Save the Historic Grove and Midtown Greenways
The Issue
Dear Community Members,
The City of Missoula has set an agenda to sell a piece of our publicly owned land to an Arizona-based development firm, Miramonte Companies, on May 18th, 2026. This proposed development would raze a historic Cottonwood grove along with all of the other established trees in the Midtown Greenways. Part of this land has remained open, undeveloped and publicly accessible for years.
Where sawmills once stood, and prior to that where the Salish people gathered Bitterroots, nature has beautifully reclaimed this space and has created a riparian area that many trees, plants, bird species and other animals call home. According to the development proposal the grove and riparian area would be destroyed to create more commercial space in an area of town that already includes the Southgate mall and an abundance of commercial space.
Please join us in fighting to save the grove and protect this publicly owned land by asking for a town hall meeting with Mayor Davis and city council members prior to the sale of our land.
Update 7/18/2026
Dear All,
We would like to share with you that we have filed a legal complaint against the city of Missoula. The Missoulian published an article about it on Thursday, which you can find here. Our group, Rooted in Environmental Justice (REJ), believes in the power of community, place, neighborhoods and ecological equity and preservation. Since this Missoulian article has come out we have heard a few people critical of our intentions and accusing our group of being "NIMBY" and anti-development. We want to be clear that we are and have always been pro-neighbors, pro-housing and pro-sustainable development. Our advocacy champions affordable and sustainable development while upholding our democratic public process through including pre-existing neighborhoods and neighbors' voices. We also importantly advocate for our insect, plant, tree and animal neighbors. With that said, there has been far more public support shown towards the article and our complaint than criticism.
It has been a long journey to get to where we are now, and we are forever grateful to all of you for your support in helping us get here. We have included the legal complaint to read if you would like. Please note that the members of REJ that have been named as plaintiffs in the complaint have asked for their names to be redacted, as there is concern for safety and retaliation. Please respect members desires to remain private.
Nature; our trees, flowers, animals and insects are some of our greatest ancestors. Because of the sustenance and abundance that nature has created we are afforded a clean and healthful environment. Thank you for helping protect some of our most important elders and for continuing this journey alongside us.
With deep gratitude,
REJ
809
The Issue
Dear Community Members,
The City of Missoula has set an agenda to sell a piece of our publicly owned land to an Arizona-based development firm, Miramonte Companies, on May 18th, 2026. This proposed development would raze a historic Cottonwood grove along with all of the other established trees in the Midtown Greenways. Part of this land has remained open, undeveloped and publicly accessible for years.
Where sawmills once stood, and prior to that where the Salish people gathered Bitterroots, nature has beautifully reclaimed this space and has created a riparian area that many trees, plants, bird species and other animals call home. According to the development proposal the grove and riparian area would be destroyed to create more commercial space in an area of town that already includes the Southgate mall and an abundance of commercial space.
Please join us in fighting to save the grove and protect this publicly owned land by asking for a town hall meeting with Mayor Davis and city council members prior to the sale of our land.
Update 7/18/2026
Dear All,
We would like to share with you that we have filed a legal complaint against the city of Missoula. The Missoulian published an article about it on Thursday, which you can find here. Our group, Rooted in Environmental Justice (REJ), believes in the power of community, place, neighborhoods and ecological equity and preservation. Since this Missoulian article has come out we have heard a few people critical of our intentions and accusing our group of being "NIMBY" and anti-development. We want to be clear that we are and have always been pro-neighbors, pro-housing and pro-sustainable development. Our advocacy champions affordable and sustainable development while upholding our democratic public process through including pre-existing neighborhoods and neighbors' voices. We also importantly advocate for our insect, plant, tree and animal neighbors. With that said, there has been far more public support shown towards the article and our complaint than criticism.
It has been a long journey to get to where we are now, and we are forever grateful to all of you for your support in helping us get here. We have included the legal complaint to read if you would like. Please note that the members of REJ that have been named as plaintiffs in the complaint have asked for their names to be redacted, as there is concern for safety and retaliation. Please respect members desires to remain private.
Nature; our trees, flowers, animals and insects are some of our greatest ancestors. Because of the sustenance and abundance that nature has created we are afforded a clean and healthful environment. Thank you for helping protect some of our most important elders and for continuing this journey alongside us.
With deep gratitude,
REJ
The Decision Makers
Supporter Voices
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Petition created on April 30, 2026