Missoula, MT – Missoula County has taken a significant step toward unlocking the full potential of the Wye area with the approval of a new public water system. The county has allocated $5.3 million in tax increment funds from the Wye’s economic development district to help establish the much-needed infrastructure. This move is seen as a catalyst for future development, including housing, manufacturing, and job creation.
The decision comes after nearly a decade of planning aimed at transforming the Wye into an urban hub. According to Andrew Hagemeier, Missoula County’s director of economic development, the area already possesses the necessary elements for growth, but the lack of a pressurized water system has been a major roadblock.
“We’re considering this project to be a catalyst,” Hagemeier said. “South of the Wye, we have all the aspects we need to support growth and development, except public water.”
The absence of a public water system has limited the size of buildings in the area. Developers have been restricted to constructing structures no larger than 12,000 square feet due to the lack of water and fire suppression capabilities. As a result, Hagemeier noted, the area has seen underdevelopment, with potential job growth stifled by these limitations.
“We’re not maximizing the job potential in the area,” he said. “This lack of a water system is really restricting the number of jobs we have in Missoula County.”
In response to these challenges, private sector partners approached the county last year with a proposal to create a new water system. Grass Valley Industrial, a key partner in the project, plans to build a system large enough to serve 20 users across 70 acres. The system will also be designed to expand as development progresses in the region.
Matt Mellott, a representative from Grass Valley Industrial, emphasized the importance of water for industrial growth.
“If these manufacturing companies are going to land here or expand here, they have to have fire suppression,” Mellott said. “Water is very much a job creator in that area.”
Josh Smith, CEO of Montana Knife Co., another partner in the water system, echoed these sentiments. The company currently employs 80 people but is facing difficulties in expanding due to a lack of facilities that can accommodate its growth.
“The only way we’re going to be able to grow is to have a facility to grow in. And this site (Wye) proved to be a good spot, except for the fact that it doesn’t have water,” Smith said.
The Wye is one of the few areas in the Missoula Valley that is well-suited for manufacturing and industrial growth. County officials have long identified the region as having significant potential for urban development. The availability of water infrastructure will allow for larger buildings to be constructed, which in turn will create more jobs and economic opportunities.
Missoula County has projected that the area will experience substantial population growth over the next 50 years, which will require additional housing, job centers, and infrastructure. The Wye’s 1,300 acres of undeveloped land could accommodate thousands of new homes, while its 540 acres of industrial land presents a prime opportunity for job creation. County officials have emphasized the importance of developing this area to ease the pressure on the valley’s agricultural land and wildlife habitat.
“We need to build at certain levels of intensity, and we need the infrastructure to do that,” Hagemeier said. “Otherwise, we end up building at low density.”
With the new water system in place, the Wye is poised to become a vital part of Missoula County’s economic future, offering both housing and employment opportunities that will support the region’s continued growth.
