Sign up for the free Missoula This Week newsletter and stay in the loop on Missoula city government, public school meetings, business news and upcoming entertainment and events. Sign up 10/18/2024“Missoula This Week” is reported and written By Katie Fairbanks. Send your Missoula news and tips to [email protected] staff detail effort to address extensive tree damage from July storm  Next month, the city of Missoula will begin its largest-ever urban forestry initiative to address nearly 6,000 hazards from trees damaged in the July windstorm. The work is planned to take 90 days and will cost about $2 million, said Mayor Andrea Davis during a press conference on Oct. 11. “For most of the general public, we might think the storm is over, but it is not,” she said. “We’re going to be in this for the next several months in terms of addressing the safety hazards that are out there.” Credit: Katie Fairbanks/MTFPThe July 24 storm, which included wind gusts of 80 to 100 mph, damaged thousands of public and private trees. The storm exacerbates challenges facing Missoula’s urban forest due to climate change, aging trees and insufficient maintenance, according to the city’s forestry department. More than 5,800 trees have broken limbs that need to be removed and 570 trees will be cut down, said Morgan Valliant, associate director of the city’s ecosystem services division. That’s on top of the 500 hazards and 200 trees damaging or blocking property that the city already removed, he said. Those counts don’t include trees on private property. In six weeks, the urban forestry department, contractors and volunteers assessed 30,000 trees across the city, Valiant said. That data was used to create a map that will show what trees have hazards needing removal and what trees will be cut down, he said. The map will be available at missoulaparks.org/storm before work begins. Damage is spread throughout the city, with trees in more open areas without anything to dampen the wind hit harder, said Marie DuCharme, urban forestry program specialist. The storm affected different areas based on the distribution and size of trees, said Ben Carson, urban forestry program manager. For example, the Slant Streets neighborhood has a concentration of trees flagged for removal because of the wind direction and intensity and prevalence of older trees in full leaf that caught the wind, he said. Carson said the project is currently out for bid and contractors are expected to start work around the first week of November. The project will only address critical problems caused by the July 24 storm, he said. “There’s going to be continued issues with some of the trees,” Carson said. “But we’re going to do what we can with the funds that are there and try to do the best that we can to restore public safety.” Contractors will place signs giving 24-hour notice before work in an area so residents are aware and can move vehicles if needed, Carson said. On top of the $2 million estimated cost for this project, previous and ongoing work likely totals another $2 million to $2.5 million, said Adriane Beck, Missoula County Office of Emergency Management director. In comparison, the urban forestry department’s annual budget is $829,000, Davis said. Beck said her office is working to categorize storm-related costs to submit to FEMA for reimbursement. The federal government will cover 75% of costs, leaving the city and county on the hook for 25%, she said. But that cost can be “softened” by using matching funds, such as volunteer efforts and eligible staff time, Beck said. The department is also working with FEMA and the state to access hazard mitigation grant funds, she said. The cost of replanting lost trees is not included in storm recovery funds and planning those next steps will come after addressing hazards, DuCharme said. Many trees fell or were severely damaged because of improper planting practices, something the city will remedy when replanting, she said. A silver lining of the storm is the opportunity to replant a significant portion of the city’s aging urban forest to include climate resiliency strategies, Valliant said. “This loss is going to allow us to push forward a lot of those things that we’ve been discussing about how to buffer our community from future events,” he said. “Some areas of town that were hit the hardest like Slant Streets and the University District, those trees are all the same species and they’re all planted at the same time. …. Just having age class differences and species differences and a more diverse urban forest helps us buffer a lot more of these types of things.” Public Notice The Missoula City Council on Wednesday will consider a proposal to ban camping in Missoula parks, amending the new law regulating urban camping adopted in June. Council members Bob Campbell and Sandra Vasecka proposed the change, arguing the current rules are not effective and many residents are opposed to allowing camping in parks, the Missoulian reported. Missoula Parks and Recreation is holding an open house from 5 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 22, to present findings and get community input on its master plan. Attendees can review the draft vision statement and goals, weigh in on priorities for improvements, share ideas and learn about identified gaps and needs in the system. The event at the Missoula Public Library in Cooper Room A is family friendly and will include light refreshments and a children’s activity. 5 Things to Know in Missoula The Missoula Consolidated Planning Board on Tuesday voted to recommend the City Council approve a 97-lot subdivision in the Moose Can Gully neighborhood. The board also approved the developers’ request to rezone the 31-acre property to allow two-unit townhouses. Several neighbors voiced concerns about the project’s effect on worsening traffic in the area. Board Chair Sean McCoy recognized the strain from growth citywide as infrastructure has not kept up with increased traffic and growth, but the board’s decision is based on whether the project follows city policy. The City Council will review the project during its Wednesday committee meeting and hold a public hearing on Monday, Oct. 28.Improvements to Riverside Park in Lolo will include a new section of land after the Missoula County Commissioners on Oct. 10 approved a public-access easement with two private landowners. The easement will connect the park to adjacent public land and extend the trail system along the Bitterroot River. Montana Conservation Corps started work last week on the improvements, which will include reconstructing the trailhead stairs, rerouting portions of the trail to prevent erosion, paving the parking lot and restoring the vault toilet. Most of the work will be completed this fall and next spring.  Earlier this month, the International Federation of Library Associations presented Missoula Public Library with its first-place Green Library Award for 2024. Missoula is the first library in the United States to win the award, according to a press release. The federation praised the library for its approach to housing third-party organizations and its energy-efficient design that includes open-loop geothermal cooling in the summer, underfloor HVAC systems, renewable solar electricity and a building elevation orientation that maximizes natural lighting throughout the library.Residents and contractors are taking advantage of Missoula County’s remote inspections for re-roofing permits, following the July windstorm, according to the county. Building Division staff issued 194 permits in September and 156 permits in August, compared to 33 in July. While rebuilding after a disaster can be stressful and slow-going, these services are designed to facilitate construction progress, according to the county. To apply for a virtual inspection, visit http://missoula.co/roofinspection and fill out the form.The Missoula Health and Wellness Fair on Saturday will provide attendees with an opportunity to meet with health care providers at little or no cost. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the University Center Ballroom at the University of Montana. Missoula Public Health will offer flu, COVID-19, Tdap, RSV, pneumonia and shingles vaccines. Those planning on receiving a vaccine are asked to bring their photo ID and insurance card if available, but no one will be turned away. Might Be Fun Free Cycles’ annual Tweed Ride, a four-mile, leisurely, family-friendly ride through town, takes place Saturday, Oct. 19. Riders are encouraged to wear tweed, wool, or other vintage attire. Participants can meet at Free Cycles, 732 S. First St. W., anytime after 3:30 p.m., and the ride starts at 4 p.m. The event includes a tea stop, treats, charcuterie, photos, best of contest and socializing. Soup, fire and music afterward at Free Cycles. Donations are welcome to support the community bike shop. The post Missoula to begin largest-ever effort to remove hazardous trees   appeared first on Montana Free Press.