HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-01-30 Minutes, City Commission, workMINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION
BOZEMAN, MONTANA
January 30, 2001
The Commission of the City of Bozeman met in special session at the City/County Building,
414 East Callendar Street, Livingston, on Tuesday, January 30, 2001, at 7:00 p.m. Present were
Mayor Youngman, Commissioner Brown, Commissioner Frost and Commissioner Kirchhoff. Since a
quorum was present at each event, Commissioner Kirchhoff took notes.
Work session re sustaining locally owned businesses
After Caron Cooper, Chair of the Livingston City Commission, introduced the Bozeman City
Commissioners present, a general discussion of retail trends in Livingston, Bozeman, and the region
ensued.
General points of discussion included: sustaining locally-owned businesses; impact of digital
shopping; changing habits of consumers who like big boxes; the ugliness of big boxes and their
destructive effect on the unique fabric of the built environment; the desirability, in the eyes of some,
of big boxes that provide second incomes for struggling families; ways to encourage the marketability
of Livingston's core businesses; the need for regional planning and broader awareness and
participation by the public in these issues.
Livingston officials were interested in hearing about the recent experiences in Bozeman with
respect to large-scale national retail. Some Livingston City Commissioners expressed fear of retail
leakage to Bozeman and yet also fear of sprawl commercial retail in Livingston. Participants in the
conversation pointed out the pro's and con's of big boxes with respect to wage amounts paid at big
boxes, weakening of locally owned businesses, increased sales in the retail market overall, greater
employment overall, wider selection of consumer items overall, etc. Livingston planners also
expressed their points of view regarding the work that new ordinances and growth policies present
for a small office.
There was general agreement that large-scale national retail stores have a regional impact that
is centered in Bozeman but spreads out beyond Livingston to the east to as far as Ennis to the west.
Participants from both municipalities agreed that the meeting was useful and that a dialogue between
the two towns would be in the best interest of both.
Adjournment
The meeting ended at 9:15 p.m.
01-30-2001 Special