HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-06-17 Public Comment - L. Kirk - Strategic Plan Lisa Bithell Kirk
227 East Olive Street
lisakirk@enviromininc.com
Honorable Mayor Carson and City Commissioners,
The Draft Strategic Plan is impressive. There is no question that a clear strategic vision is
needed to guide public policy, and I thank the commission for seeing this through. I'm just sorry
that I saw it for the first time this week, and that I missed the two prior opportunities for the
community to provide input.
Along with many residents, we participated in development of the Strategic Plan, casting our
red, green, yellow and blue tiddlywink votes to shape this policy, summer before last. But since
then, this plan disappeared from the spotlight...it was probably quietly noticed on your agenda
and on the back page of the Thursday paper, which as most of Bozeman now knows, I typically
don't read. It just seems odd -so little has been said about this, I wonder if anyone did
comment. It seems hard to believe, focused as we have been on offering comment about the
strategic vision of this community, that this plan just slid by us. Once again, similar to 2015
NCOD changes, strategic partners—informed and involved citizens— in your words, "have not
been included in the draft". That's seems to disagree not only with your plans for transparent
stakeholder engagement but also with the strategic plan itself. After all, your plans to engage
community, increase interaction, and invite "strangers" into discussions and decision making
will all be for not - if the public is unaware of opportunities to provide input. Perhaps we all
need a specific primer on how this actually works?
My concerns about the strategic plan focus less on what is included than on what is missing. If
it is still possible, I ask you to consider including the concerns of the community about growth
impacts on neighborhoods, and historic preservation, in your final strategy. Actions to develop
and align infill policies appear to specifically ignore the needs of neighborhoods and historic
preservation. The UDC revision objectives likewise fail to specifically address the preservation
of historic resources, which are the economic engine fueling Bozeman's economy. The stated
goal of"updating" the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District is to "promote investment
in historic structures relative to ongoing infill and redevelopment", not to ensure their
continued protection. Provision of adequate parking is identified as a goal to develop a vibrant
downtown, but not for residential neighborhoods. The plan identifies the need to provide for a
sustainable environment, seeking to ensure availability of water resources, rather than
considering limited growth within sustainable resource thresholds.
The Draft Strategic Plan speaks to Overfill, not Infill —and I ask that you revise it accordingly.