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Home My WebLink About180914_Bozeman_Phase1_OutreachSummary_PlanningBoard BOZEMANMT COMMUNITY PLAN UPDATE PHASE 1: FOUNDATION | OUTREACH SUMMARY | 1 BOZEMANMT COMMUNITY PLAN PHASE 1: FOUNDATION | OUTREACH SUMMARY 14 September 2018, DRAFT FOR PLANNING BOARD Background What is the Community Plan and what is its purpose? Imagine what Bozeman will look and feel like in twenty years. How will the community accept a large increase of residents? How will transportation be addressed? Will we grow upward or outward in relation to density? What will Bozeman be known for? The Community Plan builds on the overarching vision and vision statements within the Strategic Plan and specifically guides land use planning decisions. A high rate of development, changing economic conditions, and maturing nearby communities make it necessary to update the Plan and through its process, identify the community supported answers to those questions above. Notification The public was notified of community events and opportunities to provide input through a number of different marketing efforts. Numerous methods were used to spread the word of Planning Week, including: social media outlets, including the City’s existing Facebook and Twitter accounts; postcards at highly trafficked locations and events; printed flyers throughout the community; the City’s website and event calendar. Members of the City Commission, Planning Board, other City boards and commissions, community development staff, and planning and development professionals received notification via direct email. Small Group Listening Session #1 at Clark’s Fork Small Group Listening Session #2 at City Brew BOZEMANMT COMMUNITY PLAN UPDATE PHASE 1: FOUNDATION | OUTREACH SUMMARY | 2 Getting the Community Involved The process of updating the Community Plan requires collaboration on many levels and begins with the Foundation Phase. This phase included a number of events as listed below. Between all of these events, approximately 360 people were able to participate. Small Group Listening Session #3 at Fork and Spoon Community Ice Cream Social at Dinosaur Park Date Name Event & Location 8/6/2018 One-on-One Interviews #1 Community Development, 20 E Olive St 8/6/2018 Small Group Listening Session #1 Clark's Fork, 1262 Stoneridge Dr 8/7/2018 Planning Board Meeting #1 City Hall, Commission Chambers, 121 N Rouse Ave 8/7/2018 One-on-One Interviews #2 Community Development, 20 E Olive St 8/8/2018 Community Development Staff Meeting #1 Community Development, 20 E Olive St 8/8/2018 Small Group Listening Session #2 City Brew, 906 N 7th Ave 8/8/2018 Small Group Listening Session #3 Fork and Spoon, 302 N 7th Ave 8/8/2018 Community Ice Cream Social (Hardcopy Survey) Dinosaur Park/Fire Station #3, 1707 Vaquero Pkwy 8/9/2018 Small Group Listening Session #4 Highgate Senior Living, 2219 W Oak St 8/9/2018 One-on-One Interviews #3 Community Development, 20 E Olive St 8/31/2018 Online Questionnaire #1 https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4470818/Bozeman -Community-Plan-Questionnaire-1 BOZEMANMT COMMUNITY PLAN UPDATE PHASE 1: FOUNDATION | OUTREACH SUMMARY | 3 Who We Have Heard From At each one-on-one interview, group listening session, community event, and within the questionnaire, attendees were asked to respond to key demographic questions in order to track general response rates comparing residency, location, and age. Are you a resident of Bozeman or do you work in Bozeman? Nearly 80% of respondents stated that they live and work in Bozeman. What is the general location of your neighborhood and/or business? The areas in the Northeast, Northwest, and Southeast were equally represented, each at approximately 27% to 28% of participants with the Southwest and outside of Bozeman consisting of around 9% of respondents. BOZEMANMT COMMUNITY PLAN UPDATE PHASE 1: FOUNDATION | OUTREACH SUMMARY | 4 How long have you lived in Gallatin County? Residents living in Gallatin County between 11 and 20 years represented 24% of all respondents. What is your age? The three age groups between 30-39, 40-49, and 50-59 represented 66% of all participants with the largest of those groups being the 30-39 age group at 26.4%. BOZEMANMT COMMUNITY PLAN UPDATE PHASE 1: FOUNDATION | OUTREACH SUMMARY | 5 What is the best way to reach the Bozeman community during the plan development process? Respondents indicated that online surveys, community events, and social media were the best ways to get in touch with the community. BOZEMANMT COMMUNITY PLAN UPDATE PHASE 1: FOUNDATION | OUTREACH SUMMARY | 6 Overall Summary One of the goals of this phase was to gather information about what the community wants Bozeman to look like in the future, along with areas where the community currently excels and also where the community needs to improve. Why do you think planning is important for the future? The most popular answers related to; 1) thoughtful growth patterns, 2) the preservation of open lands, 3) community character and 3) sustainability. What do you LOVE most about Bozeman? The outdoor lifestyle was the number one answer by a significant margin, followed by quality of life, small town feel, downtown, and parks & recreation. Top 10 List (LOVES) 1. Outdoor Lifestyle 2. Small Town Feel 3. Quality of Life 4. Downtown 5. Parks & Recreation 6. Schools 7. Family-Friendly 8. The People 9. Bike/Trail Network 10. Public Transportation BOZEMANMT COMMUNITY PLAN UPDATE PHASE 1: FOUNDATION | OUTREACH SUMMARY | 7 What would you like to IMPROVE about Bozeman in the future? Respondents indicated that Bozeman should improve on the preservation of farmland and open space, develop a multimodal transportation network, increase walkability, and diversify the housing stock. Land use integration & compatibility along with redevelopment through infill and revitalization were also frequently mentioned. Top 11 List (IMPROVES) 1. Multimodal Transportation 2. Preserve Farmland and Open Space 3. Housing Affordability 4. Walkability 5. Quality of Design 6. Land Use Integration and Compatibility 7. Infill and Revitalization 8. Diversify Job Sectors 9. Grow Workforce 10. Address City Boundaries 11. Retain Talent BOZEMANMT COMMUNITY PLAN UPDATE PHASE 1: FOUNDATION | OUTREACH SUMMARY | 8 In 2040, Bozeman will be… Participants envisioned a much bigger, high-tech city in 2040 that has affordable housing options and a multimodal transportation system. Concerns of congestion, suburban sprawl, and high housing costs were indicated as well. Top 10 List (2040) 1. Congested 2. Multimodal Transportation 3. More Affordable 4. Small Town Feel 5. High Quality of Life 6. Controlled Growth 7. Expensive 8. Sprawled 9. Dense 10. Well Preserved BOZEMANMT COMMUNITY PLAN UPDATE PHASE 1: FOUNDATION | OUTREACH SUMMARY | 9 Key Takeaways from Phase 1 Residents of Bozeman are very passionate about their home and take pride in the small town feel and outdoor lifestyle that Bozeman provides. Bozeman is considered to be very family-friendly and offers a high quality of life with a great trail network for outdoor enthusiasts and every day travel. While the community had many great things to say about Bozeman, a large portion of the concerns centered on the efficiency and service of the current transit system; housing affordability; the long-term preservation of open space; the workforce, and the need to address city boundaries. In 2040, residents imagined Bozeman to be much larger, but have a multimodal transportation system, diverse, and affordable while maintaining the small-town feel that it has today. Some participants noted concern that the City would become too congested, unfriendly, and sprawled out due to the projected growth. While each of these takeaways reflect community strengths, weaknesses, and vision for the future as discussed by the community, it is important to consider that the City has complete jurisdiction over only select elements. Key to the success of this Community Plan will be to identify the City’s role as an implementing, influencing or partnering with other municipalities to address these improvements.