HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-05-20 Public Comment - L. Easton Green AlleysJanuary 5, 2020
Lisa Easton
514 North Tracy Avenue
Bozeman, MT 59715
City of Bozeman Planning Board
20 East Olive Street
Bozeman, MT 59715
To the Members of the City of Bozeman Planning Board:
I am writing to the Board to advocate for planning measures and incentives that will support
Bozeman’s adoption of green infrastructure in its downtown and neighborhood alleyways. “Green
alleys” projects offer cities opportunities to re-invent alleys as multipurpose urban spaces that benefit
people, neighborhoods, and the environment. This idea is not new or original; green alleys and
templates for their success have been created in many US cities such as Seattle, Detroit, Chicago, Los
Angeles and Austin, and have found strong support from organizations such as the Trust For Public
Land.
Infrastructure elements common to most green alleys are permeable surfaces and the addition of
appropriate vegetation: elements that help to manage storm water, increase climate resiliency, and
enhance community health while maintaining safe passage of vehicles and municipal services. I am
grateful that the City of Bozeman is increasingly implementing green strategies to support a sustainable
future. It’s my hope that green alley projects can be added to the City’s list of innovations.
Re-imagining Bozeman’s alleys as neighborhood assets may be a powerful tool to increase community
engagement, as well. Residents- whether homeowners or renters- who work together to improve these
shared spaces, have opportunities to interact positively, take collective action to address climate change
and other pressures, learn together, and beautify their neighborhood.
I believe green alley projects can enhance and support the City of Bozeman’s Community Plan and its
themes, particularly Theme 3: A CITY INFLUENCED BY OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT,
PARKS, AND OPEN SPACE. This theme acknowledges the critical importance of the availability of
water in the face of development and climate change. It also recognizes that Bozeman residents assign
value to the natural environment as a factor in our quality of life. Specifically, green alley projects can
bolster goals outlined in Theme 3:
Goal EPO-3.3 Support water conservation, use of native plants in landscaping, and development
of water reuse systems.
Green alleys offer Bozeman a low impact means of recharging our water supply and reducing
stormwater runoff and its negative impacts on local waterways. Residents may also choose to
collectively create resilient, water-wise native plantings in alleys where appropriate, inviting beneficial
insects and birds into their residential environment.
Goal EPO-3.9 Integrate climate change considerations in development standards.
Integrating green alley initiatives into development standards will incentivize developers and residents
to take on green alley projects in their neighborhoods and assist with meeting Goal EPO-3.9. This
effort likely requires a wider choice of options for paved surfaces be approved for use in the City and
the thoughtful input of City experts/leaders in engineering, forestry, planning, and water management..
Additional goals addressed through the adoption of green alley projects are:
Goal EPO-2: Address climate change in the City’s plans and operations.
Green alleys in urban areas are expected to play important roles in creating climate resilience and
healthier spaces by providing shade, cooler temperatures, improved air quality, and the preservation of
urban habitat for plants, birds and pollinators.
Goal EPO-4: Promote uses of the natural environment that maintain and improve habitat, water
quantity, and water quality, while giving due consideration to the impact of these regulations on
economic viability.
The Bozeman community has repeatedly demonstrated its support of the values stated in Goal EPO-4,
from individual contributions large and small for projects that preserve open space and habitat (ex:
Story Mill Community Park, Indreland Wetlands Project) to ballot measures (ex: Trails, Open Space
and Parks Bond). Green alleys can provide residents with an additional, hands-on means to express
these values in their immediate environment. My research on green alley projects indicates that funding
for green infrastructure can come from diverse sources, and is available in Montana through grants and
donations from local and national sources.
The “Guiding Principles” of Bozeman’s Downtown Improvement Plan also encourage greater
attention to alleys, such as the activation of alleys as part of a “multi-modal network” supporting
walkability and accessibility. Green Alley concepts will support the plan’s stated goal of “highlight[ing]
nature whenever possible...[and] strengthening amenities that are unique to Bozeman.”
My motivations for supplying these comments to the Planning Board stem from my compelling need to
address climate change with concrete steps in my community, from my discovery of the vibrancy and
commitment to community in my own Bozeman neighborhood, and from my trust in the thoughtful and
considered actions and processes undertaken by the City to address residents’ concerns in the face of
challenges we must address together.
I respectfully ask the Planning Board to explore the concept of green alley plans in Bozeman. I have
encountered practical and thoughtful materials in my research and would be pleased to share these with
the Board. My wish is to use guidelines and concepts from successful green alley projects to fund and
create a demonstration project in northeast Bozeman in the near future. I welcome any opportunities to
interact with members and planning staff on this topic. I also hope the Board will encourage my efforts
by facilitating access to City department leaders and others whose expertise and approval will be
necessary.
Respectfully Yours,
Lisa Easton