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County commissioners to consider impact fees on new development outside city limits Aug. 13
Ongoing growth in the unincorporated areas of Missoula County has placed greater demand on fire and emergency services. County commissioners will consider implementing impact fees on new development outside city limits to fund fire and emergency services at their public hearing on Thursday, Aug. 13.
These areas include communities outside the Missoula city limits, like Bonner, Turah, Big Flat, Lolo and other neighborhoods.
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Missoula Public Library Bookmobile coming to Lolo this summer
Summer sun doesn’t mean you have to put away your books. With the Missoula Public Library bookmobile, you can enjoy this summer with the comfort of your favorite stories – old and new! Catch them at the Lolo Community Center on Tuesday, Aug. 18, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
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Grab and go meals for kids available at Lolo School
The Missoula Food Bank offers free grab and go lunches for kids at the Lolo School weekdays through Friday, Aug. 21. Breakfast and lunch are available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. EmPower packs (two entrees, two breakfasts snacks, fresh fruit and milk) are available on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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Are you eligible to receive WIC benefits?
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) helps income-eligible pregnant and postpartum women, infants and children up to age 5 build healthy futures. WIC offers nutrition education, monthly food benefits, breastfeeding support and connections to valuable community resources.
Many families may be automatically eligible if someone in the household participates in SNAP, Healthy Montana Kids Plus or Montana Medicaid, TANF, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), the Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship (Traditional) or the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
Income Eligibility (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027)
• Household of 1: $29,526
• Household of 2: $40,034
• Household of 3: $50,542
• Household of 4: $61,050
• Household of 5: $71,558
• Add $10,508 for each additional family member.
Household size may include unborn children.
Missoula County WIC offers a monthly clinic in Lolo at the Spirit of Christ Catholic Church, 5475 Farm Lane, on the second Tuesday of each month from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
WIC participants can conveniently redeem their WIC food benefits locally at Lolo Harvest Foods, an authorized WIC vendor. A full list of WIC vendors can be viewed online.
WIC is an equal opportunity provider.
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Commissioners approve one-year moratorium on data center development
The county commissioners voted July 9 to establish a moratorium on permitting new or expanded data centers in Missoula County outside city limits. The moratorium is the first in Montana and will be in effect through July 8, 2027, or when replaced by new zoning regulations.
Interim zoning is a tool the county commissioners can use to establish temporary zoning districts and enact temporary zoning regulations. This authority is granted to county commissioners in state law (§76-2-206, MCA). The commissioners may only adopt interim zoning to address an emergency that involves public health, safety, morals or general welfare.
By initiating interim zoning and taking a pause, Missoula County intends to investigate the circumstances that constitute the emergency, explore the potential options for mitigating the emergency, and determine the course of action to take, if any, to mitigate the emergency.
Developing clearer, more robust regulations would provide more clarity for the public, staff and applicants in terms of what the County’s residents would need to see in responsible data center development before the development occurs.
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Fire danger raised to ‘very high’
Fire officials with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) Fire officials in Missoula County raised fire danger from high to VERY HIGH due to dry conditions, high winds and consistently hot temperatures, effective immediately July 30.
When fire danger is very high, fires can readily spread in open, dry grasslands and in heavily forested areas, especially on windy days. All outdoor burning remains closed. Remember to keep campfires small and to completely extinguish them before leaving camp. Do your part by recreating responsibly in and around Missoula County as summer continues.
Tips for safety during fire season:
• Be careful when using campfires. Unattended or improperly extinguished recreational fires are a significant cause of wildland fires in Montana.
• If you choose to have a campfire, make sure to extinguish it thoroughly. This means dousing the fire with plenty of water, stirring the ashes and embers to expose any remaining heat, and applying additional water until you no longer feel warmth and the ashes are completely cold to the touch.
• Inspect wheel bearings and tire pressure and ensure your trailer chains are at the right length and not dragging along the road, which can produce sparks that cause wildfires.
Learn more by visiting MCFPA.org for information on fire restrictions in place throughout the state, as well as information on current active fires and wildfire preparedness.
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Be wildfire prepared with Smart911 with timely, location-specific alerts
With fire season on the way, now is a good time to think about your emergency preparedness.
Preparedness doesn’t just mean having a fire plan, or an emergency bag, it also means making sure you’ll receive the right information when you need it. Signing up for emergency alerts from Missoula County 9-1-1 takes less than five minutes. Download the free Smart911 app or visit smart911.com to get started. Smart911 is recommended by all emergency service agencies in Missoula County.
Smart911 delivers timely, location-specific alerts to your cellphone to help keep you and your family safe during a natural disaster like a wildfire or flood. You must opt in to receive them, as local emergency services can’t send alerts to your cellphone without your permission.
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Final budget hearing scheduled for Sept. 3; residents invited to submit public comment
County commissioners will hold their final budget hearing at 2 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 3, where they will vote on adopting the final FY 27 budget. This will include making a final decision on all preliminary budget requests, which are available online on Missoula County Voice. Residents are invited to submit public comment at the hearing or online.
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Free pasture evaluation program available to all county residents
The Missoula County Department of Ecology & Extension offers free pasture evaluation to county residents!
Topics the Montana State University Agriculture and Livestock agent will evaluate include:
• Pasture productivity, aesthetics and rotational grazing strategies
• How to collect soil, hay and grass samples
• How to diagnose plant and insect damage
• Mitigating parasites
• Manure spreading or disposal
• Controlling weeds and invasive grasses
• Making the pasture more fire-wise and planting native trees and shrubs
• Irrigation and fencing systems
• Bear-proofing feed and livestock areas
Properties of any size with horses, cattle or other grazing animals are eligible. Properties are serviced on a first-come basis. Click here to fill out the form and secure your spot!
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Missoula County to begin countywide comprehensive plan for unincorporated areas – public engagement to begin in fall
Missoula County is in the early stage of developing a countywide comprehensive plan for the unincorporated parts of the county. Unincorporated areas include anywhere outside Missoula city limits but within Missoula County, like Lolo, Frenchtown and East Missoula. A comprehensive plan provides a legal foundation necessary for the development of responsible policy and regulations. It will address a number of community concerns, including how communities would like to grow and develop and what services they would like to see.
The County originally adopted a comprehensive plan in 1975, and the comprehensive planning document currently in use for the Missoula urban area was adopted in 2016, with a substantial amendment in 2019. Updating the plan will be a two-year process that will continue into 2027. Public engagement for this process is planned to begin in the fall of 2026
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Check out free, low-cost activity calendar for August
Looking for free events to do with your kids this summer? Check out the free and low-cost activity calendar organized by 5-2-1-0 Let’s Move! Missoula. Events are family-friendly and include everything from weekend markets to special one-off events.
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Get involved with your local government; join the City-County JEDI Advisory Board
Missoula County is looking for rural voices to fill one board-appointed seat on the City-County Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board. This board advises local governments, ensuring all Missoula City and County residents have equitable access to public services and resources.
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