HomeMy WebLinkAboutPlanning Board health memo June 25MEMO
TO: Bozeman Planning Board
FROM: Cathy Costakis & Jen Madgic
RE: Growth Policy Amendments, Public Health and Equity
DATE: June 25, 2020
Please consider the following text amendments to the June 16 draft Growth Policy:
Introduction
Page 6, 5th paragraph, 3rd sentence
Its measure of success is continuation of the Bozeman tradition—flourishing, safe, and
healthy—and a vibrant place to residelive, work, build a business, and raise a family.
01 Basics
Page 10, Transportation
Bozeman residents have access to a range of transportation options, including: an
extensive sidewalk and trail system,; the six citywide routes offered by Streamline Bus
service,; Skyline Bus service to Big Sky,; Galavan transportation service for seniors and
disabled individuals people with disabilities,; taxi service and rideshare,; and the bike
network, which consists of 18 miles of bike routes, 33 miles of bike lanes, and 23 miles
of shared-use paths.
Page 15, Principles Applied in this Plan
Move up the 6th bullet to the 1st bullet and edit as follows:
• The City intends to create a healthy, safe, resilient, and sustainable community by
incorporating a holistic approach to the design, construction, and operation of buildings,
neighborhoods, and the City as a whole. Developments should contribute to these goals
and be integrated into their neighborhood and the larger community.
Page 16, Housing Affordability
Housing affordability is a critical issue for the community and has been an ongoing
concern since it was identified as an issue in the 1972 community master plan. Housing
instability and homelessness are serious public health issues and are exacerbated by the
rapid rise in housing prices and the recent economic stress caused by the Covid-19
pandemic.
The positive attributes that make Bozeman a desirable place to live contributed to ever-
increasing housing demand. The sale price of homes has more than fully recovered from
the 2008 recession for all housing types. The median sale price of homes, including
single-households, townhomes and condominiums, has increased 75% since 2012. This
is an average increase of almost 10% per year.
02 Themes
Page 18, Theme 1 A City of Neighborhoods
Our City desires to be diverse, healthy, and inclusive, defined by our vibrant
neighborhoods, quality housing, walkability, excellent schools, numerous parks and
trails, and thriving areas of commerce. The idea is to promote walking or short
commutes to things in life we value and depend on including jobs, schools, places of
worship, friends, goods and services, open spaces, trails, appropriately scaled urban
agriculture such as community gardens, and more.
Theme 3 A City Influenced by our Natural Environment, Parks, and Open Space
Page 24
EPO-1.3. Incorporate unique and inclusive recreational and artistic elements into parks.
EPO-1.4. Research and implement multi-use features within parks to promote increased
use and visitation. Ensure parks are connected to multi-modal transportation options
and accessible for people with disabilities.
Theme 4 A City that Prioritizes Accessibility and Mobility Choices
Page 27, Importance
Second sentence
Transportation systems impact the following: 1) livability (in terms of traffic congestion,
but also noise, pollution, physical activity, accessibility, safety, and aesthetics); 2)
affordability (after housing, transportation is the second largest expense for most
households); and 3) sustainability (transportation accounted for more than one third of
Bozeman’s 2016 greenhouse gas emissions).