MISSOULA - An industrial subdivision approved by Missoula County in 2022 looks to extend the submittal deadline for the project's first phase for another three years — a move permissible under county regulations.
The Riverside Industrial Subdivision, proposed by Riverside Contracting and represented by WGM Group, is planned southwest of the Wye. It includes 36 lots on 160 acres and was approved in two phases, with the first phase having a submittal deadline of August 2025.
But a public water and wastewater system has been proposed for another nearby subdivision. The Riverside developer is now looking to plan for that possibility.
“They want to better align the development with the Wye Infrastructure Plan and to allow them to consider alternative water and wastewater options for this development,” said county planner Patrick Swart.
The Riverside project includes both industrial and residential development. WGM Group said the first portion of the project will cover roughly 8 acres and include 25 industrial lots.
The second phase, which has a filing deadline of 2028, includes 11 residential lots on 60 acres. The county's zoning guide calls for eight residential units per acre, and with 60 acres reserved for housing, the Riverside property could accommodate several hundred housing units, along with a mix of retail, the county has said.
But the area lacks water and wastewater infrastructure, though those systems could become available in the future. The county has adopted a Targeted Economic Development District to help fund future improvements.
The Riverside project also sits adjacent to the approved Grass Valley Gardens Subdivision. That project is looking to establish a public water and wastewater system that could become available to other projects.
“We have an ever-growing residential community out here, essentially establishing a bedroom community,” Jamie Erbacher with WGM said last year. “The zoning, in combination with the Targeted Economic Development District, will allow the expansion of deficient infrastructure, job creation and the ability to build a denser community where folks already work.”
The county will consider Riverside's request for an extended deadline this Thursday.
