Downtown Business Improvement District of Missoula Renewed for another 10 Years

Local & State Media

February 18, 2020

DOWNTOWN BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT OF MISSOULA RENEWED FOR ANOTHER 10 YEARS

With more than 72% approval and less than 3% protest from Downtown property owners, the Downtown Business Improvement District of Missoula (BID) was renewed for another 10-year period on a 9-3 vote by the Missoula City Council on February 3. Renewal of the Downtown BID means the common-area maintenance and management of Downtown will be continued for the next 10 years, through May of 2030.

The Downtown BID of Missoula was created in 2005 and is responsible for a variety of programs that have improved the health, safety and economic well-being of Downtown Missoula. Funded by nearly 600 distinct property owners in the district, the BID provides the following services for the Heart of Missoula:

• Downtown Maintenance: removal of garbage, recycling, snow, and graffiti
• Downtown Ambassadors: hospitality, education, and business services
• Downtown Clean Team: sweeping, weeding, tree-well maintenance, and ice chipping
• Dedicated Downtown Police Officer: dedicated patrol of Downtown on foot and on bike
• Downtown Business Development: retention, recruitment, data acquisition, and planning

While the Council supported renewal of the district, it opted to exempt all residentially-zoned parcels in the district from being assessed. An estimated 60 properties -zoned RM1-35 and RM1-45 will no longer be assessed. The exemption reduces the annual assessment funds by an estimated $15,000 annually.

The BID is one of three organizations with the Downtown Missoula Partnership. It is managed by a Board of Trustees, comprised of property owners appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council.

“During this year-long renewal process, we heard a ton of positive feedback and support for continued services that have contributed greatly to making Downtown Missoula the best it can be,” said Tim France, owner of Worden’s Market and President of the BID Board. “The affirmation of the current programs and the changes that have occurred Downtown since the BID was created has been phenomenal, and we will continue to seek input and engagement from our Downtown property owners for how to best meet their needs.”