HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-13-17 City Commission Packet Materials - C11. Resolution 4857, EPA Brownfields Grant Application for Story Mill Community Park
Commission Memorandum
REPORT TO: Honorable Mayor and City Commission
FROM: Carolyn Poissant – TOP Design and Development Manager
Mitch Overton – Director of Parks and Recreation SUBJECT: Resolution 4857 - Grant Application No. 2017-13 to EPA Brownfields Program for Vollmer Building Removals in Story Mill Community Park
MEETING DATE: November 13, 2017
AGENDA ITEM TYPE: Consent
RECOMMENDATION: Approve Resolution 4857 authorizing submittal of a grant application for $200,000 to the Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Program, with a match of
$40,000 provided by the Trust for Public Land as part of the Story Mill Community Park Trails,
Open Space and Parks Bond Project, and authorize the City Manager to sign the application.
BACKGROUND: Resolution 4517 approved the allocation of Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOP) bond funding in an amount not to exceed $4,500,000 for the acquisition park land and development of the Story Mill Community Park. Resolution 4572 authorized the execution of a
Memorandum of Understanding with Trust for Public Land for the planning and development of
Story Mill Community Park (“Park Project”). Under the terms of the MOU, the Trust for Public Land is authorized to apply for public and private grants and to hold any awarded funds until such time as they can be applied to construction of the Park Project. The EPA Brownfields grant application for $200,000 would be applied toward the removal and abatement of asbestos in the
Vollmer buildings, including the rendering plant, slaughterhouse, and small residential house
remaining on the park property, and any other remedial clean up required on the site. TPL will provide the matching funds and assist with administration of the grant. There is no direct financial contribution required from the City.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES: None.
ALTERNATIVES: As Directed by Commission.
FISCAL EFFECTS: This grant application is an effort to bring additional resources to the Story Mill Community Trails, Open Space and Parks Bond Project. ATTACHMENTS: Resolution 4857
Attachment A – EPA Brownfields Grant Application: (i) Cover Letter, (ii) Narrative,
(iii) Cleanup Alternatives Analysis Report compiled on: November 8, 2017
160
Page 1 of 3
COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 4857
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BOZEMAN,
MONTANA, AUTHORIZING SUBMITTAL OF A GRANT APPLICATION TO EPA
BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM FOR REMOVAL OF VOLLMER BUILDINGS AND
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AS PART OF STORY MILL COMMUNITY PARK
TRAILS, OPEN SPACE, AND PARKS PROJECT
WHEREAS, Resolution 4517 approved the allocation of Trails, Open Space and Parks
(TOP) bond funding in an amount not to exceed $4,500,000 for the acquisition park land and
development of the Story Mill Community Park ; and
WHEREAS, Resolution 4572 authorized the execution of a Memorandum of
Understanding with Trust for Public Land for the planning and development of Story Mill
Community Park (“Park Project”); and
WHEREAS, the Brownfields Grant Program administered by the Environmental
Protection Agency (“EPA”) provides funding for the abatement of hazardous substances; and
WHEREAS, removal of the Vollmer buildings in Story Mill Park was approved under
City of Bozeman Certificate of Appropriateness Case No. 17252; and
WHEREAS, Grant No. 2017-13 application has been approved by the City Manager,
Finance Director, and Director of Parks and Recreation in compliance with Administrative Order
2014-001; and
161
Resolution 4857, Authorizing Submittal of Grant Application to EPA for Vollmer Building Removal
Page 2 of 3
WHEREAS, removal of the Vollmer buildings and abatement of hazardous substances
will enhance the public’s safe use and enjoyment of the park.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Commission of the City of
Bozeman, Montana, that:
Section 1 – Grant Application
The City of Bozeman wishes to make application to the EPA Brownfields Grant Program for
financial for assistance in the amount of $200,000, with a match of $40,000 provided by the Trust
for Public Land; and the grant application to the EPA Brownfields Grant Program is approved to
be submitted for the FY 2018 grant cycle.
Section 2 – Compliance with Grant Requirements
The City of Bozeman certifies to the following:
1. That it will accept the terms and conditions set forth in the EPA Brownfields Grant Program
Aid Manual and the official agreement between the applicant and EPA, both of which will
be part of the project agreement for any grant awarded.
2. That it is in complete accord with the attached proposal and that it will carry out the
project in the manner described in the proposal and any plans and specifications attached
thereto unless prior approval for any change has been received from EPA.
3. That it will maintain adequate financial records on the proposed project to substantiate
claims for cost sharing.
4. That open public participation was encouraged throughout planning of the project.
162
Resolution 4857, Authorizing Submittal of Grant Application to EPA for Vollmer Building Removal
Page 3 of 3
PASSED, ADOPTED, AND APPROVED by the City Commission of the City of
Bozeman, Montana, at a regular session thereof held on the 13th day of November, 2017.
___________________________________
CARSON TAYLOR
Mayor
ATTEST:
________________________________________
ROBIN CROUGH
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
___________________________________
GREG SULLIVAN
City Attorney
163
November 13, 2017
US Environmental Protection Agency
cc: Danny Heffernan, EPA Region 8 Brownfields Contact
COVER LETTER
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal Cover Letter DRAFT Page 1 of 3
Dear Danny Heffernan, EPA Region 8 Brownfields Contact:
On behalf of The City of Bozeman, I am pleased to submit this letter supporting our application to
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields Cleanup Grants Program. The site of focus
is Story Mill Community Park, and specifically, a 5.68-acre site along the East Gallatin River. This
property – known as the Vollmer Slaughterhouse Site – is the location of two buildings (a former
rendering plant and slaughterhouse).
The buildings are planned to be demolished, to enable the redevelopment and restoration of the
site into a key part of a new 60-acre flagship park. However, with a rich history of farming,
ranching, railroads, and early western settlement, there have also been significant water quality
impacts, and the buildings have been found to have contaminants (such as asbestos) that need be
removed using the appropriate and safe methods.
Considering the impact of this site on the local environment and the community’s intended use of
this site, The City of Bozeman and project partners are pursuing this Brownfields Cleanup Grant to
ensure that the project is done in the most healthful and beneficial way, and to ensure the project’s
long-term success. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfields Cleanup Grant funding is
requested hire consultants to finalize plans and conduct cleanup activities (demolition and
contamination abatement).
This project, specifically, is an exciting a partnership between The City of Bozeman, The Trust for
Public Land, and other local partners. This project is intended to primarily benefit the 40,000 people
who live in Bozeman (and 95,000 people living in Gallatin Valley), by enabling the restoration of the
site to its natural state, thereby improving environmental quality, and enabling active and
adventure recreation.
a. Applicant Identification The City of Bozeman, Montana
b. Funding Requested:
i) Grant Type Cleanup
ii) Federal Funds Request $200,000
iii) Contamination Hazardous Substances
c. Location City of Bozeman, Montana
164
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal Cover Letter DRAFT Page 2 of 3
d. Property Information Property name: Vollmer Slaughterhouse Site at Story Mill
Community Park
Address: 1869 Story Mill Road, Bozeman, Montana 59715
e. Primary Contacts i) Project Director:
Carolyn Poissant, MLA, MPA, AICP
Manager of Trails, Open Space and
Parks Design and Development
The City of Bozeman
P.O. Box 1230
Bozeman, MT 59771
Phone: 406.582.2908
Email: CPoissant@bozeman.net
ii) Chief Executive:
Andrea Surratt
City Manager
The City of Bozeman
121 N Rouse Ave
Bozeman, MT 59715
Phone: 406.582.2324
f. Population:
i) Target Audience 95,323 (Gallatin Valley, 2011-2015 American Community Survey 1)
ii) City Population 40,319
iii) Persistent Poverty No, 20% or more of the City’s population has not lived in poverty
over the past 30 years.
We appreciate the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s consideration of this proposal. Please do
not hesitate to contact me if I can provide any additional information or assistance. I can be
reached by email at asurratt@bozeman.net or phone at 406-582-2324.
Respectfully,
Andrea Surratt
City Manager
The City of Bozeman
ENCLOSED:
Cover Letter Attachment A: Cleanup Other Factors Checklist
Cover Letter Attachment B: Letter from the State [FORTHCOMING]
1 https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml
165
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal Cover Letter DRAFT Page 3 of 3
COVER LETTER ATTACHMENT A: CLEANUP OTHER FACTORS CHECKLIST
Name of Applicant: The City of Bozeman
Please identify (with an x) which, if any of the below items apply to your community or your
project as described in your proposal. To be considered for an Other Factor, you must include
the page number where each applicable factor is discussed in your proposal. EPA will verify
these disclosures prior to selection and may consider this information during the selection
process. If this information is not clearly discussed in your narrative proposal or in any other
attachments, it will not be considered during the selection process.
Other Factor Page #
None of the Other Factors are applicable.
Community population is 10,000 or less.
The jurisdiction is located within, or includes, a county experiencing “persistent
poverty” where 20% or more of its population has lived in poverty over the past
30 years, as measured by the 1990 and 2000 decennial censuses and the
most recent Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates.
Applicant is, or will assist, a federally recognized Indian tribe or United States
territory.
Target brownfield sites are impacted by mine-scarred land.
Applicant demonstrates firm leveraging commitments for facilitating brownfield
project completion, by identifying in the proposal the amounts and contributors
of resources and including documentation that ties directly to the project.
X
Page 7
Applicant is a recipient of an EPA Brownfields Area-Wide Planning grant.
COVER LETTER ATTACHMENT B: LETTER FROM STATE
FORTHCOMING
166
THE CITY OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA
DRAFT RESPONSE TO FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITY EPA-OLEM-OBLR-17-09:
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY BROWNFIELDS CLEANUP GRANTS
VOLLMER SLAUGHTERHOUSE SITE IN STORY MILL COMMUNITY PARK
Page 1 of 17
1. COMMUNITY NEED
A. Target Area and Brownfields
i. Community and Target Area Descriptions
The City of Bozeman, Montana’s fastest growing city, is working to redevelop vacant or
abandoned sites into vibrant, healthy public spaces. One of these sites, currently being
redeveloped, is the 60-acre Story Mill Community Park – a new flagship community park and
cultural destination within the core of Montana’s fastest growing community. Located just miles
upstream from where Lewis and Clark encountered the headwaters of the Missouri River in
1805 on the famed Voyage of Discovery, this site has deep connections to Gallatin Valley’s
heritage of farming, ranching, railroads, and early settlement.
This project, situated on the north side of Bozeman – once the industrial fringe, is rapidly
urbanizing with new residential and commercial development. Funded in part by the City of
Bozeman’s Trails, Open Space and Parks program (a $15 million bond approved by voters in
2014), development of the Story Mill Community Park is helping to ensure that parks, open
space and trails keep pace with growth. In addition to the abundant natural streams, wetlands,
open grassland, an aspen grove, and wildlife sanctuary, the park still bares evidence of the site’s
100-year history of agricultural and industrial activities.
ii. Demographic Information and Indicators of Need
This project is intended to benefit the 40,000 community members in the City of Bozeman, the
almost 95,000 Gallatin Valley residents, and the many visitors to the region. This table details
demographic information about community-at-large, which will be impacted by this project:
City of
Bozeman 1
Gallatin
Valley 1
State of
Montana 1
National 1
Population: 40,319 95,323 1,014,699 316,127,513
Unemployment: 7.4% 6.3% 6.2% 8.3%
Industry:
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and
hunting, and mining
Arts, entertainment, and recreation,
accommodation and food services
2.4%
13.6%
3.7%
12.5%
7.3%
10.9%
2.0%
9.6%
Poverty Rate: 20.1% 13.2% 15.2% 15.5%
Percent Minority: 9.9% 7.4% 13.0% 37.8%
Percent Vulnerable Populations
(Children and Seniors) 30.8% 35.4% 41.1% 40.0%
Median Household Income: $45,729 $55,553 $47,169 $53,889
1 Data are from the 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates available on American
FactFinder at https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml
167
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT Page 2 of 17
iii. Description of the Brownfields
The 5.69-acre brownfields property of focus for this proposal – known as the Vollmer
Slaughterhouse Site – is located at 1869 Story Mill Road, just south of the intersection of the
Story Mill Spur Trail and Story Mill Road along the East Gallatin River. Two former railroad spurs,
associated with the Northern Pacific Railway and Milwaukee Railroad, form the southeast and
west boundaries of the triangular-shaped property, respectively. The site is currently the
location of a complex comprised of two buildings, a former rendering plant and slaughterhouse,
which have been neglected for years with little or no maintenance, thereby leaving them in their
current dilapidated state.
The complex – which includes the first modern slaughterhouse complex in the area – was
constructed in 1938 to house a small beef and hog slaughterhouse operation. Centered across
the fertile lands of Gallatin Valley, the region’s livestock industry produced meat for local
consumption as well as live animals for shipment to feedlots and slaughterhouses elsewhere.
The location was partly selected because the nearby East Gallatin River could be used to dispose
of blood from the slaughtered animals. The facility was expanded after World War II and
remained in operation until the 1970s. The complex has been unused and largely abandoned in
the years since.
Areas of the property not covered by buildings are vegetated with wetland plants,
grasses, shrubs, and trees. Due to these historical land uses, coupled with rapidly increasing
population growth, the contamination and declining quality of resources are of paramount
concern.
Story Mill Community Park is a prioritized site for healthful redevelopment due to its
importance to the community, its immense environmental value, and the urgent opportunity to
incorporate education into the enjoyment of this park site from the beginning of the process.
B. Welfare, Environmental, and Public Health Impacts
This project will both serve the local community while also addressing more regional concerns
and priorities. This park site is culturally, historically, and economically significant to locals.
i. Welfare Impacts
The City’s 2005 Parks Plan also identifies the north side of Bozeman as one of the City’s most
underserved areas for parks access. The property is located within close proximity of several
mixed-income neighborhoods, and it is adjacent to the Gallatin Valley Food Bank, which
serves more than 3,000 individuals monthly. Recreation and exercise opportunities are not
equitably available, which mirrors a degree of income inequality in the Valley.
Located in this priority area, the project site will transform abandoned and
deteriorating spaces into the City’s largest natural park and a flagship destination for locals
and visitors alike. Easily accessible along a major arterial road and linked to downtown by the
Story Mill Spur Trail, the new park will provide recreation opportunities, expansion of trail
connections, environmental education, and a healthier environment and improved quality of
life for the nearly 40,000 people who live in Bozeman.
When The Trust for Public Land (TPL), a key partner in this project, acquired the
brownfields property in 2012, the buildings were unsecured and in disrepair with evidence of
trespass and vagrancy. The property was posted, private security was engaged, and doors and
168
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT Page 3 of 17
windows were boarded up and heavy duty locks were installed. Despite these multiple stepped
up security efforts instituted by TPL starting in 2013 and continuing to the present, the buildings
have been frequently broken into with doors forced open, windows broken, and extensive
graffiti damage on both interior and exterior walls. Debris, trash, and concrete rip rap has been
observed throughout the site. Furthermore, while the history and culture reflected in these
spaces is of import to the community, the dilapidated buildings create unsafe conditions in this
portion of the park.
ii. Cumulative Environmental Issues
Originating high on the plateau of Yellowstone National Park, the Gallatin Watershed spans 1.2
million acres, and non-point source pollution is the biggest threat to our local water resources.1
Human activity – including runoff – pollutes nearly every tributary of the lower Gallatin River.2
Ultimately, these inputs become a costly burden for Gallatin Valley residents and our
downstream neighbors. Local rivers and creeks that run through the city are ecologically
impaired, limited in current value for community recreation and aesthetic enjoyment, and in
places essentially nonfunctional. Yet these water resources hold tremendous promise to become
highly valued community centerpieces. Ensuring sufficient and appropriate infiltration and
runoff protections are an important step to improving these conditions.
iii. Cumulative Public Health Impacts
The welfare and environmental concerns have implications for human health. Enhanced green
infrastructure from completed river and wetland restoration combined with the clean-up and
removal of these degraded structures helps address significant health and safety concerns. For
instance, a couple of years ago, water samples collected from Bozeman Creek revealed levels of
E. coli and nitrogen that are much higher than targets set by the Montana Department of
Environmental Quality.
In addition, based on the results from the 2014 Community Health Assessment, nutrition,
physical activity, and weight status emerged as an area of opportunity and a new focus area for
Gallatin Valley. 16% of adults in Gallatin County are obese and 15% did not participate in
physical activity in 2016.3 A comparison between 2011 and 2014 health assessment data shows
that obesity is on the rise across all age groups, particularly in children and seniors. Additionally,
low-income individuals have an increased risk of being overweight or obese.4 Easy access to
story Mill Community Park will encourage outdoor enjoyment and healthful activities.
C. Financial Need
i. Economic Conditions
Bozeman’s robust tourism economy is dependent upon its beautiful setting, natural wonders,
and recreational opportunities. Protecting these assets is essential to this sustained activity and
investment. Since the 1920s and continuing today, the community has reaped the rewards of an
1 http://greatergallatin.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/GGWC-Watershed-Map-full-size1.pdf
2 https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/environment/report-gallatin-valley-streams-suffer-from-
development-agriculture/article_f5838194-fe1b-11e1-99a3-001a4bcf887a.html
3 http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/app/montana/2016/rankings/gallatin/county/factors/overall/snapshot
4 http://healthygallatin.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/PLN-CHIP-2015-2018.pdf
169
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT Page 4 of 17
active tourist economy. The development of Story Mill Community Park providing close-to-
home open space and access to park amenities is critical to help ensure quality of life and
support a vibrant local economy.
ii. Economic Effects of Brownfields
With a rich history of farming, ranching, railroads, and early western settlement, there have also
been significant water quality impacts. Water resources are essential for modern day, local
industry – from agriculture to the resource-based recreation economy – and tying the natural,
physical environment to its history, along with park activation, is essential to ensuring long-term
economic health in the region.
2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND FEASIBILITY OF SUCCESS
A. Project Description
i. Existing Conditions
Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments have been completed for this site in 2012
and updated in 2014 (Tetra Tech Project No. 114-560467). A “Building Inspections of Structures
on L Street Parcel, Turner/Griffen Parcel, and Henderson Parcel; Story Mill Property, Bozeman,
Montana” was completed in 2012 by Nishkian Monks for The Trust for Public Land. An Asbestos
Inspection Report for the Vollmer Complex Rendering Plant and Slaughter House was conducted
for the City of Bozeman in September 2017 by Environmental Solutions. Key findings from these
reports make necessary this proposal for cleanup activities. For instance:
• Located just two miles from the business core and Bozeman’s Main Street, the site
experienced decades of human disturbance and the surrounding rivers were full of
associated debris, trash, and contamination. (Note: the river section has been cleaned up
and restored.)
• Given the nature of the soil and wells on site, contaminants spilled at the surface quickly
migrate vertically through the vadose zone and horizontally through the aquifer due to
the coarse lithologic nature (gravels, cobbles) present over the area.
• Asbestos has been found in exterior caulking, vermiculite in walls, flooring, and roofing.
Historic Preservation Reports have also been conducted by noted Historic Preservation
Consultants, including a 2017 field inventory and historic resources survey completed by
Renewable Technologies, Inc. as an update to the Montana Historic Public Record. Reports
170
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT Page 5 of 17
found that “because the adaptive reuse of this property has far greater value than the
preservation of these insignificant reminders of past operations on the site, the demolition and
removal of these resources is justifiable.” A Sketch Plan/COA/Demo Application for the
Demolition of Two Structures in a Historic District was completed for this site by Instrinsik
Architecture in May 2017 to support an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the
demolition of the buildings. The City of Bozeman approved this Certificate of Appropriateness.
ii. Proposed Cleanup Plan
A comprehensive and innovative site restoration plan was completed for the entire park
site in 2016, which includes doubling site wetlands, cleaning up a half mile of the East Gallatin
River and banks, and excavating historic floodplain in three areas including the river section
adjoining the Vollmer Slaughterhouse Complex. This restoration was recognized for innovation
and excellence as the 2017 Wetland Stewardship Award.
In 2018, the City of Bozeman in partnership with The Trust for Public Land will construct
Story Mill Community Park. The Park Master Site Plan reflects a multi-year rigorous planning
and stakeholder design process. The clean-up and demolition of the Vollmer Slaughterhouse
buildings is an essential first step in clearing this part of the site for park redevelopment. This
application requests funding for the cleanup of contaminants on this brownfields site, which
would include demolition and contamination abatement of the two slaughterhouse and
rendering plant buildings plus a small house (requiring abatement) and a dangerous, dilapidated
bridge.
Work would include establishing contaminants as needed, Montana Department of
Environmental Quality Asbestos Control Program Permits, critical barriers, removal, cleanup, fill
as needed, disposal of waste at approved landfills, and inspections. Several proposals have been
submitted for these activities, but funding is required to solicit, select, contract with, and
implement cleanup activities.
iii. Alignment with Revitalization Plans
This project, its approach, goals, and intended outcomes, are consistent with numerous plans
and visions – from the local to federal level. Locally, this proposed project is closely aligned with
multiple City of Bozeman comprehensive plans, including Parks, Recreation, Open Space and
Trails; Transportation; Historic Preservation; and Creek Enhancement. This project’s proposed
activities will support key goals highlighted within these plans, as they will protect and help
interpret historically and culturally significant properties, add community parklands and improve
recreational values, protect sensitive environmental areas and their functions, and maintain and
enhance the character of Bozeman’s northeast neighborhood. Importantly, through this grant,
the park will better be able to interpret the park site’s complex and interesting history,
connecting park visitors to the land and to each other.
This project is also an important component of the larger redevelopment plans for Story
Mill Community Park. The entire Story Mill Community Park site has been reviewed and
approved by the City of Bozeman through a Master Site Plan.
171
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT Page 6 of 17
In addition, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality also supported the site
restoration with a 319 Water Quality grant.
This project also aligns well with other federal place-based strategies and priorities –
including other EPA programs. For instance, the Story Mill Community Park Project has received
EPA funding for education and outreach as well as water quality monitoring for the site
restoration component of the park. Furthermore, the EPA 2014-2018 Strategic Plan states that it
is necessary to “focus on urban, rural and economically disadvantaged communities to ensure
that everyone… has access to clean water, clean air and the opportunity to live, work and play in
healthy communities.” The agency seeks to support local efforts to restore and protect the
quality of disadvantaged communities’ waters, and areas of focus include improving water
quality of watersheds. The goals and the activities proposed in this application are directly
supportive of this. The focus on collaboration and data-driven, innovative practices are also a
natural fit with EPA’s vision and priorities.
B. Task Descriptions and Budget Table
i. Task Descriptions
The following activities will be included in this proposed project:
ACTIVITY 1: Project Management and Outreach
• TASK 1: Project Management. The City of Bozeman will work with The Trust for Public Land to
select and contract with environmental and cleanup consultants; and hold initial meeting with
consultants and partners to review goals, timeline, roles, and milestones. This will also include
coordination and management of partners (to ensure project timing and budget success) and
management of the site redevelopment design process.
- Key Output: Executed contracts with contractors selected in compliance with procurement
requirements of 40 CFR 31.36.
- Key Output: Brownfield cleanup and related activities will be completed within the grant funding
requirements.
• TASK 2: Ongoing Community Engagement. These activities will be led by TPL throughout the
project to develop and inform vision and priorities, evaluate redevelopment options, and evolve
perceptions about brownfields and vacant space opportunities in the region-at-large.
- Key Output: TPL will oversee development of interpretive content for the historic buildings
and greater district and oversee design and construction of the park area following building
abatement and removal. Remediation plans will continue to be shared during existing or
planned community events, meetings and site tours/classes.
- Key Output (post-award): Designs and activities for site redevelopment, aligned with site cleanup
plans and activities will be completed.
ACTIVITY 2: Environmental Cleanup
• TASK 1: Select consultants and finalize plan. The selected consultants will complete recommended
activities cleanup. The environmental consultant will work with Montana DEQ to ensure that
172
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT Page 7 of 17
compliance meets City, State and Federal standards. Demolition of the structures will be
coordinated and, to the extent possible, integrated with contamination removal efforts.
- Key Output: A Revised Remedial Action Plan, based on the Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup
Alternatives (ABCA), will be submitted for approval of recommendations for cleanup.
• TASK 2: Demolition.
- Key Output: This site will be deemed suitable to redevelopment as a public park space.
• TASK 3: Abatement.
- Key Output: This site will be deemed suitable to redevelopment as a public park space.
• TASK 4: River Bank/Site Stabilization and Reseeding.
- Key Output: This site will be deemed suitable to redevelopment as a public park space.
A general timeline of activities is included in the table below.
Activities and Key Tasks Year 1 Year 2
Project Management
Community Outreach
Environmental Cleanup (Demolition and Abatement)
ii. Budget Table
Budget
Categories
Project Activities, Tasks, and Associated Costs
Activity 1 Activity 2
Project
Management
and Outreach
Demolition Abatement
River
Bank/Site
Stabilization
and
Reseeding
Personnel
Fringe Benefits
Travel
Equipment
Supplies
Contractual $9,000 $138,000 $80,000 $12,000 $240,000
Other + Admin
Total Federal
Funding $9,000 $98,000 $80,000 $12,000 $200,000
Cost share $40,000 $40,000
Total Budget $9,000 $138,000 $80,000 $12,000 $240,000
C. Ability to Leverage
173
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT Page 8 of 17
Source Purpose/Role Amount ($) Status
Story Mill Community Park private campaign funds raised by Trust for Public Land Site restoration $51,952 Secured
Story Mill Community Park private campaign funds raised by Trust for Public Land COA process $7,800 Secured
City of Bozeman Trails, Open Space and Parks bond funds allocated to Story Mill Community Park
Environmental assessment $4,760 Secured
3. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND
PARTNERSHIPS
A. Engaging the Community
Though culturally and historically
significant to locals, the site had
been slated for intensive residential
and commercial development in
recent years. In 2012, TPL acquired
the property, protecting it for local
communities, and engaged
stakeholders in a visioning process
for a new community park and
restoration of the site. TPL’s
approach to the creation and development of park spaces actively involves the stakeholders in
the design process and creates a platform for the community to directly participate in the use and
care of their natural, outdoor spaces.
Widely attended workshops and surveys have demonstrated high-levels of community
involvement and support. For instance, in early 2013, 690 people took an informal online survey
and 150 residents participated in a public visioning workshop. In August 2013, five TPL park
designers worked with a local landscape architecture firm and local leaders to develop a
conceptual master plan.
In spring 2014, the City Commission unanimously approved the Story Mill Community
Park after 20 partner groups and over 400 residents spoke in favor of the proposal. The project is
being developed in partnership with the City under its Trails, Open Space and Parks program and
TPL has been contracted to manage the design and construction of the park, with a park ribbon
cutting planned for Fall 2018.
In October 2014, a second public workshop engaged over 200 community members and
during a 2-day design charrette, over 40 local experts explored community priorities around art
and creative placemaking, trails, recreation, interpretive learning, cultural history, community
agriculture, and recreation in the park. In October 2015, over 200 community members voted on
Park Schematic Design Alternatives through an on-line survey and public workshop including a
playground design session for children and families.
174
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT Page 9 of 17
The public has continued to be engaged over the past couple of years – through meetings
as well as in events in parts of the park that are currently safe and useable. Summer discovery
camps have been held for over 450 kids from the YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, and other youth
organizations, sponsored educational tours are ongoing with area schools and organizations, and
invited use of the site continues for MSU classes and research projects as part of the largescale
property restoration. Youth programs through Montana Conservation Corps and others continue
to be engaged in site cleanup and weed management. Partnerships with Sacajawea Audubon
and Greater Gallatin Watershed Council support annual bird walks, ground and stream water
monitoring, and other community activities. A recent Our Town grant from the National
Endowment for the Arts has provide enhanced capacity for collaborations with MSU, the
Bozeman Library Foundation, Extreme History foundation, and others.
Specific to this proposed project, the future uses of the remaining features at the Vollmer
site were considered as part of the planning processes for the Park, but the retention of the two
slaughterhouse buildings was found not to be economically or logistically viable, for a variety of
reasons. Demolition of these buildings has been discussed in public meetings since the inception
of the designs for the new park as part of the Master Plan development process.
Recently, as part of the application for a “Certificate of Appropriateness,” for demolition
of the buildings, a noticed public meeting was held with the Bozeman Preservation Board. No
public comments were submitted. TPL incorporated the input of the Bozeman Preservation
Board in the future interpretive plans for the site including demarcation of the building footprint
with boulders and landscaping, park seating, and signage interpreting the use and cultural
significance of the site and broader historic district.
B. Partnerships with Government Agencies
This project has longstanding support from City leadership. In spring 2014, the City Commission
unanimously approved the Story Mill Community Park and acquired the property, approved the
Master Plan in 2017, and in Fall of 2018 the final Site Plan approval was issued by the City
Community Development office.
The City of Bozeman’s Department of Parks and Recreation leads this overall effort.
Notably, the Parks and Recreation Department is also relocating to an adjacent site to operate as
a park community center, which was recently acquired by TPL and will be conveyed to the city.
The demolition permit process is overseen by the Planning Department. This project has also
developed strong partnerships which will continue once the park opens to augment the City of
Bozeman’s park and recreation programming with additional interpretive and environmental
learning programs. For instance, with partners such as TPL, the Montana Department of
Environmental Quality, the Greater Gallatin Watershed Council, the Gallatin Local Water Quality
Planning District, and Trout Unlimited, a substantial, multi-year restoration project was
completed to enhance wetlands and restore the East Gallatin River and Bozeman Creek as they
flow through the Story Mill property. The City’s Public Works Department also views Story Mill
Community Park as an important opportunity to educate the public about the role of wetlands
and river conservation to help address the City’s water quality and wastewater issues.
Interpretive programs and signage in the future park will highlight green infrastructure and
sustainable practices throughout both the built and natural environment.
175
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT Page 10 of 17
C. Partnerships with Community Organizations
i. Community Organization Descriptions & Roles
Since its inception, the Story Mill Community Park project has been a high-profile and engaging
project within the Bozeman community.
• The Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national nonprofit that creates parks and protects land
for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come, is the primary
community organization partner for this project. For 45 years, TPL has worked to
improve communities with parks, playgrounds, gardens, trails, and greenways, and to
date, we have completed over 300 park, playground, and garden projects in more than
20 states across the country. TPL brings together land owners, neighbors, public
agencies, and donors to create and preserve the special places that make lives better and
protect natural resources. TPL focuses in particular on low-income, park-poor
neighborhoods, and works with a diverse set of local partners to create livable, healthy,
and resilient communities.
Other community groups include:
• Montana State University: The local university will partner with TPL on creative
placemaking for the Story Mill Community Park. Already engaged as a stakeholder
through park design workshops, Montana State University professors will work with The
Trust for Public Land to create educational nodes and will take students from classes to
use the park as a “living laboratory.” Students – a select few of which are already
collecting soils information in the park – will design research projects that the park can
support, and will engage the community in citizen science.
• Sacajawea Audubon: Serving the Gallatin Valley since 1967, the organization is affiliated
with both the National Audubon Society and Montana Audubon. The mission of the
Sacajawea Audubon Society is to build on an interest in birds to promote the
conservation of the natural environment through enjoyment, education, and action. The
organization holds monthly programs with subject matter expert presentations on topics
relating to the local natural environment; fields trips; citizen science projects; and
outreach through newsletters, books groups, and their website. In this proposed project,
they will work with TPL to create educational nodes and carry out field trips, citizen
science, and expert talks in the park.
ii. Letters of Commitment
Attached to the proposal are current letters from the community organizations involved in this
project and in proposed activities. Letters of Commitment are included in the attachment
entitled “Supplemental Attachment _ Bozeman _ EPA Brownfield Cleanup.”
D. Partnerships with Workforce Development Programs
Construction of the park will begin in 2018 and the project will adhere to all City and State
contracting process and requirements, as well as utilize local contractors and suppliers wherever
possible. We also seek to involve partners that can help train and provide economic opportunity
to local community members. TPL works with Montana Conservation Corps youth crews on
weed management and future trail construction. We engage Montana State University students
in park design and restoration activities, as well as staying closely connected to neighborhood
176
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT Page 11 of 17
groups and local organizations on park design, development and environmental monitoring. An
example is an ongoing Story Mill Living Classroom project, which seeks to use the park as an
outdoor learning site.
4. PROJECT BENEFITS
A. Welfare, Environmental, and Public Health Benefits
The goal of Story Mill Community Park is to ensure that all people in rapidly urbanizing Bozeman
have close-to-home access to a park and nature. Parks are an essential element of healthy,
sustainable communities. This project and its outputs will have numerous short- and long-term
benefits. Related to the primary community challenges previously identified, the following
describes intended project outcomes and methods of measurement.
Welfare: Overall, this project seeks to address Environmental Justice issues and to provide other
social and wellbeing benefits. The new trails will lead people through the site with park benches
providing a stopping point for picnics and enjoyment. Interpretive signage will describe and
share the storied history of the Story Mill historic corridor from early development of the two
railroad lines to the colorful history of Nelson Story and the Story Mill industrial complex.
Community meetings and ongoing opportunities to provide input will help partners balance
between various competing interests, create park programming for the site and increase
resident’s sense of ownership and use of space.
Need Project Outcome Metric Method
Improve access
to safe and
accessible open
spaces
Expand access to
public open
space through
creation of park
∙ Acreage redeveloped
∙ Percentage of land converted
to public use
∙ Percentage of residents within
walking distance of recreation
lands
∙ Acres of parks per capita
Park planning and design
development tools.
Environment: Once the project site is cleaned, the area will be re-planted with native grasses and
the public will enjoy unfettered views to the restored and enhanced river corridor. Restored and
expanded wetlands have reconnected and restored floodplains, enhanced habitat for fish,
migratory birds and wildlife, provided water quality improvements, and created new recreation
and education opportunities associated with aquatic habitat. Broadly, through these benefits,
this project addresses the EPA’s "Protecting Water: A Precious, Limited Resource" environmental
priority.
Need Project Outcome Metric Method
Improve
environmental
conditions, and
contaminated
runoff
Reduce
contaminants
runoff from
structures into
soils and the river,
∙ Reduction of
soil/groundwater
contaminants
The City will work with TPL and
selected to consultants to ensure
contamination is properly addressed,
based upon the cleanup plan
∙ Amount of water Consultants on design of the park will
177
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT Page 12 of 17
management protect local
communities
from flooding,
and provide multi-
benefit, natural
solutions
this site would help
to infiltrate or
mitigate runoff
calculate intended benefit and to
integrate monitoring opportunities
Public Health: A network of compacted fine gravel trails will take visitors through the site for
park enjoyment, but will also provide important pedestrian transportation linkages between the
triangle parcel and the rest of the park, thereby increasing opportunities for active recreation.
Need Project Outcome Metric Method
Increase
opportunities for
recreation and
physical activity
Motivate use of
open space
through
redevelopment
and community
involvement
∙ Tracking at events
∙ Targeted Park use (including
park users' characteristics
such as gender and age,
physical activity levels, and
activity modes/types)
System for Observing Play
and Recreation in
Communities, a validated
direct observation tool
Improving health
outcomes, such
as obesity and
asthma
Provide more
entry points and
connected trails
through site; and
expand active
recreation and
transit options
∙ Incidence of asthma
∙ Reduced greenhouse gas
emissions (long-term tracking)
Local health data (data for
this provided by ESRI and
the Centers for Disease
Control)
B. Economic and Community Benefits
Story Mill Community Park will be the city’s largest nature park and a destination for adventure.
It will be an important site for both residents and visitors, and the park will connect people to
the rich agrarian heritage of the Gallatin Valley and the adjacent historic Story Mill, as well as the
site’s natural features and mountain context. Story Mill Community Park is a significant addition
to Bozeman’s park system offering active recreation, habitat restoration, and opportunities for
people to interact in an inspiring setting.
Once completed, this park will provide a gathering space where a broad audience can
interact with a shared natural history. Additionally, ensuring high quality design of this important
public space will not only improve functionality and aesthetics, but will provide a protected,
natural area, where the residents of all ages and backgrounds can connect with one another and
explore their shared natural and cultural heritage as a means of defining the present and future
character of the community. In addition, the diverse partnerships catalyzed through this process
will connect civic leaders, ecologists, historians, academics, and residents, which will lead to
ongoing and innovative work with this park as its context.
Moreover, the underlying priority of remediating and reusing contaminated properties
has also been identified by the EPA as a critical way to revitalize neighborhoods and increase
access to needed amenities in established communities. The effort to support quality of life,
through things like more green and open spaces, improved options for transportation and
178
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT Page 13 of 17
connectivity, and aesthetically-pleasing environmentally-beneficial infrastructure, particularly
paired with identifying locations for providing these through redevelopment of brownfields, are
also described by the EPA to be “smart growth economic development elements.”
This project will amplify recent investments in site restoration of the largest remaining
riparian-wetland area located in Bozeman’s urban core, providing important fisheries habitat
and water quality enhancements for the East Gallatin River, alongside improved fishing access to
a half mile of the East Gallatin River – a favorite in-town fishing corridor. This project offers a
rare and remarkable opportunity to combine fish habitat restoration with stream access and
multiple other community benefits in a city park setting.
The former slaughterhouse site will be developed with key park amenities including
trails, sitting areas, a small parking lot, and possibly an off-leash dog park that complements
development across the 60-acre park. Its location just east of the Northern Pacific rail-trail will
remain highly visible and easily accessed by park visitors. Adjacency to the Story Mill Spur Trail, a
vibrant community connector, allows ready pedestrian access from downtown Bozeman and
onward to other pedestrian trails connections to Gallatin National Forest trailheads. This
provides opportunities for historic interpretation of the Vollmer site geared towards park users
along the trail, as well as those who may venture beyond the trail into the site itself. This will
bring increased attention to the historic resource, providing a public park space within which to
explore opportunities to further convey the corridor’s significance through interpretive signage
and other elements. This is vital to the tourist industry and for attracting frequent and new
visitors to the site. Grant funding will transform a degraded eyesore into a vibrant community
resource along the most popular, in-town blue ribbon trout stream.
5. PROGRAMMATIC CAPABILITY AND PAST PERFORMANCE
A. Audit Findings
The City of Bozeman has had no adverse audit findings to report.
B. Programmatic Capability
The City of Bozeman has the necessary staff and capabilities to manage these types of cleanup,
redevelopment, and restoration projects. The City has highly experienced personnel, including a
city controller, engineering staff, landscape architect (who will serve as project manager) and
administrative staff that will also assist in grant administration and successful completion.
Carolyn Poissant, BS, MLA, MPA, AICP the City of Bozeman’s Manager of Trails, Open
Space and Parks Design and Development, serves as the City of Bozeman’s Story Mill Community
Park Project lead and project manager for the activities proposed here. Carolyn is a native of
Detroit, MI and obtained her Bachelor of Science and Master of Landscape Architecture degrees
from the University of Michigan. She has worked as a community and park planner for the cities
of Bozeman (MT), Ann Arbor (MI), Denver, Breckenridge, and Snowmass (CO), and Washoe
County (Reno, NV). She has performed NEPA planning work for the USFS and BLM and has
extensive experience designing and managing volunteer-built park and trail projects. Carolyn has
secured and administered over $15 million in federal, state, local and private foundation grants
over the course of her 30 years working in the public sector.
179
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT Page 14 of 17
As noted, The Trust for Public Land has a contract to manage the redevelopment of this
site as a public park. Proposed project activities – such as the contracting with the cleanup
consultants – will be managed by TPL’s local professional staff in coordination with City staff. TPL
Program Managers have extensive experience in developing and delivering major park
redevelopment projects around the country.
The project manager for TPL is Maddy Pope, project manager with the Northern Rockies
Team, who is leading the Story Mill Community Park project. Maddy's career with TPL spans
eighteen years, during which she has served in several capacities including Director of National
Outreach, founding Program Director for the Northern Rockies, Assistant Director of Federal
Projects, and Project Manager in the Northeast Region. In addition to project management,
much of Maddy's work has focused on building partnerships and working in communities,
including serving as field director for the national LWCF Coalition. A longtime resident of
Bozeman, MT, Maddy has served as a board member of Gallatin Valley Land Trust and the
Montana Outdoor Science School. She received her undergraduate degree in English Literature
from the University of Michigan, and a Master's degree in Forest Science from Yale University,
School of Forestry and Environmental Science.
C. Measuring Environmental Results: Anticipated Outputs/Outcomes
We will work with the Montana DEQ to complete an inspection to complete the abatement
process. We will be working with the selected environmental consultant to step us through this.
We will work with TPL and consultants to select key indicators and metrics, based upon the
cleanup plan and contaminant load reduction expectations.
As previously described, this project will impact environmental conditions, such as providing
enhanced water management and help to improve local water quality. Continued monitoring by
project partners is aimed at determining the scope and nature of the site’s habitat and water
quality problems and the effectiveness of restoration. Partners in monitoring include the City of
Bozeman, Greater Gallatin Watershed Council, Trout Unlimited, Montana Conservation Corps,
Gallatin Local Water Quality District, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, and
Montana State University.
In addition, TPL has been pursuing documentation in the form of surveys, workshop
reports, and photo journals, and will continue to use these methods and tools to document and
evaluate the project. Participant surveys will be used as part of engagement process. Project
partners will also track outreach methods, resources utilized, and participation (i.e., number of
meetings and attendance). This will be particularly useful when assessing community
involvement, aimed to evolve understanding and perceptions about brownfields. Especially with
this in mind, findings would help to develop best practices for, and catalyze future, brownfields
redevelopment.
D. Past Performance and Accomplishments
i. Has Not Received an EPA Brownfields Grant but has Received Other Assistance Agreements
The City of Bozeman has not received an EPA Brownfields Grant, but the City has experience
managing Federal grants. For these, the City is successfully managing this agreement and
meeting all reporting requirements. In most agreements, quarterly or semiannual reports and
final technical reports are required and completed. Within these, the City details work progress,
180
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT Page 15 of 17
lessons learned, next steps and changes planned, and spending reports. The City works closely
with program officers and partners to ensure successful project completion and grantor
organization mission delivery.
Examples of funding, similar in size, scope, and relevance to the proposed project,
include:
Grant Program and Award Outputs and Outcomes Workplan /Reporting
FHWA FLAP grant - $3.6M;
$675,000 COB match
Design & construction of
multi-use path, highway
underpass & associated
infrastructure
Handled mostly by FLAP;
ROW reimbursables
agreement managed by COB
Land & Water Conservation
Fund Grant - $125,000;
$125,000 COB match
Purchase and installation of
restroom/vending building &
wayfinding station
Quarterly progress reports
and final technical report
through MT State Parks
Additional Federal Grants:
Trust for Public Land in partnership with the City of Bozeman also partnered on an
application and, currently, management of a FY 2016 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
Our Town Grant. This $100,000 award for Story Mill Community Park provides funding for
community engagement around the design and creation of arts elements that will encourage
community gathering, learning, and interpretation.
181
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT Page 16 of 17
Primary project partners do have experience managing EPA Brownfields and other
Federal grants. TPL received a $200,000 FY 2017 EPA Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Grant for
an area-wide study that will look at strategies to redevelop a specific section along the Los
Angeles River, California, including efforts to reintroduce some the River’s natural features and
systems, while expanding upon prior investments, planning, and community involvement, and
respecting and incorporating the needs of current residents and businesses. TPL is successfully
managing this agreement and meeting all reporting requirements. In most agreements,
quarterly or semiannual reports and final technical reports are required and completed. Within
these, TPL details work progress, lessons learned, next steps and changes planned, and spending
reports. TPL also works closely with program officers to ensure successful project completion
and grantor organization mission delivery. Other Federal grants similar in size, scope, and
relevance to the proposed project are described next.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 8: Enhancing State and Tribal
Programs (ESTP) Wetland Program Grant. This two-year, $20,000 grant was awarded in
September 2014. This funding supported capacity building to protect and restore
wetlands, develop the site as a living classroom, and support groundwater monitoring, as
part of the Story Mill Community Park Restoration and Demonstration Project in
Bozeman, Montana.
• Sub-recipient Agreement between the City of New Orleans and TPL for HUD Community
Development Block Grant National Disaster Resilience Competition. TPL will receive
$650,000; the project period is June 2016 to 2018. TPL will complete the development of
the Climate-Smart Cities Decision Support Portal, as a key component of the City of New
Orleans’s National Disaster Resilience Competition award activities. This Decision
Support Portal will support an approach for funding green infrastructure within the
region, and TPL will also provide instructional materials on use of health data in
developing targeted strategies. TPL has provided all documentation required thus far and
will continue to complete tasks and report according to the terms of the contract.
• NOAA Coastal Resilience Networks Grant (CRest). This was a $410,000 grant; the grant
period was April 1, 2014 – March 31, 2016. This grant supported Green Infrastructure
and Coastal Protection pilot planning for Staten Island and Jamaica Bay. Activities
included research, development of a web-based green infrastructure planning and design
decision-support tool, and feasibility assessment of potential demonstration projects.
During the grant period, TPL had monthly meetings with NOAA staff to review progress
(task completion and spending). In early 2017, TPL submitted final reporting, completing
the project, expected outputs, and outcomes successfully and in a timely manner.
REFERENCES
Information from the following reports were used throughout this proposal:
• National Register of Historic Places—Section #8 Northern Pacific Story Mill Historic
District.
• Saunders, C. (2017). 17252, Staff Report for the Volmer [Vollmer- sp.] Slaughterhouse
Demolition Certification of Appropriateness.
• Strahn, DB. Historic Preservation Report Concerning Possible Adverse Impacts to the
182
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT Page 17 of 17
Historic Bozeman Milling Company Site.
• Strahn, DB. Preserving the Northern Pacific/Story Mill Historic District.
• Respec Consulting & Services. (2015). Story Mill Ecological Restoration Phase I
Construction Photo Journal Summary.
• Story Mill Community Park: Linking Natural Resources, Cultural Heritage and Adventure.
Idaho Montana ASLA Awards.
• Vollmer & Sons Slaughterhouse Complex (Site Number 24GA). Montana Historic Property
Record. From Intrinsik’s 2017 1869 Story Mill Road Report.
Letters of Support being requested from: Greater Gallatin Water Quality District, The Trust for
Public Land, Sacajawea Chapter of Audubon Society, MT Dept. of Environmental Quality
183
THE CITY OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA
DRAFT RESPONSE TO FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITY EPA-OLEM-OBLR-17-09:
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY BROWNFIELDS CLEANUP GRANTS
VOLLMER SLAUGHTERHOUSE SITE IN STORY MILL COMMUNITY PARK
Page 1 of 4
DRAFT ANALYSIS OF BROWNFIELDS CLEANUP ALTERNATIVES (ABCA)
Contaminated Soil Site: Vollmer Slaughterhouse Site at Story Mill Community Park
Approximate Address: 1869 Story Mill Road, Bozeman, Montana 59715
The ABCA: This document is prepared as a brief preliminary document, to be finalized as an EPA
Brownfield Cleanup Grant programmatic activity.
I. Introduction & Background
a. Site Location (address): 1869 Story Mill Road, Bozeman, Montana 59715
b. Previous Site Use(s) and any previous cleanup/remediation
The 5.69-acre brownfields property of focus for this proposal is just south of the intersection of
the Story Mill Spur Trail and Story Mill Road along the East Gallatin River. Two former railroad
spurs, associated with the Northern Pacific Railway and Milwaukee Railroad, form the
southeast and west boundaries of the triangular-shaped property, respectively. The site is
currently the location of a complex comprised of two buildings, a former rendering plant and
slaughterhouse, which have been neglected for years with little or no maintenance, thereby
leaving them in their current dilapidated state.
The complex – which includes the first modern slaughterhouse complex in the area – was
constructed in 1938 to house a small beef and hog slaughterhouse operation. Centered across
the fertile lands of Gallatin Valley, the region’s livestock industry produced meat for local
consumption as well as live animals for shipment to feedlots and slaughterhouses elsewhere.
The location was partly selected because the nearby East Gallatin River could be used to
dispose of blood from the slaughtered animals. The facility was expanded after World War II
and remained in operation until the 1970s. The complex has been unused and largely
abandoned in the years since.
Areas of the property not covered by buildings are vegetated with wetland plants, grasses,
shrubs, and trees. Other portions of the triangle parcel has undergone restoration. A large park
restoration project constructed during 2014-2016 restored and expanded wetlands, re-
connected floodplains, enhanced habitat for fish, migratory birds and wildlife, provided water
quality improvements, and created new recreation and education opportunities associated
with aquatic habitat. Due to historical land uses, coupled with rapidly increasing population
growth, the current contamination and declining quality of resources remain a paramount
concern.
184
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT ABCA DRAFT Page 2 of 4
c. Site Assessment Findings
Several environmental investigations have taken place. Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site
Assessments have been completed for this site in 2012 and updated in 2014 (Tetra Tech Project
No. 114-560467). A “Building Inspections of Structures on L Street Parcel, Turner/Griffen Parcel,
and Henderson Parcel; Story Mill Property, Bozeman, Montana” was completed in 2012 by
Nishkian Monks for The Trust for Public Land. An Asbestos Inspection Report for the Vollmer
Complex Rendering Plant and Slaughter House was conducted for the City of Bozeman in
September 2017 by Environmental Solutions.
Historic Preservation Reports have also been conducted by noted Historic Preservation
Consultants, including a 2017 field inventory and historic resources survey completed by
Renewable Technologies, Inc. as an update to the Montana Historic Public Record. Reports
found that “because the adaptive reuse of this property has far greater value than the
preservation of these insignificant reminders of past operations on the site, the demolition and
removal of these resources is justifiable.” A Sketch Plan/COA/Demo Application for the
Demolition of Two Structures in a Historic District was completed for this site by Instrinsik
Architecture in May 2017 to support an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the
demolition of the buildings. The City of Bozeman approved this Certificate of Appropriateness.
d. Project Goal (site reuse plan)
The planned reuse for the site is a flagship public park. Story Mill Community Park is a
prioritized site for healthful redevelopment due to its importance to the community, its
immense environmental value, and the urgent opportunity to incorporate education into the
enjoyment of this park site from the beginning of the process.
II. Applicable Regulations and Cleanup Standards
a. Cleanup Oversight Responsibility
Cleanup will be overseen by The City of Bozeman, The Trust for Public Land, and a consultant
hired to manage the cleanup contractor and activities.
b. Cleanup Standards for major contaminants
Federal and state standards will be used as the cleanup standards for this site.
c. Laws & Regulations Applicable to the Cleanup
Federal and state laws will guide remediation of the site. Additional laws and regulations that
are applicable to this cleanup include the Federal Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields
Revitalization Act, the Federal Davis-Bacon Act, state environmental law, and city by-laws.
Activities will also take place in accordance with the Montana Department of Environmental
Quality, the Montana Department of Public Health, the USEPA National Emissions Standards for
Hazardous Air Pollutants, and city regulations and requirements.
185
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT ABCA DRAFT Page 3 of 4
Federal (40 CFR 30 and 31.36), state, and local laws regarding procurement of contractors to
conduct the cleanup will be followed. In addition, all appropriate permits will be obtained prior
to the work commencing.
III. Evaluation of Cleanup Alternatives
a. Cleanup Alternatives Considered
To address contamination at the Site, the following alternatives are considered, including
Alternative #1: No Action, Alternative #2: Repair, and Alternative #3: Demolition and
Redevelopment. These alternatives are also described in an investigation findings report
completed in May 2017 by Instrinsik, “1869 Story Mill Road: Sketch Plan/COA/Demo
Application for the Demolition of Two Structures in a Historic District.”
b. Cost Estimate of Cleanup Alternatives
To satisfy EPA requirements, the effectiveness, implementability, and cost of each alternative is
considered prior to selecting a recommended cleanup alternative.
Effectiveness
- Alternative #1: No Action is not effective in controlling or preventing the exposure to
contamination at the site.
- Alternative #2: Repair would involve all activities required to bring the structures to
current standards.
- Alternative #3: Demolition and Redevelopment would effectively address current
contamination, and would also provide restored and expanded wetlands, re-connected
floodplains, enhanced habitat for fish, migratory birds and wildlife, provided water
quality improvements, and created new recreation and education opportunities.
Implementability
- Alternative #1: No Action is easy to implement since no actions will be conducted.
- Alternative #2: Repair would be the most difficult option to implement. Major items to
be repaired include: stabilizing foundations, new roofing, new interior wall and finishes,
new electric system, new mechanical systems, site improvements including a new
bridge for safe access and water and sewer services to the site. These activities would
also need to address contamination.
- Alternative #3: Demolition and Redevelopment will require offsite disposal, which is
considered moderately difficult to implement. Coordination (e.g., dust suppression and
monitoring) during cleanup activities and short-term disturbance to the community
(e.g., trucks transporting contaminated soils and backfill) are anticipated. However,
ongoing monitoring and maintenance will not be required following excavation and
offsite disposal.
Cost
- Alternative #1: There will be no costs for no activities.
186
City of Bozeman // EPA Brownfields Cleanup Proposal DRAFT ABCA DRAFT Page 4 of 4
- Alternative #2: Estimated costs are approximately $2,917,500 (note: this estimate does
not include costs to address contaminants). The cost of repair exceeds both the value of
the structures and the costs of Alternative 3.
- Alternative #3: Estimated costs are $2,424,500 (the proposal requests funding for the
cleanup portions of these costs. Redevelopment and restoration will be funded
separately, through leveraged funds).
c. Recommended Cleanup Alternative
To address contamination at the Site, and considering the effectiveness, implementability, and
cost, the recommended alternative is Alternative 3: Demo & Redevelopment.
187