HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Board 03-07-17 Minutes
City Planning Board
Tuesday, March 7th, 2017 6:00 PM
City Commission Chamber – 121 N. Rouse Avenue
A. 06:00:23 PM (00:00:45) Call meeting to order (Neubauer)
Present Were:
Jerry Pape
George Thompson
Lauren Waterton
Paul Neubauer
Brianne Dugan
Paul Spitler
Commissioner Chris Mehl
B. 06:01:25 PM (00:01:47) Changes to the Agenda (None)
C. Minutes (None)
D. 06:01:19 PM (00:01:41) Public Comment – Please state your name and address in an audible
tone of voice for the record. This is the time for individuals to comment on matters falling within the
purview of the Committee. There will also be an opportunity in conjunction with each action item for
comments pertaining to that item. Please limit your comments to three minutes.
E. 06:01:41 PM (00:02:03) Action Items
1. Growth Policy (Saunders)
Growth Policy Update Memo
76-1-601 Montana Codes Annotated
06:04:13 PM (00:04:35)
Saunders identified 4 questions to consider when reviewing the Growth Policy document:
1. What items help the community to be resilient?
2. Are there barriers that make it difficult to ensure resiliency?
3. Is there anything missing?
4. Are there items that are simply completed? (Has the issue been resolved and does it
need to be carried forward?)
06:05:19 PM (00:05:41) Saunders discussed Neighborhood Plans and asked the Planning Board
to consider whether content is still relevant when updating the Growth Policy. The most recent
Growth Policy update was in 2009.
06:11:25 PM (00:11:47) Saunders asked the board to do two things: 1) identify three of the
most critical issues that are reaching Bozeman that the city will be dealing with. 2) What are
three ways to reach the public.
F. FYI/Discussion
06:18:24 PM (00:18:46) Board Member Spitler asked Saunders to explain the relationship between the
existing neighborhood plans and the new community plan. Saunders answered that the neighborhood
plans were created as a way of looking at a smaller portion of the community in greater detail than the
growth policy.
The neighborhood plans are adopted as a sub component to the Growth Policy. Amending or appealing
the neighborhood plans would require the same process as the Growth Policy.
06:19:56 PM (00:20:18) Spitler asked if the Community Plan needs to be in accordance with previous
plans or if the updated Growth Policy will override the previous Neighborhood Plans. Saunders
answered that the Neighborhood Plans must be in conformance with the Growth Policy. If the policies
move in a very different direction, the previous plans would need to be amended or appealed to be in
accordance with updated policy.
06:21:37 PM (00:21:59) Board Member Neubauer requested that anything within the Neighborhood
Plans that is not enforced or has been disregarded be removed. Saunders responded that the goal is
consistency and clarity in the documents.
06:22:48 PM (00:23:10) Board Member Thompson brought up Montana State University’s growth and
asked what role they will play in accommodating this growth, noting that they have not done their fair
share. Thompson asked that they hold a public outreach session on campus so that the students can
weigh in on the issues they’re facing in the community.
06:25:00 PM (00:25:22) Neubauer requested that they be allowed to spend more time with the
document to allow a more informed discussion and asked that they continue the discussion in a future
meeting.
06:27:44 PM (00:28:06) Spitler asked Saunders about his request to identify the three most critical
issues facing Bozeman. Saunders replied that there are many critical factors affecting the city. He
clarified that the critical items to consider should be something that the city has control over and can
take action against.
06:29:42 PM (00:30:04) Board Member Pape commented that there are many things the city can do
when they don’t have control over an issue. He noted that there are things that can be done to prepare
for these issues. He used an increase in interest rate as an example and pointed out that the cost of
land was the underlying issue.
06:33:17 PM (00:33:39) Commissioner Mehl summarized that Pape’s comment was a call for a broad
view of the community plan to make it germane for the discussion.
06:33:54 PM (00:34:16) Spitler asked Saunders if the city decided that they wanted to work toward a
goal to advance density and infill in the downtown and surrounding areas, and wanted to discourage
lower density development, what kind of policy tools are available in the community plan to achieve
those goals.
06:34:25 PM (00:34:47) Saunders responded that what is most immediately under the city’s control are
things like infrastructure. He continued to explain incentives and other policies and factors that could
be considered.
06:38:07 PM (00:38:29) Thompson asked a follow up question concerning development and density.
Saunders replied that the city has control over some aspects, but that there may be covenants in
existence that the city has no jurisdiction over.
06:41:19 PM (00:41:41) Waterton asked about how updating the Growth Policy coincides with the UDC
and about situations where policy change required code change and how that would be handled.
Saunders replied that the UDC is a living document and that it frequently changes.
06:45:40 PM (00:46:02) Pape discussed the importance of economic development and that this is
something that should be considered in the updated Growth Policy and commented that there are
practices in place that are not sustainable.
06:50:35 PM (00:50:57) Thompson addressed the annexation issue and land that is taxed as agricultural
within city limits.
06:52:43 PM (00:53:05) Waterton followed up by stating that the Growth Policy document should be
relevant to the everyday user and project and how the public input can be relevant to everyone.
06:55:28 PM (00:55:50) Saunders updated the status on the City Commission bid for contract to look at
demographics and economics in national trends such as e-commerce.
07:03:13 PM (01:03:35) Waterton provided an update on the Planning Coordinating Committee, which
is a joint effort between Gallatin County, Belgrade and the City of Bozeman. Some issues reviewed are
water/sewer issues, police, fire districts (response times), etc.
G. 07:14:45 PM (01:15:07) Adjournment (Neubauer)
For more information please contact Tom Rogers at TRogers@bozeman.net
This board generally meets the first and third Tuesday of the month at 7:00pm
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