Missoula MT data center zoning definition amendment (2026)
Missoula, MT — City Council Final Vote Oct. 5 on Zoning Code Amendment Redefining Data Centers as Standalone Server Facilities (Industrial 2 Only) (2026)
Missoula, MT · Missoula, MT — Unified Development Code data center definition amendment (council vote Oct. 5, 2026)
- Status
- Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Applies to
- Proponents of standalone data centers in the City of Missoula
- Enforced by
- City of Missoula Community Planning, Development and Innovation
The City of Missoula is set to vote October 5, 2026 on a zoning code amendment that clarifies what counts as a data center: essentially a standalone building whose main purpose is housing servers and telecommunications equipment. Such standalone data centers would be allowed only in the Industrial 2 zoning district, which is not currently on the zoning map, so any project would need a rezoning by the City Council. In-house server rooms in office buildings would still be allowed. The city's planning commission approved the change as part of a package of development code updates.
Who is protected: Missoula residents
Legal detail
Unified Development Code amendment. Current definition: a data center if equipment occupies the majority of floor area (planners found it unworkable). Proposed: standalone building whose primary purpose is housing servers/telecom equipment; permitted only in Industrial 2 (I-2), which is not mapped anywhere in the city, so a rezoning through City Council would be required; accessory in-house server space permitted. Planning manager Cassie Tripard. The Missoulian (Fri. Sept. 18, 2026, 'Missoula closes data center loophole') reported the planning commission on 'Wednesday night' (= Wed. Sept. 16, 2026) approved UDC changes 'highlighted by a tweak to its data center' rules, needing council approval; an Aug. 24 Missoulian headline describes the tweak as making data centers harder to build as a second use. Final council vote Oct. 5, 2026 (KPAX). Related: Missoula County MT interim data center moratorium (eff. July 9, 2026) (county, excludes city). NOT ESTABLISHED: ordinance number.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Missoula, MT |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Strength | Limited |
| Enacted | October 5, 2026 |
| Citation | Missoula, MT — Unified Development Code data center definition amendment (council vote Oct. 5, 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Not stated in the located sources |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| News report | City of Missoula looking to amend zoning code to better define data centers — KPAX |
More AI rules in Missoula, MT
- City Council delays AI-capable park security camera purchase · Proposed / pending
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
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