Article Summary –
Nicole and Drew Rieker, after inheriting a family property in Missoula, intended to develop it into additional housing units but have been met with numerous zoning regulations and city planning obstacles, resulting in significant delays and financial challenges. Missoula faces a severe housing crisis, with median home prices soaring and many residents unable to afford housing due to restrictive zoning laws and slow permitting, a situation exacerbated by the city’s complex and often outdated zoning codes. Local leaders and housing advocates argue for comprehensive zoning reform to increase housing density and affordability, emphasizing the need for more flexible and streamlined regulations to address the growing housing demand and prevent exacerbating economic and social disparities.
After her mother’s death in 2019, Nicole Rieker and her husband Drew, both accountants in Missoula, decided to invest their inheritance in rental properties. They found three adjacent properties with two duplexes and a century-old house in Missoula’s Northside neighborhood.
“They were the first places we walked in and said, ‘Yeah, we could live here,’” Nicole said. “We wanted places people could make their homes.”
They saw potential in the land size and imagined adding more units. Consulting Hone Architects and Builders, it was found the land could support 12 housing units if bare. They planned to add a duplex and replace the old house with three townhomes, gaining four units overall, benefiting both their investment and Missoula’s housing needs.
However, zoning challenges emerged. The wide setback on the west side was a utility easement. Changing the land to multi-dwelling required an accessible parking space and costly civil engineering adjustments. The townhomes also needed driveways, which were infeasible due to Cooley Street’s recent designation as a Neighborhood Greenway.
Meanwhile, they faced fees for architects and engineers, hoping to break ground on a new duplex next May. Even that had setbacks; the city forester insisted on planting trees in a narrow, sunless strip.
“We had these plans, all these beautiful things,” Drew said. “Those dreams are really wavering now.”
“They’re afloat,” Nicole said. “Every time we turn around there’s something else, another delay or a problem with the boundary lines.”
Missoula’s housing deficit has grown since the Great Recession, with new construction lagging behind growth projections. In 2022, Missoula’s median rent was over $1,000, with home prices at $558,500. This gap prompted zoning reform, aiming to simplify and expedite new developments.
Kier said that rules and ordinances, devised with good intentions, have compounded over the years to make building difficult. Missoula is embarking on a code reform process, promising newer, clearer zoning rules by next year.
“The system is broken enough that it can’t be a small fix anymore,” Kier said. “We can’t just remodel. We have to take the whole house down.”
Chris Chitty of Hone Architects and Builders, assisting the Riekers, sees the city’s zoning regulations as outdated. “You can’t control everything and still have the freedom to have a vibrant place,” he said.
Missoula’s restrictive zoning inhibits growth. Emerging groups like ProHousing Missoula advocate for more flexible zoning to address these challenges, aiming to balance preservation with the need for housing.
“We need to have a frank conversation about growth,” said Mike Nugent, city councilmember. “We can’t just pretend that we don’t have to face this.”
For the Riekers, the project has been an education in zoning intricacies. Adding four new housing units within an existing neighborhood should theoretically be simple but has proven nearly impossible due to stringent regulations.
“We’re not trying to make something ugly,” Drew said. “But small things make it impractical where the housing isn’t built.”
Nicole expressed frustration over the complexities. “We’re used to following rules and systems,” she said. “These codes are super difficult to understand.”
Missoula’s future growth hinges on adapting attitudes and regulations. “We don’t live in a tiny town anymore,” Nicole said. “This isn’t Livingston, Montana. We need to accept that we’re not building housing on half-acre lots everywhere.”
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