HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-07-17 Public Comment - Planning Board - Growth Policy Update.docx B ® Z E MAN MT Memorandum
November 7, 2017
To: Bozeman City Commission From:
Subject: Updated Growth Policy City of Bozeman Planning Board
This memorandum summarizes the results of Planning Board meetings held in April, early May, and October to
discuss the members' preliminary thoughts with regard to a new Growth Policy for the City.
The 2009 Community Plan: There is general agreement concerning deficiencies of the 2009 Community Plan.
The Planning Board members find the plan too long, too vague, too broad, too concerned with the present, and
insufficiently concerned with future changes and desired outcomes. The Growth Policy's length and support of
all things positive neglects the necessity to make trade-offs between competing interests, and makes it easy to
ignore. It covers subject matter widely removed from growth issues.
Focus: Flowing out of these criticisms, there was also general agreement that a new growth policy should be
more narrowly focused on growth issues, should address the biggest issues facing the City in connection with
growth, and should clearly articulate directions that the City seeks to take wit-regard to these big issues. The
Planning Board recognizes it will need some guidance from the Commission regarding the extent to which the
Commission is comfortable with the document taking clear positions on big, and sometimes controversial,
issues.
Measurable Objectives: A new growth policy should, to the extent possible, articulate measurable and specific
objectives and outcomes so that one can tell to what extent the City is being successful in implementing desired
policies. The policy should also address the incentives utilized to attain these objectives.
Economics: We need to recognize the importance of economic issues in affecting future growth. We also need
to be realistic about aspirations in light of available resources. Several members pointed to the importance of
including economic analyses in the growth policy. The City has retained a consultant, Economic& Planning
Systems, Inc., to provide demographic and market information to this Board, and to offer advice concerning the
impact of these on growth issues. It is the intent of the Board to utilize this information to help inform it's
decisions on economic and related matters.
The Big Issues: Members expressed some preliminary ideas as to what the major issues are that should be
addressed in the growth policy. The ones identified were:
1. land-use designations, both inside the City and in the larger planning area;
2. interplay of density, sprawl, affordability, and neighborhood preservation;
3. parking;
4. infrastructure, including transportation infrastructure and modalities;
5. annexation policy;
6. creation of viable commercial nodes;
7. coordination with MSU, Bozeman Health, and the School Board; and
8. policy coordination with Gallatin County.
We would be happy to hear from the Commission if it believes that issues should be added to, or subtracted
from, this list.
We appreciate your consideration and guidance as we begin undertaking this important project.