Understanding zoning regulations is essential whether you’re a property owner, developer, or simply curious about land use in your area. Zoning dictates how land can be used and developed, influencing everything from building types to permitted activities. Fortunately, accessing this information for properties in Missoula is straightforward with the city’s online zoning map. This guide will show you exactly how to use the “What’s My Zoning?” tool to quickly find zoning details based on location.
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Access the Full Screen Map: Begin by opening the zoning map in a new window. Scroll to the bottom of this page and select ‘Full Screen Map‘. This will launch an interactive map of Missoula’s zoning districts.
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Locate Your Property: Once the map is open, you’ll see a “Near Me Search” tool in the top left corner. Type the address you’re interested in into this search bar. As you type, the map will zoom to the location and place a pin on the specified address.
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Identify the Zoning District: Zoom in closer to the pin on your address and click directly on the parcel of land. This action will bring up a property information card. Within this card, you will find various details about the property. Look for the line labeled “Zoning District“. This will display the zoning designation for the property, such as “CBD-4” for City Hall, which stands for Central Business District. Knowing your Zoning District is the first step to understanding the regulations that apply to the location. To delve deeper into what the Zoning District means, you can consult the Municipal Zoning Code Title 20 or the City’s “What is Zoning?” page for comprehensive Parcel and Building Standards.
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Check for Zoning Overlays: Below the Zoning District information in the property card, you may find a section labeled “Zoning Overlays“. Not every property is within a Zoning Overlay, but if applicable, it will be listed here. For example, City Hall is within the Design Excellence Overlay. Overlays impose additional regulations on top of the base zoning district. If your property is in an overlay, you can find the specific standards in Municipal Zoning Code Title 20 – 20.25 or on the City’s Overlays webpage.
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Understand the Land Use Designation: The property information card also includes a “Land Use” designation. This refers to the planned use of the land as outlined in the Land Use Plan. Reviewing the Land Use Designation provides context within the broader city planning framework.
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Determine Floodplain Designation: To check for floodplain designations, you’ll need to use the map’s layers feature. Click on the Layer List icon, located on the toolbar in the top right corner (it resembles a stack of papers). At the bottom of the layers list, you will see ‘National Flood Hazard Layer’. Check the box next to it and allow time for the layer to load. You might need to zoom out slightly or turn off the ‘City Zoning’ layer to clearly see the Floodplain Layer. If your property is within a floodplain, the City’s Floodplain webpages offer resources and standards.
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Explore Additional Map Features: The “What’s My Zoning?” map includes several other useful tools. The Layer List icon allows you to toggle various layers on and off, customizing the map view. The Base maps icon (center icon on the top right toolbar) lets you change the map’s background style. Finally, the Print tool on the top right toolbar enables you to download a map view as a PDF document for offline access or sharing.
By following these steps, you can effectively use the “What’s My Zoning?” map to find critical zoning information for any location in Missoula. This tool empowers residents and stakeholders to understand property regulations and engage with city planning resources. Remember to utilize the provided links to the Municipal Zoning Code and City webpages for in-depth information and regulations related to your specific zoning district, overlays, land use, and floodplain designations.
