Missoula Development Services to Take Public Comment on ADUs This Tuesday

The topic of accessory dwelling units or ADUs will be front and center in Missoula on February 5, when Development Services discusses the issue with the public.

"This is one of the opportunities for the public to provide public comment and for our advisory board, the planning board to make some suggestions," explained planning division manager for Development Services, Laval Means. "They might provide some additional changes to it, you just never know. And then from there, they will make a recommendation, that recommendation will go back to city council."

Laval Means:

Councilman John Wilkins has been organizing with a group called Save Our Neighborhoods in an attempt to prevent accessory dwelling units on single family zoned areas in Missoula. The groups goal is to receive enough signatures to force city council to pass the measure on a two thirds vote rather than a simple majority.

"We sent out mailers, I think they probably hit the mail last Friday, so its a little too soon yet, to tell on the response," says Wilkins. "But if I had to tell you based on the telephone calls I've been getting since Friday, well, it's been overwhelming."

In order to force a two-thirds vote, Save Our Neighborhoods will need to collect signatures from at least 25% of the affected area, in this case, from those who live in single family zoned Missoula neighborhoods. Development Services is the only department that has access to the specific number of signatures needed and, so far, the number has not been revealed to anyone, including councilman Wilkins.

The meeting will take place in the Missoula city council chambers at 7:00 p.m.