private and 111 were government. The industries with the largest number of businesses include: construction; retail trade; professional and technical services; and health care and social assistance.

The private employers with the most employees are the hospitals. Both employ over 1,000 people. Table 7 lists the top private employers. Six are within the health care industry and five are within the retail (grocery) industry. Government, including the Forest Service and the

56 Vacant housing units include: for rent, rented but not occupied, for sale only, sold but not occupied, for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use and all other vacant units. 57 Annie Heusher, Community Food & Agriculture Coalition, personal correspondence. December 10, 2013. 58 “Stimson showing new signs of life with tenants, interest.” Missoulian. December 15, 2012.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-14 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 University of Montana, employs large numbers. As of the fall of 2010, the University of Montana 59 employed 1,971 full-time and 620 part-time individuals.

TABLE 7. TOP PRIVATE EMPLOYERS IN MISSOULA COUNTY (2011) Business Name Number of Employees Community Medical Center 1,000 and over employees St. Patrick Hospital DirecTV Customer Service

Express Employment 500-999 employees Opportunity Resources Wal-Mart Albertsons

Village Health Care Center 250-499 employees Western Montana Clinic Western Montana Mental Health Center Allegiance Benefits Blackfoot Communications

Costco Good Food Store North West Home Care Inc. 100-249 employees Payroll Plus Safeway Southern Home Care Services Inc. Town Pump YMCA Montana County Fliers, Economic and Demographic Information for Missoula County. Montana Department of Labor. February 2012.

WORKFORCE AND EMPLOYMENT While the workforce in Missoula County increased from 57,307 workers in 2005 to 58,534 in 2010, employment decreased during this same period from 55,419 people to 54,288. The number of unemployed grew from 1,888 persons in 2005 to 4,246 in 2010 when the unemployment rate was 7.3%.60 In 2011, the unemployment rate lowered to 6.3% and dropped 61 to 5.9% in 2012.

FIGURE 6. UNEMPLOYMENT U.S., MONTANA, AND MISSOULA COUNTY, 2005–2010

59 University of Montana 2011. Office of Planning, Budgeting, and Analysis. Workforce by Gender and Ethnicity. 60 Montana Department of Labor and Industry, 2011. 61 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Labor Force Data by County, 2011 and 2012 Averages.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-15 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 Montana Bureau of Labor and Industry 2011

Table 8 shows 2010 average industry wages for Missoula County. The highest average annual wage was in Utilities and the lowest was Accommodations and Food Services. The average annual wage for all industries was $33,372. The average annual wage in Montana ($38,030) is lower than the national average of $45,559.

TABLE 8. AVERAGE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AND AVERAGE YEARLY WAGE BY INDUSTRY, 2010 Industry Average # of Employees Average Yearly Wage Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, & Hunting 394 $ 42,428 Mining 44 $ 58,978 Utilities 167 $ 72,659 Construction 2,556 $ 39,859 Manufacturing 1,822 $ 43,431 Wholesale Trade 1,798 $ 45,664 Retail Trade 7,640 $ 23,993 Transportation and Warehousing 1,402 $ 34,001 Information 1,078 $ 42,208 Finance and Insurance 1,739 $ 49,563 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 734 $ 27,430 Professional and Technical Services 2,771 $ 48,576 Management of Companies & Enterprises 277 $ 61,525 Administrative and Waste Services 3,879 $ 28,721 Educational Services 505 $ 21,550 Health Care and Social Assistance 8,685 $ 39,739 Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 1,358 $ 16,599 Accommodation and Food Services 5,618 $ 13,804 Other Services, Ex. Public Admin 2,404 $ 23,332 Total, Private 44,871 $ 32,372 Government 9,213 $ 41,502 Total, All Industries 54,084 $ 33,927 Demographic & Economic Information for Missoula County. February 2009. Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Workforce Services Division

Table 9 provides information on industry and employment throughout the County. The City of Missoula area has the most followed by Lolo and Seeley Lake.

TABLE 9. 2010 INDUSTRIES AND EMPLOYMENT BY PLANNING REGION Area Number of Industries Number of People Employed Evaro N/A N/A Clinton and Turah 80 569 Frenchtown and Huson 90 1,072 Lolo 100 1,976 City of Missoula 203 77,239 Ninemile 51 359 Potomac/Greenough 77 503 Seeley Lake 100 1,229 Swan 77 322 N/A: Evaro data are not available because data includes Lake and Missoula County industry and employment information. American Community Survey, 2007-2011, Five-Year Estimate. Table DP-03. Economic Characteristics. U.S. Census Bureau.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-16 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 Map 11 shows these employment numbers in each Planning Region in the County.

INDIVIDUAL INCOME Growth in an individual’s income has outpaced the entire household income since 2001. (Figure 7) Individual income has grown at an average rate of 3.1% from 2001 to 2009, while household 62 income has grown by 1.7% annually.

Individual income is earned through wage earnings; income from dividends, interest, and rent; or social security and other government funds. Dividends, interest, and rent accounted for 19.4% and social security and other government funds accounted for the remaining 16.5%. The income from these sources has changed over time. Earnings have decreased as a total percent of income as the population ages.

FIGURE 7. MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD & PERSONAL PER CAPITA INCOME, 2001 TO 2009 (CURRENT YEAR DOLLARS)

US Census Bureau 2011, 2010 Census

In 2009, median household income in Missoula County was $40,130 and personal income was $35,733. By 2012, a five-year estimate from 2007-2001 showed median household income for 63 Missoula County was $43,895 and mean household income was $59,992.

HOUSEHOLD INCOME Table 10 provides information about 2010 household income across the various areas of the County.

TABLE 10. 2010 AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME ACROSS ZIP CODES Area Zip Codes Average Household Income Evaro 59821 N/A Clinton and Turah 59825 $86,006 Frenchtown and Huson 59834 $101,334 Lolo 59847 $101,956 City of Missoula 59801-4,59806-8,59812 $85,139 Ninemile 59846 $90,460 Potomac/Greenough 59823 $91,114 Seeley Lake 59868 $86,219 Swan 59826 $80,092 N/A: Evaro data are not available. The zip code is split between Lake and Missoula County and would include Arlee and Evaro income data.

62 Bureau of Economic Affairs 2011. Tables SA05N and AMSA04 63 Missoula County, Montana, Selected Economic Characteristics, 2007-2011. American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, December 6, 2012.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-17 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014

64 The Lolo area has the highest household income and the Swan Valley area has the lowest. While the zip code areas are not exactly aligned with the planning region boundaries, the data show income, employment, and industries within the County.65 Map 10 shows how the zip codes align with the Missoula County Planning Regions.

FIGURE 8. MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, 2001–2009 (CURRENT YEAR DOLLARS)

Source: SAIPE 2011.

Missoula County and Montana are behind the nation in household income and individual income. (Figure 8) Missoula County household income was higher than the State’s until 2006 and has remained below.

PROJECTED ECONOMIC TRENDS • Most of Missoula County’s job growth is projected to be in the service sector. In terms of payroll jobs, the largest increases are projected for private education and health services, leisure and hospitality services, retail trade services, and professional and business services. For the goods production segment of the economy, construction is expected to add 100 jobs each year. The natural resources sector, which includes agriculture and forestry, is forecast for minimal to no growth, and manufacturing is forecast to decline.

• According to the Bureau of Business of Economic Research’s Outlook 2010, Missoula was the first community in the State impacted by the national recession and it will likely be the last to recover. 66 The County has exceeded the State and national employment growth rates for some time and this trend is expected to continue.

• While leaders in the community are focused on the creation of economic development with projects such as the Missoula Economic Partnership, It may be sometime before employment and income increase to former levels. The recovery will depend on the national economy and on the successful creation of new employment and business opportunities within the county.

E. LOCAL SERVICES LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIME The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office and the Missoula City Police Department are the primary law enforcement agencies within the County. The Montana Highway Patrol maintains traffic

64 The household income is calculated by dividing the total personal income by the number of households, while the median income in the middle value of household incomes. If you have a set of five numbers: {1,2,2,8,25}, the average value is 7.6 and median value is 2. 65 IMPLAN®, a regional input-output model, was used to conduct an economic analysis for different areas of the County. The IMPLAN data is assessed by zip codes. 66 Bureau of Business and Economic Research, 2010.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-18 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 enforcement and accident investigation on State highways and areas outside the City limits. On the Flathead Reservation, Tribal Police have law enforcement capabilities.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have enforcement authority over such activities as fishing, hunting, boating, recreational, and other uses of State or Federal lands. Tribal game wardens, most of whom are cross-deputized with the State, enforce Tribal and joint Tribal-State hunting and fishing regulations. Tribal officers enforce federal wildlife conservation laws within and adjacent to the Flathead Reservation.

Missoula County Sheriff’s Office The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for the investigation and enforcement of criminal and traffic laws throughout the County, primarily outside the incorporated limits of the City of Missoula. The Sheriff's Office is the second largest in the State behind the Yellowstone County. The Sheriff's Office has 47 sworn officers and 13 support staff.67 The Reserve Deputy Unit has approximately 30 members. The Sheriff's Office supervises the all-volunteer Search and Rescue units (2), the Cadet unit, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, and the Special Response Team.

Missoula City Police Department The Missoula Police Department provides law enforcement within the city limits of Missoula. The department also provides back-up services for the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office and collaborates with the Sheriff’s Office. They jointly maintain explosive ordinance disposal and each office has its own hostage negotiations teams. The Missoula Police Department employs 100 personnel and 26 civilians.

Detention Facilities The Missoula County Detention Facility has three branches—the juvenile detention center, County Jail, and Missoula Assessment and Sanction Center. The Detention Facility employs 97 detention/correction officers and a support staff of about 32. Facility capacity is approximately 400. The juvenile detention center can hold up to 24 youth (individuals under the age of 18) that have been determined to be a risk to themselves or others. In 2012, the center booked 440 juveniles, 50 of those were from Ravalli County.

The Missoula County Jail holds inmates found guilty and sentenced to jail time (less than one year) and those who have been accused of a crime and are awaiting trial, but have not been released on bail. The Missoula Police Department, Montana Highway Patrol, University of Montana Police, and the U.S. Marshals Service use the jail. The Missoula Assessment and Sanction Center, a prison program, handles men sentenced to the Department of Corrections.

SHERIFF/CITY POLICE RESPONSE The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office experienced a 1% average annual increase calls for service from 2005 to 2012, from 26,857 to 40,727.68 Increases in the number of Calls for Service places additional demand on law enforcement agencies to respond. Average response times for calls have decreased slightly in recent years for both the City Police Department and the Sheriff’s Department. Response times are determined by urgency, distance traveled to emergency, or number of available officers. The City Police responds in less than 3 minutes for in-progress

67 Missoula County Sheriff’s Department, 2011. 68 Missoula County Sheriff’s Department, 2011.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-19 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 crimes and 30 minutes or less for non-emergency events.69 Average response times for the Sheriff’s Office for in-progress crimes are estimated at 15–20 minutes.70 The City’s response times are generally several minutes lower than the Sheriff since travel distances are shorter.

REPORTED CRIME The number of reported crimes in Missoula County increased slightly from 1990 to 2000.71 In 2012, over 12,000 crimes were reported to City, County, and University police. From 2000 to 2010, homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft generally declined. Reported sex offenses (forcible) increased from 40 in 2008 to 55 in 2012. Many assaults may not be reported.

Crime Victims’ Advocates (CVA), a City and County program, provides legal advocacy and short-term crisis response to victims of violent personal crime with a focus on domestic and sexual violence and stalking. In 2012, the CVA program provided services to 1,274 crime 72 victims and 224 secondary victims of violent crime, which is an 18.3% increase from 2011. The top three reasons for assistance were domestic violence (35%), harassment (18%), and assault (12%). Nearly 40% of all crimes against persons in Missoula County are related to domestic violence.

FIRE PROTECTION Numerous agencies respond to fire and medical emergencies throughout the county. The agency closest to the fire responds at the request of the Sheriff. The City Fire Department and the Missoula Rural Fire provide emergency medical services in most of the urban area. There are areas without designated fire services. Fire organizations in the County include:

• Clinton Rural Fire District, • East Missoula Rural Fire District, • Florence Rural Fire District, • Frenchtown Rural Fire District, • Arlee Rural Fire District, • Missoula Rural Fire District, • Missoula City Fire Department, • Greenough-Potomac Fire Service Area, • Seeley Lake Rural Fire District, • Greater Swan Valley Fire/Emergency Services Department, • Lolo National Forest, • Flathead National Forest, • Bitterroot National Forest, • Bureau of Land Management, • Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

These fire districts and departments respond to emergency calls and hazardous situations in residential, commercial, and industrial areas to protect human life, private property and natural resources. The quick response unit (QRU) in Seeley Lake responds to render aid until certified medical assistance arrives at the scene. Map 12 shows the fire jurisdictions throughout the

69 Missoula Police Department, 2012. 70 Missoula County Sheriff’s Department. 2012. 71 Missoula County Sheriff’s Department. 2012 72 CVA Program. Nancy Rittel. Personal communication. 2011.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-20 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 County. Figure 9 shows that fire calls peaked in 2007 and medical calls in 2008. Both have since declined.

FIGURE 9. NUMBER OF FIRE AND MEDICAL EMERGENCY CALLS RECEIVED, 1995–2010

9-1-1 Center Statistics, Missoula County, 2011

The Tribes Fire Control Division works with Federal, State, and local agencies on wildland fires. These agencies coordinate and exchange firefighting leadership roles depending on the location of an event. This cooperation ensures rapid fire and emergency service throughout the county and within the WUI areas, which are described in the Vegetation section of this chapter.

Missoula County and other emergency response agencies use the Emergency Operations Plan to protect human life, private property and natural resources and the Pre-Disaster Mitigation 73 Plan to asses and set priorities for mitigating damage and casualties from natural disasters. The Missoula County Community Wildfire Protection Plan assesses fuels, population density, 74 egress areas, slope and insect and disease mortality on lands throughout the county.

SOCIAL SERVICES Various government and private social service agencies provide food, shelter, clothing, transportation, child care, and medical care for those living at or below the poverty level. Flathead Reservation human service programs provide similar services for eligible Indian and low-income applicants in Missoula County. Missoula County has a large population living in poverty.

FIGURE 10. PERCENT IN POVERTY, 2001–2009

Small Area Income & Poverty Estimates, American Community Survey, U.S. Census

73 Office of Emergency Services, Missoula County. 2012 74 Missoula County Community Wildfire Protection Plan, 2005.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-21 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014

The percentage of the population in poverty in the County increased by 22.5% from 2001 to 2009 75 from 13.8% to 16.9%. By 2010, 9.6% of households in Missoula County lived in poverty.

Food During 2012, the Montana Food Bank Network assisted 311,143 clients and provided food donations to 26 city and county relief agencies. In 2012, Missoula Food Bank programs had 60,244 client visits and distributed over 1.3 million pounds of food.76 Garden City Harvest grew and provided fresh produce to the Food Bank, Poverello Center, other local service agencies, and at-risk members of the community.

The Poverello Center, Joseph Residence, Missoula Aging Services, and Salvation Army provide food or meals to those in need. In 2012, the Poverello Center served 134,198 meals and over 30,000 sack lunches for the “working poor”. In 2010, Missoula Aging Services Meals on Wheels program delivered 82,337 meals to 505 homebound seniors and individuals with disabilities.

The Women, Infant, and Children’s Program (WIC) provides nutrition education and supplemental food to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children up to age five who are at nutritional risk. In 2012, the program served 325 pregnant women and 1,900 infants and children in Missoula County.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) served an average of 6,499 households and 12,787 individuals per month in Missoula County in 2010. This represents a significant increase over past years. Prior to 1998, the Program averaged 3,500 cases or households per year, dropping to 2,700 households per year after 1998, and then increasing to 3,816 households in 2005.

Shelter People who are homeless in Missoula do not have easy access to transitional or subsidized housing since housing in Missoula is in short supply. The 2010 homeless survey identified 413 homeless in the City of Missoula (220 individuals, 193 in families).77 In 2010, 205 people living outside or in temporary housing were interviewed for a homeless needs assessment. A total of 89% of interviewees indicated an interest in finding permanent housing. For 78%, their monthly 78 income was below the median monthly rent for a two bedroom apartment in Missoula County. In 2012, the City and County Reaching Home study examined the causes, signs, and proposed 79 solutions to end homelessness.

The Missoula At-Risk Housing Coalition coordinates efforts to address homelessness in the Missoula area. In 2012, 139 emergency shelter beds and 177 transitional housing beds were available in Missoula. Additionally, the Missoula Public Housing Authority has an inventory of 180 permanent beds and units for individuals and families.

Most low income households are generally unable to buy affordable, safe, decent housing without assistance. The Missoula County Grants and Community Programs often collaborate with local non-profit organizations to build new housing and new infrastructure. Since 2005, the Missoula Housing Authority, Homeword, and the North Missoula Community Development

75 Missoula Measures – Poverty. Missoula Public Health, City-County Health Department. 76 Kate Devino, electronic mail response. May 6, 2013. 77 Wangler Gordon, Melissa. Personal Communication. 2010. Grants and Community Programs. 78 Jacobson, Maxine 2010. Housing Instability in Missoula: Needs Assessment 2010. 79 Reaching Home: Missoula’s 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness. City of Missoula and Missoula County, 2012.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-22 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 Corporation have each constructed new affordable housing buildings, from rentals to homes for sale. District XI Human Resource Council offers financial assistance for first-time homebuyers.

YOUTH SERVICES The Missoula Forum for Children and Youth coordinates and builds community-wide efforts to prevent at-risk behaviors and promote positive development of Missoula’s youth. Forum members include Missoula Underage Substance Abuse and Prevention, Youth Development Network, and Best Beginnings.

The Frenchtown Community Coalition seeks to reduce substance abuse. The Flagship Program, a Western Montana Addiction Services program, operates in 11 schools and provides after school and summer activities.

Missoula County’s Substance Abuse Mill Levy funds programs coordinate substance abuse prevention efforts; provide community education around the risks and cost of substance abuse; offer activities that give young people alternatives to substance abuse and opportunities for positive youth development, and provide early intervention programs to help youth and their families address substance abuse problems.

MEDICAL SERVICES & FACILITIES Missoula is a regional medical center for western Montana with two hospitals: Community Medical Center and St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center. Community Medical Center serves almost 6,000 patients annually with 146 acute-care beds. St. Patrick Hospital served 8,144 patients in 2010 with 253 acute-care beds.80 These two hospitals, affiliated clinics, and specialty health centers such as St. Patrick’s International Heart Institute of Montana serve residents within Missoula County, as well as western Montana.

Partnership Health Center (PHC), a city-county-managed program, provides medical, dental, pharmacy services to over 7,000 patients from Missoula and surrounding rural counties. PHC serves low and moderate income populations, uninsured and underinsured, workers, and homeless individuals and families. PHC purchased the Creamery building (partially funded with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) dollars) in 2009. In 2011, PHC received CDBG funding to remodel the basement of the Creamery building to create a pharmacy.

Missoula Emergency Services, Inc. operates paramedic-level ambulance services and responds to approximately 9,000 incidents per month/year.81 Beginning in April 2014, Northwest MedStar will replace Life Flight air ambulances, which serves Community Medical Center and St. Patrick Hospital in areas up to 125 miles from Missoula in one hour.82 The medical service 83 transports approximately 800 patients each year.

EDUCATION Public education is provided by thirteen school districts located throughout the City and County, each with its own governing board. These district boundaries are illustrated in Maps 13 and 14.

80 St. Patrick Hospital. 2011. 81 Missoula Emergency Services. Don Whalen. 2011. 82 Spokane company to replace Missoula hospitals’ Life Flight. Vince Devlin. Missoulian. December 31, 2013. 83 St. Patrick Hospital Life Flight, 2008.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-23 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 Public Schools In 2012, there were 13,255 students enrolled in public schools who were Missoula County residents.84 An additional 421 students attended joint districts (school districts which extend across County boundaries). Of these three joint districts, 67 students attended school in Arlee (Lake County), 112 in Alberton (Mineral County), and 242 in Florence-Carlton (Ravalli County).

Total enrollment within the elementary school districts in the County decreased from 10,585 in 1993 to 9,306 in 2012.85 Secondary public school enrollment levels rose from 3,839 in 1993 to 3,949 in 2012, as seen in Figure 11.

FIGURE 11. PERCENT CHANGE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT, 1990 TO 2012 3.00%

e 2.00% g n

a 1.00% h C

t 0.00% -1.00% ercen

P -2.00% -3.00%

Missoula County Montana U.S.

Missoula County Superintendent of Schools, Montana Office of Public Instruction, and the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2013.

Figure 12 shows elementary, secondary, and total enrollment levels for public schools in Missoula County from 1993 through 2012.

FIGURE 12. PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT FOR MISSOULA COUNTY, 1990 TO 2012 20000

15000

n e 10000

ud t

S 5000

0

93 12 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 9 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Elementary Secondary Total Missoula County Superintendent of Schools 2013

Missoula County and Montana have experienced decreases in public school enrollment since 1993. In 1993, there were 14,524 students with 10,585 enrollment in K-8 and 3,839 in grades

84 Public, Home, and Private Enrollment History, Missoula County, 1990-2011. Missoula County Superintendent of Schools, 2012. 85 Public, Home, and Private Enrollment History, Missoula County, 1990-2011. Missoula County Superintendent of Schools, 2012.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-24 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 9-12. In 2012, total enrollment had 13,255 students. Grades K-8 had 9,306 students and 9-12 had 3,949.

Private and Home Schools Home and private school enrollment has increased since 1993. In 1993, 96 students were enrolled in home school throughout the County.86 By 2012, 189 students studied at home. Private school enrollment was 1,152 in 1993 and with 1,023 in 2012.87 The number of students in private schools or home school continues to remain a small percentage of the overall student- age population.

LIBRARIES The Missoula Public Library has branches in Swan Valley, Seeley Lake, Potomac, Lolo Frenchtown, and in Big Sky High School in Missoula. Web on Wheels serve areas outside the city limits and at low-income apartment complexes and elder residential facilities. In 2010, the library serviced over 11,100 users in a typical week, having increased from almost 7,400 per week in 2005 and 6,000 in 2000.88 Since 2000, annual circulation has doubled, from over 89 624,000 in 2000 to over 1,205,000 in 2010.

The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library at the University of Montana has the largest library collection of books and media in Montana90 and provide an interlibrary loan and document delivery service. Combined collections within the Montana Public Access Catalog of the Affiliated Libraries of the University of Montana are in excess of 1.9 million volumes.

MUSEUMS Missoula Art Museum and the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula reflect both current and historical aspects of the community. Renovated in 2006, the Art Museum includes six exhibition spaces, a library, and education center. The Historic Museum at Fort Missoula collects, preserves, and interprets the history of Missoula County and western Montana. The Upper 91 Swan Valley Historical Society operates the Seeley Lake Historical Museum.

UTILITIES Water Drinking water for 80% of Missoula County residents is supplied from the Missoula Valley aquifer, which has been designated a sole source aquifer. Mountain Water serves the majority of the urban area and East Missoula. The water system relies on 37 wells drawing from the aquifer. The company has water rights on Rattlesnake Creek with this surface supply as an emergency backup supply and future resource if needed. The water receives no treatment except for chlorination before distribution.

Missoula County owns and operates the Lolo, El Mar/New Meadows, Sunset West, and Lewis and Clark water systems. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes maintain two community water systems in Missoula County. Other public water systems within and outside the urban area provide drinking water. The Seeley Lake Water District serves a portion of the

86 Public, Home, and Private Enrollment History, Missoula County, 1990-2011 . Missoula County Superintendent of Schools, 2012. 87 Public, Home, and Private Enrollment History, Missoula County, 1990-2011. Missoula County Superintendent of Schools, 2012. 88 Montana State Library. 2011. 89 Ibid. 90 Mansfield Library, University of Montana, 2011. 91 Seeley Lake Historical Society website. 2013.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-25 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 Seeley Lake town and some areas on the eastside of Seeley Lake. The number of new private 92 wells within Missoula County over the past ten years is approximately 3,165.

Solid Waste Republic Services operates the landfill serving Missoula County. The landfill provides disposal services to Missoula County and ten other surrounding counties. Additional landfill space was 93 created for future use to the north of the current facility.

Electricity, Natural Gas, and Propane Northwestern Energy and Missoula Electric Cooperative provide most of the electric service in the city and county. The Tribes manage Mission Valley Power, which serves the area of the County within the Flathead Reservation. Natural gas service is provided only by Northwestern Energy and is general less available outside the City. The primary limitation on extension of gas or electricity is the cost to a developer and the consumer. Ability to obtain the necessary easements is a consideration. 94 Bonneville Power Administration, Northwestern Energy, and Yellowstone Pipeline Company transmission lines and gas pipelines cross the County. Several dealers provide propane service to the County area.

Solar and Wind Solar and wind energy in Missoula County is generated by small, distributed systems, which supply energy directly to the property where the systems are installed. Energy efficient building techniques, solar heating, and photovoltaic cells all provide reductions in utility costs to homes and businesses where they are installed.

Ground-mounted small wind energy conversion systems were authorized within Missoula City limits in October of 2010. Solar panels are permitted in all zoning districts in the City and are not subject to the height limitations of the zoning district when installed on rooftops or as general appurtenances to a home.95 If the installation is large enough and represents a stand-alone facility, it would be viewed as an accessory structure and regulated accordingly.

Missoula’s Greenhouse Gas-Energy Efficiency Plan identifies both solar and wind energy as preferred alternatives to other energy sources, and encourages efforts and positive results in maximizing energy efficiency and minimizing the formation of greenhouse gases.

Telephone and Internet Services Century Link, Charter, Blackfoot Telephone Cooperative, Clark Fork Telecommunications, AT&T, Verizon, and numerous local companies provide local and long-distance cellular, landline, and/or internet telecommunication services within the County. Due to terrain, there are areas that experience problems with these services.

Cable and Satellite Television Cable television service is available throughout the City and outlying areas but is generally less available in the more rural portions of the County. Charter provides cable service to most of the City. DirectTV and Dish Network provide satellite services in the more remote areas of the County as well as in the City.

92 Groundwater Information Center, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, Montana Tech of The University of Montana, 2011. 93 Allied Waste Services, 2010. 94 Missoula Urban Comprehensive Plan: 1998 Update. 95 Missoula City Zoning Ordinance, Title 20, Chapter 20.45

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-26 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 PROJECTED LOCAL SERVICES TRENDS . Based on 2010 Census data, the Sheriff's Office estimates a shortfall of at least five officers to 96 serve the population and that shortfall may increase in the future. . Fire protection services will likely continue to increase with population, especially for fires located in the Wildland Urban Interface. . The need for social services and medical services is likely to continue to increase, especially those serving lower income populations. . The decline in total enrollment of students in public and private schools is likely to continue. . With increasing population in the County, there is likely to be an increased demand for drinking water, electricity and, and other utility services. . Demand on the landfill is likely to increase with an increasing population in the County. The landfill serving the County has sufficient capacity for the next 21 years (as of December 2010) based on current volume intake and design.

F. PUBLIC FACILITIES SEWER City and county sewers protect human health and preserve water quality throughout the county. The City of Missoula is the primary provider of sewer service within the urban area. A wastewater treatment facility upgrade increased capacity and improved treatment. At the current population growth rate, capacity is expected to be sufficient through at least 2020.

The 1999 Wastewater Facilities Plan Update identifies where sewer service is anticipated within the next 20 years. This area was updated in 2004 and is depicted in Map 15. In Missoula County between 2002 and 2010, 5,473 new connections or existing septic connections were made to the sewer.

Sewer collection systems were extended to East Missoula, the Mullan Road area, the Wye intersection of Highway 93 and Interstate 90, and part of the Rattlesnake. City sewer line locations are depicted in Map 16. Plans have been developed to extend sewer collection systems in the Rattlesnake, McCauley Butte, and west of Reserve Street south of the Clark 97 Fork River. The Miller Creek and Bonner areas will likely receive expanded capacity in future.

Missoula County Public Works operates and maintains the sanitary sewer system and wastewater treatment plants in Lolo and at the Lewis and Clark District in Clinton. The Lolo facility serves approximately 1,100 connections. By 2013, the facility will be upgraded to add nutrient removal capabilities to meet discharge limits. The Lewis & Clark District has 42 connections. The sewer system will require an update sometime between 2015 and 2020.

The Seeley Lake Sewer District with assistance from Missoula County is planning a wastewater project that will provide sewer treatment to residential and commercial areas around Seeley Lake. The project is in the design and permit phase.

Areas without sewer are served by community sewer systems or individual septic systems. County, City, and State health codes require one acre of land per conventional residential septic system, unless a public water supply is provided, in which case lot size may be as small as 20,000 square feet. One acre ensures adequate space for a septic system, wells, and

96 Missoula County Sheriff’s Department, 2011. 97 Missoula Wastewater Facilities Plan Update. City of Missoula.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-27 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 improvements on each parcel. It limits the density of septic systems and the amount of sewage discharged to groundwater.

TRANSPORTATION Missoula County’s transportation network safely moves people, goods, and services. A City/County Long Range Transportation Plan envisions integrated transportation and land use planning and includes all transportation modes. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’, the Montana Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Forest Service transportation plans guide street and road activity within the County.

Streets and Roads Streets and roads in Missoula County are owned and maintained by several jurisdictions and private landowners. Roads within Missoula County include:

• Missoula County has approximately 1,500 miles of public roadway. The County maintains approximately 565 miles of road. Approximately 325 miles are paved and 240 miles are 98 gravel. • The City of Missoula has approximately 338 total miles of streets and highways including approximately 3 miles of Interstate highway, 37 miles of arterials, 37 miles of collectors, and 99 261 miles of local streets. • The Montana Department of Transportation maintains 55 miles of Interstate, 103 miles of non- Interstate National Highway System, 53 miles of primary highways, 35 miles of secondary highways, 19 miles of urban road, and 26 miles of off-system state highways. o From 2005 to 2009, U.S. Highway 93 North from Evaro to Polson was reconstructed to improve safety and reduce the likelihood of crashes. The reconstructed Highway 93 includes 2, 3, and 4 lane segments, including the addition of 42 fish and wildlife crossing structures. o From 2005 to 2012, U.S. Highway 93 South from Lolo to Hamilton was reconstructed into a four-lane undivided highway. The highway included 19 wildlife crossing structures at various creeks and drainages. • The Tribes maintain about 10 miles of Tribal and Bureau of Indian Affairs residential and forest roads located on a portion of the Flathead Reservation in Missoula County. • The U.S. Forest Service has over 2,400 miles of road within the county. The Lewis and Clark (Highway 12), Seeley-Swan, Petty Creek, and Ninemile are designated forest highways in 100 Missoula County.

Traffic Volume Traffic volumes are monitored within the Missoula area. Road congestion in 2040 has been projected to exist along numerous roadway sections.101 In 2010, estimated Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) in the urban area exceeded 1.59 million miles per day.102 Projected VMT in 2040 will exceed 2.73 million miles per day.103 Roads previously congested can reasonably be expected to experience more congestion in 2040, unless significant improvements are made. Increased use of public transit, ride-share, or non-motorized travel can help ease congestion. Maintenance and construction costs associated with traffic growth will increase faster than available revenues.

98 Missoula County Department of Public Works. 2011. Website. Available at www.co.missoula.mt.us/road/. 99 Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization 2011. Missoula Active Transportation Plan. 100 U.S. DOT Federal Highway Administration, Western Federal Lands Highway Division. 2011. Montana Statewide Forest Highway Index. 101 2012 Missoula Long Range Transportation Plan, Figure 7-6. 102 Ibid, page 7-4. 103 Ibid, page 7-4.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-28 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014

Non-Motorized Transportation Busing, walking, cycling, carpools, and vanpools reduce fuel consumption, pollution, traffic congestion, and wear on roadways. Table 11 shows that almost 50,000 people used different means of transportation people use to travel in Missoula County.

TABLE 11. MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION TO WORK 2000 Census 2006-2010 ACS 2000 Census 2006-2010 ACS Mode To Work At Place of Residence At Place of Work Drove alone 36,235 73.3% 39,507 72.1% 38,625 73.6% 42,890 72.7% 2-person carpool 4,475 9.0% 3,736 6.8% 4,925 9.4% 4,288 7.3% 3-or-more-person carpool 980 2.0% 1,037 1.9% 1,270 2.4% 1,119 1.9% Public Transportation 619 1.3% 1,190 2.2% 629 1.2% 1,190 2.0% Bike 1,775 3.6% 2,114 3.9% 1,730 3.3% 2,167 3.7% Walked 2,715 5.5% 2,815 5.1% 2,600 5.0% 2,934 5.0% Taxi, Motorcycle & other means 400 0.8% 726 1.3% 435 0.8% 712 1.2% Worked at Home 2,240 4.5% 3,692 6.7% 2,240 4.3% 3,692 6.3% Total Workers 49,450 100.0% 54,817 100.0% 52,450 100.0% 58,992 100.0% Census Transportation Planning Package Information, Commuting Characteristics, American Community Survey 2007-2011.

Auto trips driven alone have decreased slightly over time while carpools and working at home have increased. The Missoula Active Transportation Plan recommends a transportation system 104 that permits walking and biking to work, school, or home.

Sidewalks and Pedestrian Pathways There are approximately 394 miles of sidewalks in the City of Missoula. About 49% of the City of Missoula’s streets do not have sidewalks because they were developed before adoption of subdivision regulations, which require sidewalks in new residential, commercial, and multi-family construction subdivisions.105 The Master Sidewalk Plan establishes a strategy to complete, repair, and upgrade of the City sidewalk system for safe pedestrian travel.

The County owns and maintains almost 45 miles of improved surface trails, including along the I-90 frontage road in Frenchtown, on Highway 210 in Milltown/Bonner, and along Highway 12 in Lolo. Many miles of recreational trails are located federal and state lands.

Missoula to Lolo Trail project is a 7-mile shared-use pathway that will complete the 50-mile trail connection between Missoula and Hamilton, Montana. The estimated project cost is $5.48 million including a $4.58 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Grant awarded to Missoula County for the project. Project design has commenced with construction expected to begin in the summer of 2014.

Within the City of Missoula, 38 miles of bike facilities are mostly within arterial and collector street corridors.106 City Parks has 13.7 of paved commuter trails, including the Milwaukee Road/Riverfront Trails and about 40 miles unpaved trails in conservation lands. The final Milwaukee Trail extension from Russell to Reserve Street was completed in 2012. Several miles of off-street trails are part of the Bicycle Commuter Network. Three bicycle/pedestrian bridges cross the Clark Fork River at California Street, Madison Street (under the vehicular bridge) and Van Buren Street. A ramped and covered bicycle/pedestrian overpass spans the railroad and connects downtown Missoula with the Northside residential area.

104 Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization 2011. Missoula Active Transportation Plan, page ES-2. 105 Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization 2011. Missoula Active Transportation Plan, page 2-6. 106 Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization 2011. Missoula Active Transportation Plan, page 2-6.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-29 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 Public Transportation The Missoula Urban Transportation District operates the Mountain Line bus system and vanpools within a 36 square mile service area. Mountain Line serves Missoula, East Missoula, Bonner, Target Range, the Rattlesnake and Mullan Road.

Ridership has increased appreciably aboard Mountain Line routes in recent years, with 2012 as a ridership record of 924,469 rides and 25,505 bikes carried on buses. In 2012, an additional 19,340 door-to-door transportation rides were provided to senior and disabled residents on six paratransit buses. Mountain Line Senior Van service serves those not eligible for paratransit.

University and non-profit organizations also provide rides. Over nine months in 2011, the ASUM Park-N-Ride and U-DASH buses carried almost 450,000 riders.107 A portion of the Park- N-Ride fleet is bio-diesel buses. Missoula Development Service Corporation and Opportunity Resources, Inc. offer specialized transportation to seniors and persons with disabilities to their places of employment, medical appointments, shopping, church, and other destinations. Opportunity Resources, Inc. provided approximately 7,000 rides per month in 2010 to clients 108 traveling to and from work.

Missoula Ravalli Transportation Management Association (MRTMA) coordinates carpools and vanpools into Missoula from Hamilton, Stevensville, Alberton, Arlee, and Ronan. The program operates 15 vanpools with 144 riders. Carpools and vanpools reduced vehicle miles traveled by 109 502,939 miles between August 1997 and March 2011 and reduced emissions by 749.06 tons

Airports The Missoula County Airport Authority operates the Missoula International Airport west of Missoula. The airport averages 155 landings and takeoffs per day.110 Four air carrier and commuter airlines and several all-cargo airlines serve the airport.111 The Aerial Fire Depot, Intermountain Fire Sciences Laboratory, and the Missoula Technology Development Center use the airport.

The Airport is within 1,800 acres of land and may acquire up to 1,300 additional acres for future growth. The 2009 Missoula International Airport Master Plan Update accommodates future aviation demand over a 20-year period.112 In 2007, the airport terminal was expanded to add more convenient security checkpoints. An air traffic control tower and runway were completed in 2012. The airport plans add a new runway south of the present main runway.

The Airport Influence Area Resolution recommends land use regulations on the land around the airport. Within the Airport Influence Area, illustrated in Map 17, aviation easements are required and building height is restricted. The Study and Land Use Compatibility Study recommends land uses on the land around the airport compatible with airport land uses. The Airport Authority specifically recommends that no new residential units be built within extended approach and departure zones at the ends of existing and proposed runways.113 The Airport has no authority

107 Fiscal Year 2012 Year End Report. Associated Students of the University of Montana Office of Transportation. 108 A trip consisting of stops at the doctor, the store and home is considered three rides. 109 Missoula Ravalli Transportation Management Association. 2011. 110 FlyMissoula. 2011. Brian Ellestad. 111 http://www.flymissoula.com, 2010. 112 Expansion and Planning. Missoula International Airport website. 2013. 113 Missoula Airport Authority Statistics, 2010.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-30 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014

to control land use outside its ownership boundary.114 These recommendations require local government action for implementation.

The Federal government has the authority and responsibility to control aircraft noise sources and 115 to implement and enforce flight operational procedures that minimize noise impacts on people.

The Seeley Lake Airport is east of Seeley Lake. The Montana Department of Transportation operates the airport and serves small aircraft. The facility averaged 34 operations a week in 116 2013.

The Rock Creek Airport, northeast of Clinton, Montana, serves as an emergency strip for small aircraft flying into Missoula and as a recreational airport to small aircraft. The Montana Department of Transportation partially owns the airport. A private individual leases other areas. This facility averages 10 operations a week, mostly during the spring, summer, and fall.

The U.S. Forest Service has landing strips in Condon, Missoula (Johnson Bell Field), Ninemile, 117 and Seeley Lake.

Railroads Montana Rail Link and Burlington Northern-Santa Fe move freight through Missoula. According to Montana Rail Link, about 16 to 20 freight trains pass through Missoula daily. The Bitterroot Railroad Line operates an infrequent basis, of one trip per week as of April 2011. The tracks are located on the east side of the Bitterroot River, crossing the river five and a half miles south of the Missoula County line. Passenger rail service is not available in Missoula.

PARKS Missoula County and City of Missoula manage a mix of developed and undeveloped parks. Privately-owned common areas provide park land in many subdivisions. State and Federal agencies own and manage lands that serve as recreational areas.

County Parks Missoula County manages 91 parks, greenway, open space sites, and special use facilities and nearly 45 miles of natural and improved trails.118 The majority of parkland within the County has been acquired through the subdivision process. The Missoula County Parks & Trails Advisory Board and staff have formed partnerships with local community groups, homeowners’ associations, or individuals to manage, maintain, and improve County parks. The Parks & Trails Advisory Board matching grant program can assist these groups with funding for capital improvements and maintenance. In 2012, the County Parks & Trails Advisory Board approved the County Parks & Trails Plan as a replacement to the 1997 County Parks and Conservation Land Plan. The 2012 plan provides goals for County-wide and specific parks and trails.

City Parks The City of Missoula Parks Department maintains 52 developed park sites on 317 acres and 7 undeveloped park sites on 110 acres of land. The city owns 3,777 acres of conservation lands. City Parks has 13.7 of paved commuter trails, including the Milwaukee Road/Riverfront Trails and

114 Missoula International Airport FAR Part 150 Noise Exposure and Land Use Compatibility Study Program Draft Report, with modified recommendations #3 and #8, 2002. 115 Ibid. 116 FAA Information. 2013. Available at www.airnav.com/airport/23S. 117 Airfield/Airstrip Directory. U.S. Forest Service. May 1, 2000. 118 Missoula County Parks and Trails Master Plan, 2012. Community and Planning Services, Missoula County.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-31 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014

about 40 miles of unpaved trails in conservation lands.119 Some of these park sites are managed as conservation lands, as described below.

State Parks and Recreational Lands Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks manage Salmon Lake, Placid Lake, Beavertail Hill, Frenchtown Pond, Council Grove, and Travelers' Rest State Parks in the County. The Milltown State Park at the confluence of the Clark Fork and Blackfoot Rivers is slated to open to the public in 2014. The agency has 27 fishing access sites in the County that provide access to rivers and lakes for activities such as fishing, boating, swimming, and wildlife viewing.

Federal Recreational Lands Federal public lands are important for tourism and are used widely for recreation, wood- gathering, and other multi-uses. The U.S. Forest Service manages most of the federal lands within Missoula County. U.S. Forest Service recreational lands include Pattee Canyon, Blue Mountain, Rattlesnake, Maclay Flats, Lolo Pass, Seeley, Alva, Inez, Lindbergh, Holland Lakes, and other popular recreational areas.

Tribal Recreational Lands The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes maintain thousands of acres for recreation in the Missoula County portion of the Flathead Reservation. Whenever engaged in recreation activities on Tribal lands of the Reservation, all non-Tribal members must have a valid Flathead Reservation Use Permit. Other Tribal and/or State recreation permits and appropriate bird hunting or fishing stamps are required for non-Tribal members depending on the form of 120 recreation.

PROJECTED PUBLIC FACILITIES TRENDS . The Missoula Wastewater Facilities Plan projects population and employment are expected to 121 double over the next 50 years which will increase the wastewater flow by nearly double. This will require an expansion of the service area to meet the demand.122 The plan anticipates treatment plant upgrades, water treatment with croplands, wetlands, or other open spaces. • Within the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Area, road congestion will increase on all county and city streets and roads. • Missoula County Parks & Trails Program will continue to foster partnerships with public and not-for-profit organization to meet the increased need for parks, trails and recreation services. Missoula County communities have expressed a greater interest in trail development which will require stable funding to develop and maintain trails.

G. NATURAL RESOURCES Missoula County is extremely rich in natural resources, which have influenced the character and economy of the region. This section provides a summary of the local geology and an overview of the County’s soil, sand and gravel, water, biological, and air resources. In addition to the summary maps provided here, refer to the PLACE project’s Atlas of Conservation and 123 Community Resources for more information.

119 Missoula City Parks Division, 2013. 120 Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, 2002. 121 Missoula Wastewater Facilities Plan Update. City of Missoula 122 Ibid. 123 PLACE Project. Community and Planning Services, Missoula County. 2012

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-32 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014

GEOLOGY AND SOILS Missoula County topography is mountainous that is separated by several intermountain valleys. Elevations range from 9,075 feet on Lolo Peak to roughly 3,000 feet where the Clark Fork River leaves the northwest end of the County.

Hillsides Much of the land above valley floors in the County is characterized by steep hillsides and over half of the land has steep slopes of 25% or greater (see Table 12). Slopes greater than 25% are generally considered too steep for building purposes and special requirements apply for the siting of septic systems on slopes greater than 15%.

TABLE 12. LAND IN MISSOULA COUNTY BY CATEGORY OF SLOPE Slope % of Land Within County Greater than or equal to 25% 55% 15-25% 17% Less than 15% 28%

Disturbance of hillside areas for development can damage public and private property or natural systems through erosion, altered or increased drainage patterns, access problems, increased fire hazard, or additional air pollution from increased winter sanding.

County Subdivision Regulations require that roads and driveways be constructed on grades with 10% or less. County Zoning Hillside Design Standards apply on slopes in excess of 10%. As development reaches capacity on the valley floors, there may be increased pressure to develop 124 on slopes greater than 15%. Map 18 shows lands in the County on slopes of 25% or greater.

Agricultural Soils The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has produced a survey of soil types for Missoula County, with mapped units that correspond to specific soil types and characteristics (accurate to within ten acres). The soil survey provides specific recommendations for agricultural viability, soil limitations for building sites, roads, septic tank drainfields, and general erosion potential. There are areas that present percolation hazards for septic systems due to low or high soil permeability or infiltration rates. Slope, depth to bedrock, depth to groundwater, and low soil permeability limit septic system installation.

Soils are evaluated based on their capability to support agricultural production. The Missoula County Conservation District, in collaboration with NRCS, evaluated the soils into four categories:

1. Prime Farmland has the properties needed to produce sustained high-yield crops when managed with modern farming techniques. 2. Prime Farmland (if irrigated) soil has the best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, forage, fiber, etc. 3. Farmland of Statewide Importance and 4. Farmland of Local Importance does not quite meet the guidelines for Prime Farmland but are considered important because they economically produce high yields of crops when treated and managed according to acceptable farming methods.

124 Slope percentages calculated in ArcGIS Spatial Analyst from 30 meter (900 square meters) USGS Digital Elevation Models (DEM).

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-33 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 Table 13 lists the type of acres and agricultural soils in Missoula County. Although there are a total of 1,673,657 acres in Missoula County, only 130,036 (less than 8%) are suitable for crop agriculture.

TABLE 13. MISSOULA COUNTY SOILS OF AGRICULTURAL IMPORTANCE Soils Acres % of County Prime Farmland 1,134 0.07% Prime Farmland, If Irrigated 28,377 1.69% Farmland Local Importance 81,378 4.68% Farmland of Statewide Importance 19,147 1.14% All Other Soils with Missoula County 1,545,334 92.24% Total Soils within Missoula County 1,675,370 100% National Resource Conservation Service, 2013

Table 14 shows how many acres remain that could be actually utilized for crop agriculture on private land since some areas of agricultural land are already developed. Some grazing activity may take place on both public land and private land that is unsuitable for crop agriculture.

TABLE 14. SOIL ACREAGE IN MISSOULA COUNTY SUITABLE FOR CROP AGRICULTURE Soil Designation Acres % of County Public Land Unavailable for Crop Agriculture 991,612 59.2% Private Land with Soils Unsuitable for Crop Agriculture 552,009 33.0% Private Land with Soils Suitable for Crop Agriculture 130,036 7.8% Total for Missoula County 1,675,370 100% National Resource Conservation Service, 2013

Table 15 shows since 1986, almost 29,000 farm and ranchland acres have been converted from 125 agricultural use to non-agricultural use, which averages 1,443 acres per year.

TABLE 15. AGRICULTURAL LAND CONVERSION Productive Agricultural 3-Year Average 3-Year Average Change over No. Acres Converted Land Classification 1986-88 2006-08 20 Years Per Year on Average Irrigated Crop Land 17,588 15,123 (2,465) 123 Non-Irrigated Crop Land 5,896 2,655 (3,141) 157 Grazing 108,502 87,196 (21,306) 1,065 Wild Hay 9,210 7,253 (1,957) 98 Total 141,096 112,227 (28,869) 1,443 Montana Department of Revenue, 2013

Sand and Gravel Resources Gravel resources are generally, but not always, located along streams, rivers, or areas where certain kinds of geologic activities have occurred. Map 20 shows permitted gravel pits and identified gravel deposits throughout the county. This may help identify where additional gravel resources have a greater potential of being found. The existence of deposits does not necessarily mean there are sand and gravel resources in a particular location. It does not preclude the existence of sand and gravel resources in other locations. This information provides evidence of where there is a greater likelihood of such resources.

125 CFAC (Community Food and Agriculture). 2010. Losing Ground: The Future of Farms and Food in Missoula County.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-34 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 State law allows the prohibition of gravel mining in areas zoned residential. In areas zoned other than residential, gravel mining may be conditioned but not prohibited. The governing body must consider the impacts of the proposed resource extraction on: 1) water quality; 2) agriculture and agricultural land; 3) existing residential development; and 4): health, safety and welfare criteria in the Growth Policy. When zoning previously unzoned areas, the same criteria should be utilized in addition to statutory requirements.

Missoula County intends to revise the County Zoning Resolution to include gravel and sand extraction standards. Missoula County desires to provide for the extraction of sand and gravel resources to meet the needs of a growing population while protecting natural resources and public health and safety.

WATER RESOURCES Surface water and groundwater, natural stream functions, flood hazards, and water quality are described below.

Surface Water The Swan, Clearwater, Blackfoot, Clark Fork, Bitterroot, and Jocko Rivers run through the County. Major tributaries include Rock, Rattlesnake, Ninemile, Petty, and Lolo Creeks. These watercourses provide groundwater recharge, water for drinking and for irrigation, habitat for fish and wildlife, and recreational opportunities. Lakes in the County include Alva, Inez, Lindbergh, Holland, Placid, Seeley and Salmon Lakes.

Groundwater The primary source of groundwater is the Missoula Aquifer, which is the sole source of water for residents in the Missoula Valley. The Missoula Aquifer is 10 to 150 feet below the valley floor and contains extractable groundwater.126 Well depths in Missoula County range from less than 100 127 feet to greater than 1000 feet. The highest reported water use is domestic.

Much of the land in the valley bottom within floodplains or near watercourses is subject to high groundwater, especially during spring runoff. Floodplains bisected by levees, roads, and railroad berms can still become inundated from groundwater seepage. High groundwater can damage building foundations and basements and spread contamination from septic systems. The Health Department requires applicants to demonstrate that groundwater is six feet below ground surface for conventional septic systems. Engineered septic systems can be permitted in locations with only four feet to the groundwater.

Wetland and Riparian Areas Wetlands can be located along rivers, streams, lakes, and irrigation ditches and within low spots along the landscape. Wetlands include springs, seeps, marshes, wet meadows, and riparian areas (along creek or river margins). Wetlands store surface water during floods, serve as ground water recharge areas, filter surface runoff, and provide wildlife habitat to maintain overall ecological health. Healthy riparian areas are vital to the natural function of streams and provide bank stability. Riparian areas along creeks and rivers link wildlife habitats and are important hiding and feeding areas for migrating and nesting birds, big game species and smaller mammals, such as reptiles, and amphibians. An estimated 90% of all bird species use riparian areas during some stage in their life cycles.

126 Mountain Water Company, 2011. 127 Groundwater Information Center, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, Montana Tech of the University of Montana, 2011.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-35 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 No quantitative data on wetland or riparian loss in Missoula County exist. National estimates of wetland loss are over 50%, with estimates in Montana of 33% since settlement.128 Some estimates place riparian habitat loss at greater than 95% in most western states.129 According to the NRCS, riparian and in-stream fish habitat represent the most degraded habitats in the State. An estimated 70% of privately owned riparian habitats grazed by livestock need better grazing management.130 By 1994 over 90% of Missoula County’s riparian areas were already divided into separate parcels or were within a half mile of such land divisions.131 In addition, 99% of such riparian areas had roads or within a half mile of a road. The Army Corps of Engineers estimates that 80% of all Clean Water Act permit applications in Montana involve 132 riparian areas.

WETLAND AND RIPARIAN PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT Streams and wetlands are protected under various State, Federal, and Tribal laws. Road construction, vegetation clearing, dredging, filling, or water diversion may require a permit. A number of programs are available to assist landowners with wetlands protection including conservation easements, leases to conservation organizations, restoration, management agreements, limited development strategies, and sale or donation of land.

Missoula County Subdivision Regulations do not require a minimum setback distance from riparian areas. An area must be defined to provide a buffer of varying width where development may have a negative impact on fish and wildlife habitat and water quality and quantity. Projects are generally evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Some regional land use plans include specific setback recommendations for streams or rivers.

Subdivision regulations require that riparian areas be mapped and a management plan be developed for land proposed for subdivision. Typically riparian resource management plans are included in covenants. Since the County is generally not a party to the covenants, enforcement of riparian resource management plans has been problematic. The Water Quality District recently completed a study of riparian management plans associated with subdivisions.133 The County does not have zoning riparian resource standards.

Missoula County Community and Planning Services developed a Streamside Protection Program to protect, restore, and enhance water resources and streamside riparian areas. In partnership with the County landowners, watershed and community groups, and agency partners can protect water resources through land and water stewardship and support stream 134 restoration efforts throughout the county.

Irrigation Ditches Irrigation ditches that carry water from nearly all rivers and their tributaries to agricultural and other users are essential to the viability of agriculture in Missoula County. State law requires that subdividers provide easements for irrigation facilities that carry water through a subdivision to other land. Subdividers must provide easements for irrigation water to new lots, unless water

128 Montana Wetland Information Clearing House, Montana Department of Environmental Quality’s Wetland Program, 2011. 129 Effects of Land Use Practices on Western Riparian Ecosystems, 1993. 130 State of the Land Summary, 2001. 131 Carrying Capacity Study, 1994. 132 Priceless Resources, A Strategic Framework for Wetland and Riparian Area Conservation and Restoration in Montana 2008- 2010, State of Montana et al., 2008. 133 Water Quality Districts, Missoula County, 2012. 134 Stream Protection Program. Community and Planning Services, Missoula County. 2012

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-36 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 rights are removed or average lot size is one acre or less and notification requirements are met. Water rights are administered by DNRC.

Natural Stream Function Streams and their floodplains are active and dynamic and adapt to changes within their watersheds. A natural or human-induced disturbance to a watershed can have effects on streams dozens of miles away. Some of these changes can be beneficial, but larger disturbances can have negative effects, such as increasing flooding downstream, increasing bank erosion, and destroying fish habitat. Altering one component of a watershed affects other components of the streams within it. Natural stream stability can be affected by stream bank armoring, channel straightening, channel constrictions, loss of flood storage and riparian vegetation, increased sediment, and changes in vegetation type.

A 1999 inventory of bank stabilization projects on portions of five watercourses in Missoula 135 County showed that 12% of the surveyed reaches had been stabilized through 215 projects. Missoula County Floodplain Regulations were amended in 2000 to limit riprap installation.

Water Quality Threats to water quality can happen from accidental releases from hazardous materials transportation, fixed facility storing of toxic materials, and underground fuel storage tanks. Water quality can be degraded from runoff from urban or agricultural areas. Degradation resulting from septic systems can be long-term and widespread since nitrate, a primary contaminant of concern, is soluble and can easily move with groundwater to surface water. Phosphorous is a concern to river water quality, especially during the summer months.

Water Quality Monitoring The Missoula Water Quality District (map 21) allows the County and the City to assume more control to protect drinking water and streams. The District samples a network of 40 wells twice a year to monitor groundwater quality. Groundwater quality is generally good in the Missoula Valley. There are several sites around Missoula where groundwater has been contaminated by historic mining, industrial wastes, improper chemical disposal, or petroleum product spills and leaks. Elevated nitrate levels occur in isolated areas, due primarily to septic system discharges.

On the Flathead Reservation, the Tribes are responsible for enforcing surface water quality standards throughout the Reservation. The Tribal Water Quality Program monitors non-point source pollutants, such as storm water that affect water quality. They issue National Point Discharge Elimination System permits.

Voluntary Nutrient Reduction Program The Clark Fork River has been listed as impaired by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act. The County and City created a Voluntary Nutrient Reduction Program to reduce nitrate and phosphorus contaminants in the Clark Fork River to restore beneficial uses of the river.

The Program created site-specific measures for major point-source dischargers to follow to reduce key non-point sources to meet specific in-stream reduction targets for algal density and phosphorous and nitrogen concentrations. The Missoula wastewater treatment plant installed a biological nutrient removal system. The County and City has reduced the total number of septic

135 Inventory and Assessment of Bank Stabilization Projects on Reaches of the Clark Fork, Bitterroot, Blackfoot, Lolo Creek and Ninemile Creek in Missoula County, Montana, The Watershed Education Network, 1999.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-37 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 systems in the County while adding several thousand new residential connections to the sewer system. The Smurfit-Stone Container linerboard plant in Frenchtown closed permanently at the end of 2009 and prior to that closure, nitrogen and phosphorus loads to the Clark Fork River had been significantly reduced.

The changes appear to have had a positive effect on water quality in the Clark Fork River. Monitoring stations just below Missoula and at Huson show phosphorus reductions from the late 1980’s to measurements taken from 2005 to 2007. Nitrogen levels have decreased over the same period although not as dramatically as phosphorus. Benthic algae data show considerable annual variation. Algae densities in the Clark Fork River below Missoula are lower since the nutrient loads in the river have decreased.

Flood Hazards Flooding occurs when excessive ground water fills an aquifer and surfaces, when a stream channels erode their banks and reduces the height of the overbank, or when an ice jam breaks and releases a surge of water causing flooding downstream. Missoula County uses the Pre- Disaster Mitigation Plan to assess and prioritize flooding events to mitigate damage and 136 casualties.

Since floods are inevitable, homes, businesses, and public infrastructure can be designed and built in safe locations to ensure property or human health and minimizes alterations to floodplains that affect natural stream functions. Missoula County Floodplain Regulations provide guidelines for residential, commercial, and recreational development built within or near floodplains. Minimum setbacks, land use designations, limits on development, density transfer, design requirements, and stream restoration protect human health, nearby properties, and natural stream functions.

In Missoula County, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has mapped 31,290 acres within the 100-year floodplain.137 Most of these mapped floodplains are along rivers and larger tributaries. Floodplain boundaries of many streams in the County have not been mapped. These maps can be used to identify areas associated with a risk of being impacted by a flood 138 with a one percent chance of occurring in any year, also known as a 100-year flood.

Floodplain boundaries are not always accurate, especially when used at the scale of subdivision review. Flood studies provide approximations of floodplain boundaries because the age of the data used, natural changes to the river, man-made changes to the floodplain, and approximate methods used to estimate land elevations. Flooding may occur outside of mapped 100-year floodplain boundaries. The best and most recent floodplain studies do not assess flood hazards from ice jams, stream bank erosion, or surfacing groundwater.

Missoula County is investigating river channel migration mapping. Natural river function includes channel migration and flooding. River and stream channels move and change seasonally and over time that erode river banks and create new channels. Channel migration can help us better understand river movement and predict where rivers may move in the future. Landowners and communities can use this information to prevent costly and potentially catastrophic damage to private property and public infrastructure.

136 Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan, 2011. 137 Missoula County Community and Planning Services, Montana State Library (NRIS), USGS, 2011. 138 Floodplain Administration website. Missoula County Community and Planning Services. 2013.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-38 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 The Missoula Water Quality District released a pilot channel migration study of the Clark Fork River downstream of Missoula to Huson. The study documents the historic channel and where it may be within the next 100-years. The study and maps are available through the 139 Missoula Water Quality District or Missoula County Community and Planning Services.

Water Quantity and Water Rights The Montana Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission negotiates water rights between the state, its people, and the several Indian Tribes claiming reserved water rights within the state.140 Negotiations occurred over several years between the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the State of Montana, and the U.S. government for the settlement of the reserved Indian and federal water rights. The 2013 Montana Legislature failed to ratify the 141 Water Rights Compact. The Tribes have until June 30, 2015 to file their water claims.

The Water Resources Division of the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) has started the 2015 Montana Water Supply Initiative (MWSI) to update the Montana State Water Plan. The MWSI engages citizens in a planning process to develop strategies and recommendations for meeting Montana’s future water needs, including in the Clark Fork Basin. The MWSI is intended to provide up-to-date water resource information essential for planning and estimating future water demand and actively engage citizens in developing an adaptive State Water Plan that identifies options to meet future needs, satisfy existing beneficial uses, and protect the state’s water resources. Recommendations that result from the planning 142 activities will be presented to the 2015 Legislature.

The Clark Fork Basin is essentially closed to new surface water rights appropriations. However, groundwater wells that pump less than 35 gallons per minute and produce less than 10 acre feet of water a year are not required to get a permit. The State Legislature has been considering changes to this exemption.

BIOLOGY Vegetation Well-defined vegetation zones characterize Missoula County. The uppermost zone in elevation is the alpine zone, characterized by alpine meadows, scree, and the absence of trees. Lower in elevation, the subalpine zone is dominated in most areas by whitebark pine, subalpine fir, Englemann spruce, and alpine larch. Below the subalpine zone is the montane zone, characterized by the prevalence of Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine. In portions of the County stands of cedar, hemlock, and western larch can be observed. Within the montane zone, the occurrence of fire favors the development of seral aspen, lodgepole pine, and western larch forests. The foothill zone is located below montane communities, and is characterized by dry areas of basin-fill and rocky slopes dominated by shrubs and grasses, with areas of open ponderosa pine parklands and pockets of Douglas-fir/ponderosa pine forests. In drier portions of the region, high altitude grasslands may directly border the montane zone, with forests absent of ponderosa pine. Bunchgrass prairies stand out in a forested landscape. River and creek wetlands, which support deciduous cottonwood forests, moisture-loving shrubs and 143 herbaceous vegetation, comprise the floodplain zone.

139 Clark Fork Channel Migration Zone Pilot Study. Water Quality District, Missoula County. 2012 140 (MCA 85-2-701) 141 Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission, State of Montana. 2013. 142 Clark Fork River Basin, Montana State Water Plan, Clark Fork & Kootenai River Basins, Montana Water Supply Initiative – 2015. Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Water Resources Division, Helena, Montana. 2013. 143 Inventory of Conservation Resources for Missoula County, 1992

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-39 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 Approximately 70% of the County is forested,144 including much of the land above the valley floors. Almost 70% of the County is owned and managed by the United States Forest Service or Plum Creek for timber and other uses. The majority of the Tribal land within the Flathead Reservation portion of Missoula County is forested. Private land is located in or near forested areas. As discussed below, residential construction is occurring in forested areas with high fire hazard. Forest fires originating at rural residences can threaten adjacent resource lands, as well as other residences. In 2005, Missoula County initiated a Missoula County Community Wildfire Protection Plan, which maps and assesses fuels, population density, egress areas, 145 slope and insect and disease mortality.

Quantitative measures of changes in vegetation type are not available. Some estimates indicate that western Montana has lost 80–90% of its low elevation, high productivity, old-growth 146 forests and 80–90% of its low elevation grasslands.

Plant Species of Special Concern The Montana Natural Heritage Program (MNHP) lists species of special concern or with a special designation by organizations or land management agencies in Montana. There are 47 vascular and non-vascular plant species of special concern with recorded occurrences in Missoula County, including the federally threatened water howellia (see Appendix C). There are nine plant species designated as potential species of concern.

Abundant wildflower populations occur on hillsides and other areas in the County. While some native wildflowers such as bitterroot are not listed as species of special concern, protection of native plant populations is increasingly urgent as development and noxious weed invasion continues. Native plants can be transplanted from areas proposed for development into existing parks or other areas in need of native plant revegetation. Some of this work is being carried out by volunteer groups.

Noxious Weeds Western Montana’s native landscape is threatened by noxious weeds. Noxious weeds limit agricultural productivity, reduce wildlife habitat, and threaten native grasslands. Road building, off-road vehicles, logging, and construction damage native vegetation and can increase noxious weed invasions.

Table 16 lists weed species and acres infested in Missoula County. The most abundant noxious weed in Missoula County is spotted knapweed which has invaded approximately 500,000 acres, followed by sulfur cinquefoil at 100,000 acres, oxeye daisy at 10,000 acres, and 147 leafy spurge at an estimated 9,000 acres.

144 USGS National Land Cover Database 2006. 145 Missoula County Community Wildfire Protection Plan, 2005. 146 Endangered Ecosystems of the United States, 1995. 147 Noxious Weed Management Plan 2012. Missoula County Weed District.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-40 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 TABLE 16. NOXIOUS WEEDS AND ACRES Common Name Latin Name Acres Trend Dyer’s woad Isatis tinctoria 10 decreasing Whitetop Cardaria draba 60 static Purple loosestrife Lythrum salicaria 1 increasing Diffuse knapweed Centaurea diffusa 1 decreasing Russian knapweed Centaurea repens 40 decreasing Orange hawkweed Hieracium aurantiacum 50 increasing Hieraciuimpretense Meadow hawkweed Hieracium florbundum 100 increasing Hieracium pilosellaides Yellowflag iris Iris pseudacorus 100 decreasing Perennial pepperweed Lepidium latifolium 8 increasing Blueweed Echium vulgare 1 increasing Japanese knotweed Polygonum cuspidatum 20 decreasing Saltcedar-Tamarisk Tamarix spp. 8 static Field bindweed Convolvulus arvensis 2,500 static St. Johnswort Hypercum perforatum 3,000 static Dalmatian toadflax Linaria dalmatica 4,500 static Common tansy Tanacetum vulgare 5,000 increasing Houndstongue Cynoglossum officinale 5,000 increasing Tall buttercup Ranunculus acris 7,500 Static Leafy spurge Euphorbia esula 9,000 static Canada thistle Cirsium arvense 10,000 static Oxeye daisy Chrysanthemum leucanthemum 10,000 increasing Sulfur cinquefoil Potentilla recta 100,000 increasing Spotted knapweed Centaureastoebe 500,000 decreasing Common toadflax Linaria vulgaris 1,000 increasing Hoary alyysum Berteroa incana 1,000 increasing Rush Skeletonweed Chondrilla juncea 10 increasing

Public and private landowners are responsible for noxious weed management in Missoula County. The following activities influence noxious weed infestation rates.

• Research the control methods that impact the problem plant and provide land managers needed information for successful control.

• The county weed district and landowners have worked together to keep noxious weeds classified as new invaders from spreading.

• Landowners that have vegetation plans and manage the vegetation to be competitive are the most successful in preventing and controlling noxious weeds when they appear.

Aquatic Invasive Species Aquatic invasive species, (AIS)148 are a recent concern for the County’s waterways. AIS are not native to an ecosystem and can have devastating effects on native species – sometimes out- competing them for food and habitat. They change the aesthetics and character of a lake. Eurasian watermilfoil is a weed-like plant that grows so thick on shallow lake bottoms that it can

148 Aquatic Invasive Species. Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, 2013

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-41 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 make swimming nearly impossible. Zebra mussels often leave behind a blanket of razor-like shells along water edges.

The Missoula County Weed District and the Missoula County Extension Office work with the landowners in Missoula's watershed groups to develop and implement aquatic invasive species prevention and education programs. Partners in the project include Montana FWP, Montana Department of Agriculture, Department of Natural Resource Conservation, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Geologic Watershed Groups. The project includes education programs, mapping and monitoring of identified critical water systems. A watercraft inspection station at Clearwater Junction and roving inspections stations at various boat launches have been established throughout the county.

Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Missoula has determined that fire hazards in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas throughout most of the County may jeopardize life and property. These are areas where homes are built near or among lands prone to wildland fire.

Missoula County uses the Emergency Operations Plan and the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan to protect public health, safety, and property with the WUI.149 The Missoula County Community Wildfire Protection Plan seeks to reduce hazardous fuels and structure ignitability to protect communities from wildfire.150 WUI areas identified in the plan are shown in Map 22.

Further study of the WUI in Missoula County should inform future land use decisions. In 2010, Missoula County amended the Growth Policy with a recommendation to revise the subdivision regulations to determine if or how these guidelines could be used to protect life and property in the WUI. The amendment also recommended reviewing the zoning regulations, but not limited to, defensible space around structures, access for emergency services and fire planning, and the potential for delivery of adequate water for fire protection. Potential subdivision and zoning regulations could be based on the consideration of fire hazard; other health, safety and welfare concerns; and public input.

WILDLIFE Missoula County possesses both diverse and high-quality wildlife habitats. Large deer and elk herds are sustained by critical winter range habitats. Bighorn sheep and mountain goats find favorable habitats in mountainous terrain. Black bear are found throughout the County. Grizzly bears are found in mountains and along rivers potentially throughout the County. Small mammals include beaver, muskrat, otter, mink, skunk, porcupine, weasel and raccoon among others. Other predators include grizzly bear, mountain lion, bobcat, gray wolf, coyote, red fox, and badger.

Population levels vary among species. Bighorn sheep populations fluctuate in the County with disease causing recent large die-offs in.151 Black bears are abundant and numbers are expected to remain stable in the County. While White-tailed deer are abundant, Mule deer populations have been declining. Although elk populations have remained relatively stable regionally, some local populations have decreased in recent years, likely due to wolves and

149 Office of Emergency Services, Missoula County. 2013. 150 Missoula County Community Wildfire Protection Plan, 2005. 151 MFWP. Region 2. 2010. Moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, antelope, mountain lion, and black bear survey and inventory progress report July 1, 2005–June 30, 2010. August 2010.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-42 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 hunter harvests.152 Carnivore populations, including wolves and grizzly bears, have increased in recent decades. Wolf populations are expected to decrease in number with active management and hunting.

For a number of species, conservation of habitats and the connectivity among seasonal habitats and other populations are important for long-term survival. Wildlife corridors enable species to disperse, migrate, and maintain linkages with other populations that provide population support and genetic exchange and connectivity.

Big game species need vast areas for seasonal range or migration routes. Quantity and quality of winter range are the most limiting factors in the lifecycle of most big game.153 Table 17 summarizes the winter range of several species within the County. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) has provided information about the general location of big game winter range in the County (see Map 23). Over 70% of winter range is located on private land.154 Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has identified some areas of critical habitat as priorities for protection.

TABLE 17. BIG GAME WINTER RANGE Winter Range Acres Percent White-tailed Deer 543,097 32% Mule Deer 458,438 27% Elk 698,580 42% Moose 125,231 7% Big Horn Sheep 45,473 2% Mountain Goat 21,366 1%

In addition to direct loss of habitat, wildlife populations are threatened by habitat fragmentation and increased conflicts with humans, which are on the rise with significant increases occurring since 1999. These conflicts predominantly occur for three reasons:

1. Environmental change such as drought, which has forced animals down into the more populated riparian areas and valley floors; 2. Human population growth and development in animal habitat; and, 3. Rising populations of black bears, grizzly bears, and their prey.

Subdivisions located within wildlife habitat physically reduce the amount of habitat and create disturbances (dogs, vehicles, etc.) that result in animals avoiding what could be usable habitat. As housing densities increase, the ability to manage certain big game populations through regulated hunting diminishes due to less access, safety concerns, subdivision sanitation, and bear attraction problems. These conflicts are expected to continue to increase with rising human-wildlife contact.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks recommends specific measures to minimize conflicts with wildlife. These measures include proper storage of garbage, pet food, and horse food; discouraging the use of bird feeders and compost piles; confining pets to the house or yard; and leashing pets. Montana law prohibits supplemental feeding of game animals. These types of

152 Hamlin, K. L. and J. A. Cunningham. 2009. Monitoring and assessment of wolf-ungulate interactions and population trends within the Greater Yellowstone Area, southwestern Montana, and Montana statewide: Final Report. Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, Wildlife Division, Helena, Montana, USA. 153 Inventory of Conservation Resources for Missoula County, 1992. 154 Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Region 2, 2005.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-43 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 measures are often included in covenants for new subdivisions located in or near wildlife habitat. FWP and other groups are working to educate landowners about sharing habitat with wildlife. Community volunteers in Seeley Lake, Ninemile area, and in the Rattlesnake have started separate “Bear Aware” bear reporting programs. The City of Missoula recently revised its garbage ordinance, placing more stringent rules on garbage disposal in areas with a history of “problem” bears.

Wildlife crossings on major highways and arterials can help reduce road-kill, and allow connectivity between habitats. The U.S. Highway 93 North project includes 41 fish and wildlife crossing structures along a 56-mile stretch, which are among the most extensive wildlife mitigation efforts in the U.S. 155 Besides providing wildlife crossings over the highway, it will be important to ensure that land uses allow continued animal access to such crossings. A study of wildlife crossings along Highway 83 through the Seeley and Swan Valleys is underway.

Three FWP Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) are located in Missoula County, including the Blackfoot-Clearwater WMA (43, 761 acres), Marshall Creek WMA (24,170 acres), and Mount Jumbo WMA (120 acres).

The Tribal Wildlife Management Program manages wildlife resources in the region, lending extensive assistance at the local level to reduce wildlife conflicts and protect and acquire additional habitat. In addition to garbage and pet containment measures, the program recommends limiting fruit trees and apiaries in areas known to have bear activity.

BIRDS Missoula County supports habitat for a wide range of bird species including cottonwood gallery forests, conifer forests, riparian willows, various wetland types, and grasslands. Grasslands are important habitat for important bird species, particularly a small population of Swainson’s Hawks (6-8 breeding pairs) and wintering raptor species. The National Audubon Society has identified two Important Bird Areas in Missoula County (see Map 24), which provide essential habitat for one or more species of birds. Throughout the County, there are over 265 species that may be found,156 as year-long residents, winter or summer migrants, or as transient migrants.

Missoula County lies in the Pacific Flyway, a major waterfowl migration route. The County’s lakes, rivers, creeks, and marshes provide resting, feeding, and breeding habitat for numerous species of water fowl.157 Waterfowl include Canada geese, mallard, pintail, gadwall, teal, widgeon, merganser, and golden-eye. Breeding trumpeter swans have been recently reintroduced to the Blackfoot River valley, part of which lies in Missoula County. Sandhill cranes and great blue heron utilize wetlands throughout the county.

Small upland game species within the County include ruffed grouse, blue grouse (dusky grouse), and spruce grouse.

Birds of prey have diverse habitat requirements including rock outcrops, cliffs, remote nesting and roosting trees, grassland and forest hunting grounds, old forest stands, and riparian ecosystems. Raptors include bald and golden eagles, red-tailed hawk, osprey, prairie falcon, turkey vulture, kestrel, northern goshawk, northern harrier, merlin, several species of owl, and many others.

155 An Assessment of Wildlife and Fish Habitat Linkages on Highway 93 – Western Montana, 2004. 156 Birding Montana. Montana Audubon. 2011. Bird species of west central Montana. 157 Inventory of Conservation Resources for Missoula County, 1992.

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Bird habitats in the County that are most under threat are wetland and riparian areas and the native grasslands.158 Species of conservation concern in Missoula County where habitat has declined significantly or is limited include northern harrier, sandhill crane, various transient shorebirds, white-throated swift, grasshopper sparrow, clay-colored sparrow, bobolink, short- eared owl, Lewis’ woodpecker, American bittern, flammulated owl, and black-backed 159 woodpecker.

FISH Thirty fish species are found in the County, including rainbow trout, brown trout, westslope cutthroat trout (a statewide species of special concern), bull trout (a federally listed threatened species), perch, whitefish, sculpins, and suckers.

Nationally significant fisheries include the Blackfoot River, Jocko River, middle Clark Fork River, Bitterroot River, and Rock Creek. The Blackfoot River and Rock Creek are considered blue ribbon trout fisheries. The Bitterroot and Clark Fork Rivers are extremely important fisheries, annually supporting over 100,000 angler days. Other tributaries in the County are important for conservation of genetically pure native fish populations and for spawning and rearing of river fish populations. River and creek fish populations are not supplemented by stocking, and therefore are dependent on connectivity and quality habitat in tributaries.

The spread of non-native fish species has profoundly impacted native fish populations. For instance, since the introduction of northern pike into the Clearwater River watershed within Missoula County, many native fish populations have shown dramatic local declines.

There are many indirect, but significant, impacts to streams and fisheries that typically accompany subdivision and development. These include riparian degradation, livestock overgrazing, channel modification. Other activities such as construction of artificial ponds, excessive stream channel crossings, road construction in floodplains, and gravel mining degrades aquatic systems. It is rare for stream habitats and fisheries to remain intact when people inhabit areas that include or are directly adjacent to streams and other surface waters.

Fish passage barriers on mainstem rivers and tributaries have been identified as limiting factors for fish populations. Over the past decade, many of these obstructions have been removed and fish passage work will continue to be a priority for fisheries enhancement within the County.

The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks fishery management program emphasizes establishing in- stream flow reservations, enforcing laws relating to habitat alteration, encouraging floodplain management in harmony with stream environment, responding to conflicting water development 160 projects, and monitoring fish populations and habitats in selected areas.

The Tribal Fisheries Program works to protect and enhance local fisheries on the Flathead Reservation. A key component of its program is habitat acquisition within the Jocko River drainage to protect the endangered bull trout.

158 Jim Brown. 2011. Personal communication. Montana Audubon. 159 Ibid. 160 Inventory of Conservation Resources for Missoula County, 1992.

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THREATENED AND ENDANGERED ANIMAL SPECIES AND SPECIES OF SPECIAL CONCERN Animal species of special concern due to declining population trends, threats to their habitats, and/or restricted distribution, as identified through the Montana Natural Heritage Program, are listed in Appendix C. Federally listed species under the Endangered Species Act that may occur in the County include Canada lynx, grizzly bear, and bull trout. Public policy regarding any adverse effects to these species is coordinated through review efforts from MFWP and the USFWS.

Bull trout are found in the Clark Fork and Flathead drainages of western Montana, and their slowly declining trend has led to their designation as a Threatened species. Map 25 depicts streams where bull trout are present in Missoula County. Large scale bull trout recovery efforts have been implemented over the past decade, including on the Clearwater River, Rattlesnake Creek, and lower Blackfoot River.

Grizzly bear habitat and recovery zones that fall within portions of Missoula County include the Seeley, Swan, and Jocko Valleys, lower Mission Valley, and portions of the upper Rattlesnake watershed. Map 26 shows grizzly bear habitat in Missoula County. Maintenance of a travel corridor between the Swan and Mission Mountains is considered vital to allow for breeding between populations.

Lynx are a Threatened species with designated Critical Habitat. Map 27 shows lynx distribution and habitat in Missoula County. The Clearwater drainage within Missoula County supports one of the largest concentrations of lynx anywhere in Montana or in the U.S.161 Lynx abundance in is attributed to the abundance of relatively undisturbed cool, moist forests that support high densities of prey and provide adequate structure for denning.

AIR Air Quality History Missoula's air quality has improved dramatically over the years. The city of Missoula has not violated a federal particulate standard since 1989. The highest concentrations of particulate matter occur in the winter when persistent temperature inversions are common in mountain valley settings. Since 1994, many of the worst air pollution days have been caused by controlled burns and forest fires. Factors that contribute to decreased air quality include:

. Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT): The vehicle emissions are directly related to the number of VMT. VMT increases as the distance between residential development and services or jobs increases. . Hillside development: Development on hillsides creates more air pollution than comparable development on flat land. Roads on slopes need considerably more sanding materials during the winter to maintain safe driving conditions. Car emissions and particulates from increased tire wear are greater on hillsides. . Road dust: Use of unpaved roads creates far more particulate pollution than the use of paved roads. . Burning: Residential wood burning during the winter and outdoor burning during the summer contribute to particulate pollution, especially in the valleys.

161 John Squires, personal communication. USFWS.

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Even with increased vehicle traffic and population in the Missoula Valley, PM10 (particles measuring ten microns or less) concentrations over the last several years have been relatively stable. Annual average PM10 levels for Missoula are shown in Figure 13.

FIGURE 13. MISSOULA ANNUAL AVERAGE PM 10 LEVELS, 1986-2009

*Boyd is the Boyd Park monitoring/sampling site. Data collected daily through March 2002, then every 6th day sampling through 2005, then daily sampling started in 2006. *Health is the monitor/samplers located on the Health Department roof. Daily monitoring went from April 2002 through 2005; every 6th day sampling started on January 1, 2006. *The Annual Average Federal Standard of 50 ug/m³ was vacated in December 2006. No annual standards now exists. Missoula County Health Department, 2009.

Missoula began sampling for PM2.5 in 1999. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lowered the permissible PM2.5 24-hour level from 65 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) to 35 ug/m3. Based on monitoring from 2005-2007, Missoula was barely designated as attainment for PM2.5.

While Missoula has reduced PM10 and CO levels, winter temperature inversions and residential wood smoke cause the Missoula urban area and many other parts of the county exceed or come close to exceeding the 24-hour PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 microns) air quality standard.

Air Quality Protection Measures The Missoula City-County Health Department regulates sources of air pollution in Missoula County. The Health Department administers specific regulations within the Air Stagnation Zone (ASZ), a 4-1/2 mile area around the Missoula City limits (see Map 28). The following measures apply within the ASZ:

. All new roads and parking lots must be paved; . Road dust emissions from sand streets must be swept promptly in the spring; . Liquid deicer is used on many roads to reduce sand levels; . New residential driveways must be paved 20 feet back from a paved road surface; . New fireplaces and wood stoves cannot be installed. Only pellet stoves are approved for installation; . Many existing woodstoves have to be removed at the time of sale of a property, unless they meet certain emission requirements; and

In 2010, new regulations allow EPA certified woodstoves, phase II outdoor wood hydronic heaters and other devices approved by the Missoula City-County Health Department to be installed in most of the county outside the air stagnation zone.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-47 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 The Flathead Reservation is listed as a Class 1 airshed. The Tribal Air Quality Program monitors particulate levels on the Flathead Reservation and is formulating a plan to reduce particulate levels in areas where levels exceed established standards.

HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES 162 Cleanup of hazardous waste sites is authorized under State and Federal “Superfund” laws. There is one federal Superfund site and 10 State Superfund sites in Missoula County.

Federal Site – Milltown Dam The Milltown Dam and reservoir were located in Milltown, Montana, about one mile upstream of Missoula. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency listed the area on the federal Superfund site list in 1983 based on high levels of arsenic detected in area drinking water wells. The reservoir held about 6.6 million cubic yards of sediments, about two million yards of which were heavily contaminated with heavy metals.

In December 2004, EPA issued a final Record of Decision for the removal of Milltown Dam and for cleanup of contaminated sediments. The cleanup consisted of a constructed by-pass channel in the Clark Fork River, removal of the dam, and excavation of more than 2 million cubic yards of the most highly contaminated sediments in the Milltown reservoir.

On October 2, 2007 the removal of the Milltown Dam began. The project focused on the removal of the dam and the highly contaminated sediments. Major goals of the project included: restoring the drinking water supply, protecting the fishery and allowing for fish passage, excavating and removing the contaminated sediment, and returning the Blackfoot and Clark Fork Rivers to a free flowing state.

In September 2009, the last trainload of contaminated sediments leaves the Milltown Site. In December 2010, the Clark Fork River was diverted into the newly reconstructed river channel and NorthWestern Energy transfers ownership of the Milltown Dam property to the State of Montana.

The Milltown Redevelopment Working Group, consisting of area residents and stakeholders, has identified economic redevelopment and community revitalization possibilities for the area, including the creation of a new State Park at the restored confluence, foot trails, multi-use trails, and a new footbridge across the Clark Fork River.

In 2012, the restoration plan, prepared by the State of Montana, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes that provided for natural stream functions, improved fish and wildlife habitat, aesthetic values, and recreational opportunities was completed. The remediation and restoration efforts resulted in the recovery of the Milltown drinking water supply in as little as a decade, allow unrestricted fish passage, and returned the Clark Fork and Blackfoot Rivers to their natural, free-flowing state.

This completed site is in the monitoring phase. The state of Montana and federal agencies will monitor:

• the recovery of the groundwater (from arsenic contamination), • a network of wells in the area, • the recovery of the local fishery,

162 Federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability (CERCLA) and Montana Comprehensive and Environmental Cleanup Act (CERCA).

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-48 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 • the restoration and revegetation of the area.

163 A final monitoring plan and annual maintenance monitoring report will be produced in 2013. The creation of Milltown State Park is supported by $2.6 million from the Natural Resource Damage Program and $730,000 from federal appropriations. The initial phase of the park development includes approximately two miles of hiking and biking trails, public access facilities, and design options for a pedestrian bridge across the Clark Fork River connecting to the Kim Williams Trail and Missoula. An overlook with fencing and interpretive signage, trailhead, and parking area has been developed on the bluff south of the old dam site. The bluff offers 164 panoramic overviews of the area and is included in the Milltown State Park.

Proposed Federal Site – Smurfit-Stone The former Smurfit-Stone linerboard mill west of Missoula is being investigated for potential contamination by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A preliminary site inspection has been completed. Soil, Water and sediment samples have been collected from various parts of the mill property. Results are pending. The Environmental Protection Agency proposed to add this site to the National Priorities List so it is eligible for a comprehensive assessment and cleanup resources available from the Superfund program.165 The Montana Departments of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks; Environmental Quality; and Public Health and Human Services issued a do-not eat advisory for northern pike and a four meal per month for rainbow trout in the Clark Fork River between the Bitterroot and Flathead River confluences. The pike had potentially dangerous level of contaminants associated with the pulp and paper mill industry. The trout has 166 lower contaminant levels.

State Sites The Montana Superfund priority list includes 13 sites in Missoula County.167 The sites are ranked maximum, high, medium, and low priority based on the severity of the contamination and actual and potential impacts to public health, safety, welfare, and the environment.

1. Burlington Northern Facility Missoula High 2. Hart Oil Refinery High 3. Missoula White Pine Sash High 4. Missoula Sawmill High 5. Fort Missoula OMS#2 Medium 6. Missoula Vo-Tech Medium 7. Old Stickney Dump Medium 8. Real Log Homes Manufacturing Site Medium 9. J&N Post and Pole Medium 10. All American Bumper and Plating Low 11. Montana Rail Link 1930 South Avenue West Facility Low 12. AJs Laundry and Linen No further action 13. West Front Battery Site No further action

163 Milltown Reservoir Sediments. Region 8, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2013. 164 Milltown Dam Information. Water Quality District, Missoula County. 2013. 165 Smurfit-Stone Mill, National Priorities list (NPL) History. Region 8, Environmental Protection Agency, May 24, 2013. 166 Agencies Advise Limited Consumption of Some Fish Species Below Mill Site On Clark Fork River News Release. Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, October 17, 2013. 167 State Superfund, Site Response Section, Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), April 2011.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-49 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 Two of these sites, Missoula Sawmill and Missoula White Pine Sash, are “Brownfield” sites. Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields program supports assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment at certain contaminated sites. The sites can be returned to productive use and promote economic development. Missoula has received several Brownfield pilot grant for these sites.

The former Stimson mill site in Bonner has undergone cleanup to address petroleum and PCB contamination in soils and groundwater. Petroleum site cleanup has been addressed through the Montana Petroleum Release Compensation Fund. PCB cleanup and removal of the former cooling pond in the Blackfoot River was addressed under an Administrative Order of Consent, under the authority of the Montana Superfund and Water Quality law. In November 2013, three additional areas were identified to clean up PCB and petroleum contamination by Stimson Lumber Company at their former Bonner Mill. This work is expected to be completed in early 168 2014.

The waste landfill in Missoula is a source of groundwater contaminants, including vinyl chloride and perchloroethylene. It is being assessed and remediated under direction of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality Solid Waste Program.

Petroleum contamination in groundwater is being assessed and remediated by Yellowstone Pipeline Company, Conoco/Phillips, and Exxon/Mobil at the Missoula pump station and bulk fuel storage plants on Raser Road. These sites are under the direction of the Department of Environmental Quality

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality is assessing the Pyramid Lumber mill site in Seeley Lake for potential contaminants that may affect soil or water quality.

LAND CONSERVATION In addition to the other resources listed in this chapter, scenic views are highly valued. Federal law considers scenic open spaces to be areas which contribute to scenic panoramas that can be enjoyed from a park, nature preserve, public road, water body, trail, historic structure or land area. Scenic views may provide a visual buffer around important open space features and visual rather than physical access may be sufficient for the public to appreciate such values.169 The 1992 Inventory of Conservation Resources identified critical scenic open space resources along roads and water bodies in Missoula County.

Public and private landowners may manage their lands for resource values. Additional protection of ecological, agricultural, scenic, and cultural resources can be achieved through land conservation measures on both public and private land. As summarized below, conservation easements are one tool for land protection. Other conservation tools such as land donation and land purchase are used throughout the County, including public/private partnerships such as the Montana Legacy Project.

To further explore possible tools for private land protection, Missoula County contracted with Five Valleys Land Trust to facilitate the Missoula County Open Lands Working Group. Formed in 2005, this citizen-driven group consisted of 18 landowners and key citizens from nine regions in the County. In 2006, the group compiled a report detailing options for Missoula County to

168 Stimson Cooling Pond, PCB Cleanup Project – Bonner, Montana. Montana Department of Environmental Quality, November 2013. 169 Inventory of Conservation Resources, 1992, page 44.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-50 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 increase land protection tools for private landowners. One of the recommendations from the group was an Open Space Bond to support land conservation.

Conservation Easements Conservation easements are a valuable tool for protecting natural resources on private property and are unique to each property. A landowner continues to own and manage the land but voluntarily gives up the right to conduct certain activities, such as subdivision. The landowner can receive a tax benefit or may receive a monetary payment for agreeing to forgo future development rights. The amount of land in conservation easements has been growing steadily. As of September 2013, there 189 filed conservation easements on 52,601 acres.170 Map 29 shows locations of conservation easements within the County.

Conservation easements are also used on public lands. In 2004, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation granted a conservation easement to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks in the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area.

County Open Space Bond Missoula County voters approved a $10 million dollar bond in November 2006 for the purpose of preserving open space in Missoula County, with half allocated to the County and half allocated to the City of Missoula for use in the urban area. An Interlocal Agreement establishes the procedures for administering the County and City Open Space programs. As envisioned by the Open Lands Working Group, these funds have been successfully used to purchase conservation easements from willing landowners in Missoula County.

The County’s Open Lands Citizen Advisory Committee (OLC) reviews and makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) about projects in its jurisdictional area. The OLC, appointed by the BCC, includes 13 members and 4 alternates from across the County. It bases its recommendations on project evaluation criteria established by BCC resolution.

The City’s 12 member Open Space Advisory Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the Mayor and City Council about projects in its jurisdictional area. It bases its recommendations on the Missoula Urban Area Open Space Plan 2006 Update. A City recommendation for approval is forwarded to the County for final action.

As of 2012, 28 projects have been approved- 15 projects from the County’s portion of the bond funds, 11 projects from the City’s, and 2 joint projects. The bond expenditure from these projects totals $5,952,725. When completed, these projects will directly protect 11,961 acres and provide over 4 miles of trails. Leveraging of bond projects as match for other conservation projects has supported an additional 14,500 acres in protection with an overall protection of 26,912 acres.

City of Missoula Conservation Lands Program In November 1995, City of Missoula voters passed a $5 million Open Space Bond to acquire open space land in or near the City, as guided by the Missoula Urban Area Open Space Plan. Money was used to purchase 3,250 acres of private land for open space. In 2005, the Conservation Lands Program within the City of Missoula Parks and Recreations Department

170 Montana Natural Heritage Program and Missoula County Community and Planning Services, 2013.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-51 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014

was created. The 2010 Missoula Conservation Lands Management Plan171 guides the management of Missoula Conservation Lands.

Other Conservation Lands Other public lands with special conservation status include Research Natural Areas (RNA) on U.S.F.S. lands including Carlton Ridge RNA, Sheep Mountain Bog RNA, Plant Creek RNA, Petty Creek RNA, and Council Grove RNA.

PROJECTED NATURAL RESOURCES TRENDS The use of future climate scenarios and ecological models suggests that the impact of climate change on U.S. ecosystems may include increases in ecosystem productivity in the short-term and shifts in the distribution of plants and animals in the long-term.172 As climate changes advance, there are some indications that there would be increases in disturbances such as forest fires, drought, and insects. The best available science concerning climate change is not adequate to support reliable predictions about ecological interactions and trends at a site- specific scale.

GEOLOGY • As less land in the valleys is available for development, there may be increased pressure to develop on hillsides. WATER RESOURCES • Changes in water quantity and timing of runoff are projected to continue. • Water quality in the Clark Fork River has improved through changes initiated through the Volunteer Nutrient Reduction Program. As sewer connections are added to areas within the County these trends are likely to continue. • Groundwater and surface water quality in the Milltown Dam area is expected to improve. VEGETATION . Weed control efforts may reduce weed infestation for certain species. New infestations of other species may continue. . Wildland fire hazard exists throughout most portions of Missoula County. These hazards are likely to increase if additional development encroaches into wildland areas and if a trend in drier summers continues. FISH AND WILDLIFE . Fish and wildlife species populations will continue to respond to natural and human influences. . Residential development on or near wildlife habitat and corridors contributes to habitat loss and fragmentation and human-wildlife conflicts/habituation. This trend is expected to continue. . Conditions for coldwater fisheries and native fish will continue to deteriorate with climate change and human population growth. AIR QUALITY . Missoula's overall air quality has improved. This trend is expected to continue. HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES • Cleanup of hazardous wastes is expected to continue.

171 Missoula Parks and Recreation Department. 2010. Missoula Conservation Lands Management Plan. 148pps. 172 Joyce, Linda A. and Richard Birdsey eds. 2000. The Impact of Climate Change on America's Forests: A Technical Document Supporting the 2000 USDA Forest Service RPA Assessment. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-59. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-52 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 LAND CONSERVATION . The amount of land in conservation easements has been increasing in the County. With about half of the $10 million 2006 Open Space Bond remaining, more land is expected to be conserved through this tool.

H. CULTURAL RESOURCES Diverse historic and archeological resources are found in Missoula County. These include paleo-Indian and Native American artifacts, occupation sites and trails, sites of current cultural importance, and historic structures and land areas associated with white settlement. Missoula has nine Historic Districts listed in the National Register of Historic Places as well as scores of individually listed buildings within the City and the County.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The sections below present information on the cultural history of the area, archeological and cultural sites, and historic places.

Native Peoples The oldest Indian artifacts found in Missoula County date from 12,000 years ago and the first known semi-permanent sites developed 5,500 years ago. During the following centuries, Missoula County was occupied by a succession of Native American tribes. For centuries, the Missoula Valley offered natural passageways between the mountain ranges, where Native Americans, such as the Salish and Nez Perce, traveled to and from buffalo hunting grounds on the plains east of the Continental Divide. At one location just west of the confluence of the Big Blackfoot and the Clark Fork Rivers, the narrowing canyon provided a convenient ambush site where Blackfeet raiders would attack returning buffalo hunters. As a result of the bloody confrontations there, the site became known as Hell's Gate, now known as Hellgate Canyon.

The introduction of the horse and European settlement in the east resulted in tribal relocations throughout Montana. By 1700 the Salish, Pend d’Oreille, and Kootenai had been pushed into western Montana by the Blackfeet and other tribes. The Lolo Trail was used by Nez Perce, Salish, and other tribes as a major travel route. Flathead Lake was a cultural center and a meeting place for nearly all western Montana tribes. At the time of white settlement, the Missoula County area was used by the Salish, Kootenai, Pend d’Oreille, Blackfeet, and 173 Shoshone tribes.

Lewis and Clark Expedition The first documented entry of Euro-Americans into western Montana was the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The Expedition left St. Louis in 1803 to explore and confirm the claim of the Louisiana Purchase from France. Under orders from President Thomas Jefferson, the group explored the Missouri River headwaters in search of a western path to the Pacific Ocean. In 1805, on their western trek to the Pacific, they camped near present-day Lolo, at what was called Travelers’ Rest. They followed the Lolo Trail up and over Lolo Pass, through the Bitterroot Mountains to Idaho. In 1806, the Expedition returned to the Bitterroot and Travelers’ Rest, where Lewis and Clark divided their party. Lewis led one group into the Missoula Valley, camping near Grant Creek on July 3, 1806. Following advice from Nez Perce guides, they left the Valley through the Hellgate Narrows by means of the old Salish Trail on July 4, and proceeded east up the Blackfoot River valley. Clark led the rest of the expedition south along their earlier route.

173 Inventory of Conservation Resources for Missoula County, 1992.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-53 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014

European Exploration and Settlement From the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition to mid-century 1800s, few other white men visited the Missoula Valley. The notable exceptions were explorers such as David Thompson and the Jesuit missionaries who came to the Bitterroot Valley in 1841 to establish St. Mary's Mission near present-day Stevensville.

In 1855, Isaac Stevens, Governor of Washington Territory, met with the Chiefs of the Salish, Pend d’Oreille, and Kootenai Tribes at Council Grove along the Clark Fork River near Missoula to negotiate a treaty. Under the terms of the Hellgate Treaty, the Kootenai and Pend d’Oreille Tribes would move to the Flathead Reservation in the Jocko Valley, while the Bitterroot Salish would remain in the Bitterroot Valley. The treaty stated that no portion of the Bitterroot Valley south of Lolo Creek would be opened to settlement until the area had been surveyed. Although the government did not conduct surveys, white settlers moved into the valley. In 1871, Salish subchiefs Arlee and Joseph agreed to move to the Flathead Reservation, but Chief Charlo refused. He and several hundred followers remained in the Bitterroot Valley until 1891 when, facing starvation, they were removed under military escort.

Missoula was one of the nine original counties in Montana Territory, and was later divided to form Lincoln, Flathead, Mineral, Sanders, and Ravalli Counties.

Growth of Missoula Missoula has been a major commercial center in western Montana since it was founded in 1860 at a historically strategic point near the head of five valley systems: the Hellgate and Blackfoot Valleys to the east, the Missoula Valley to the west, the Flathead-Jocko Valley to the north, and the Bitterroot Valley to the south. Between 1859 and 1863, Captain John Mullan supervised construction of a military road between Fort Walla Walla, Washington, and Fort Benton, Montana. Mullan's road reached the Missoula Valley in 1860. The road became a thoroughfare for thousands of travelers to gold rush sites, as well as for settlers heading to the Missoula Valley and other locations throughout the West. Prospectors following the Mullan Road into Missoula County discovered gold at Garnet-Coloma, Elk Creek, Ninemile, Lolo Creek, and other areas. The Missoula Valley was a rendezvous site and plant gathering area for the Salish, Pend d’Oreille, Nez Perce, and Kootenai Tribes.

Captain C.P. Higgins and Francis L. Worden, a Walla Walla merchant, established the first settlement in the Missoula-area in 1860 at the Hellgate Trading Post located about four miles west of the existing townsite. It and Missoula Mills, established in 1864 at the present townsite, were built on the Mullan Road to trade with the Indians, with people traveling to the region's mines, and with the ranchers and farmers who began to settle in the adjoining valleys. Trading posts were often constructed where tribes came together to meet.

In the summer of 1877, the U.S. Army constructed Fort Missoula, which became a source of economic stability for the town between the end of the placer mining era and the coming of the railroad. The Bonner, Hammond, and Eddy Company (later the Missoula Mercantile) established in 1866, dominated the wholesale and retail trade in the region by the 1880s and made Missoula the largest trade center within a 75-mile radius.

The construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad through Missoula in 1883 converted it from a town of 300 in 1880 to a city of 12,000 in 1920, with an economy based on trade, timber, and agriculture. In 1886, A.B. Hammond built what was reputed to have been the world's largest lumber mill at Bonner, seven miles east of Missoula. The mill produced timbers for railroad

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-54 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 structures and the Butte-area mines and lumber for building construction. Agriculture attracted thousands to the area in the early 1900's with the opening of the Flathead Indian Reservation, the promotion of homesteading, and the construction of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad through Missoula. Large irrigation projects were constructed in the Bitterroot and Flathead Valleys, which became famous for their orchards.

Missoula became the center of local, State, and Federal government as the county seat in 1860, the site of the State University in 1895, and the USDA Forest Service Region Headquarters in 1908. New Deal projects such as the construction of university buildings and several city 174 improvements helped stabilize the city's economy during the 1930s.

NATIVE AMERICAN ARCHEOLOGICAL & CULTURAL SITES Evidence of early inhabitation comes from a variety of sites and artifacts such as tools, pictographs, stone cairns, scarred trees, tipi rings, hearths, rock quarries, and chipping sites. Approximately 95% of archeological and cultural artifacts in Missoula County have been found along creeks, rivers, and lakes. Sites of current cultural importance to Native Americans also exist, including undisturbed spiritual sites, prehistoric and historic campsites, burial grounds, 175 and other cultural sites.

Projects that disturb the ground can damage or destroy cultural sites. Based on a Memorandum of Understanding with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Missoula County has a policy to include the Tribes as a reviewer on all subdivision projects. One tool for determining the presence of known cultural resources is a file search by the State Historic Preservation Office or Tribal Historic Preservation Office. State and Federally funded projects, or those subject to permit approval from the State or Federal government, must complete a file search before disturbing an area. File searches may lead to recommendations for further cultural resource identification or treatment efforts. If cultural resources are uncovered during any earth moving, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe’s Tribal Preservation Office in Pablo and the State Historic Preservation Office in Helena should be contacted before further disturbance of the site occurs.

HISTORIC PLACES The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the nation’s historic buildings and sites considered worthy of preservation. Seventy-five historic sites, districts, landmarks, and trails in Missoula County are listed in the National Register. These include Travelers’ Rest, the Lolo Trail, Fort Fizzle, Camp Paxson in Seeley Lake, and the Ninemile Ranger Station, as well as numerous buildings and historic districts in the Missoula urban area. More than 3,500 properties have been surveyed. Map 30 shows the location of several of these sites.

The Missoula Historic Preservation Program was begun in 1986 and serves the County and the City of Missoula. One role of this program is to assist in getting historic sites within the County listed in the National Register. A recent trend in historic preservation is the practice of conserving historic landscapes, such as lumber camps and mining districts. Mining districts like the Wallace, Coloma, and Potomac Districts in eastern Missoula County and the Ninemile District in the western part of the County had brief but colorful histories in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

174 Missoula County Historic Preservation Office, 2002. 175 Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. January 1996. Flathead Reservation Comprehensive Resources Plan.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-55 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014 HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES An historic building is one that displays architectural characteristics that reflect the history of the time in which it was built, is associated with significant people or events in the past, or may provide important historical information. Examples in Missoula include the Courthouse, Milwaukee Depot, Wilma Theater, and Missoula Mercantile. While there are many buildings in Missoula County in the National Register of Historic Places, buildings not on the list may be considered historic or eligible to be listed. Historic Districts in Missoula include the Missoula Downtown/East Pine Street, the Missoula County Fairgrounds, McCormick Neighborhood, Fort Missoula, Southside, University of Montana, the University Area Neighborhood, and Lower Rattlesnake. The Downtown area, home to more than 40 individual sites listed in the National Register, was included as a Historic District in 2009, and expanded in 2011. The City of Missoula adopted a Historic Preservation Ordinance in 2010.

TRAVELERS’ REST The Travelers’ Rest Campsite was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960. Recent investigations indicated that the original landmark location east of Highway 93 was not the actual Lewis and Clark campsite. Archeologists conducted investigations west of Highway 93 along Lolo Creek to verify the historic campsite location and the National Park Service redesignated the official landmark location. Since 2001 the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks has acquired portions of the Travelers’ Rest site west of US Highway 93 for Travelers’ Rest State Park. The Travelers’ Rest Preservation and Heritage Association, a non- profit organization, provides the interpretation and education programming.

HISTORIC TRAILS Historic Trails in the County include the Lolo Trail, Lewis and Clark routes, and Nez Perce Trail (Map 30). The Lolo Trail was an historic Indian trade and hunting route across the Bitterroot Mountains to the Clearwater River. Congress designated the Lolo Trail route as a National Historic Landmark in 1960. The Lewis and Clark route was designated a National Historic Trail in 1978, and includes the trail south through the Bitterroot Valley and east through the City of Missoula and along the Blackfoot River.

The traditional homeland of the Nez Perce (Nee-Me-Poo, translated to mean “The People”) was southeastern Washington, northeastern Oregon, and north central Idaho. The Tribe traditionally traveled over the Lolo Trail, which they called “Khoo-say-na-is-kit,” as a route to buffalo hunting grounds and eventually as a trade route. In 1877, the Nez Perce were ordered to leave their ancestral homelands and move to a reservation in Idaho. Resisting bands followed the trail south and east across the Rocky Mountains in an attempt to find refuge in Canada, while being chased and then captured by the U.S. Army. The route that the Nez Perce followed from Oregon to Montana, including along Lolo Creek, and south along the Bitterroot River was designated as the Nez Perce National Historic Trail in 1986.

The Lolo Trail, portions of the Nez Perce National Historic Trail, and portions of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail all generally follow Lolo Creek from Lolo Pass to Travelers’ Rest. Other early trails noted on the first surveys include the Jocko Trail and the Trail to the Buffalo, east over the Mount Jumbo Saddle to the Blackfoot River Valley.

Missoula County Growth Policy 2005 Update Page 2-56 Chapter 2 Amendments were approved February 2014