HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-23-23 Public Comment - L. McLane, Gallatin Watershed Council - Gallatin Watershed Council Comment on the Draft PRAT PlanFrom:Lilly McLane
To:Addi Jadin
Cc:Mitchell Overton; dangie@me.com; Agenda; Holly Hill
Subject:Gallatin Watershed Council Comment on the Draft PRAT Plan
Date:Thursday, February 23, 2023 11:40:16 AM
Attachments:Gallatin Watershed Council PRAT Comment to UPFB 2_23_23.pdf
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Addi,
Please see the attached Gallatin Watershed Council comment on the Draft PRAT Plan. Thank
you for the opportunity to provide feedback and collaborate on water stewardship. I will send
an annotated Draft PRAT Plan in a follow up email, since it is a large file and will be coming
through as a google drive link.
Thank you,
Lilly McLane
Gallatin Watershed Council // Restoration Director
2023 COMPREHENSIVE
PARKS, RECREATION, AND
ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
PLAN
Report DRAFT
November 2022
City of bozeman
Acknowledgments
Organization
Name
Name
Name
Organization
Name
Name
Name
Organization
Name
Name
Name
Organization
Name
Name
Name
Agency Landscape + Planning | Berry Dunn | Sanderson Stewart |
Alta Planning | Groundprint | ETC Institute
will be updated
Contents
introduction
Relationships to Other Planning Efforts/Projects
plan process
state of the system
Bozeman Prat Vision
goal 1
goal 2
goal 3
goal 4
goal 5
How do we get there?
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A unique natural setting
a fast-growing micropolitan city
history of the park system
From prost to prat
relationships to past plans
previous prost plan
transportation planning (TMP)
alignment with udc processin this chapter1. introduction
5
Nested in the Rocky Mountains
of Montana, Bozeman, a city of
nearly 50,000 people as of the
2020 Census, is one of the fastest
growing micropolitan areas in
the country. The city includes a
vibrant historic downtown, is
home to Montana State University,
and serves as a gateway to the
wonders of Yellowstone National
Park and other natural areas.
In addition, the city boasts its
own recreational elements,
programs, facilities, open spaces
and trails, all of which contribute
to the vision embodied by the
City’s slogan: “The Most Livable
Place”. In fact, its high quality of
life, vibrant cultural elements,
access to nature, and recreational
opportunities attract new
residents at a rate that is putting
Bozeman on the trajectory of
becoming Montana’s third largest
city by 2025.
A unique natural
setting
Bozeman is situated within the
Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem,
which is the largest intact
ecosystem in the continental
United States. It is at the foothills
of many environmentally sensitive
areas, with the Bridger Mountains
to the northeast and Gallatin
National Forest to the south. A 90
mile drive southeast of the city
center takes one to Yellowstone
National Park. Established in 1872
Bozeman is one of the fastest growing cities of its size in the nation.
as the country’s first national
park, Yellowstone attracts an
average of 4 million visitors
annually, many of which use
Bozeman as their home base to
access the park. The park serves
as an important sanctuary for
the largest concentration of
wildlife in the lower 48 states,
which includes elk, bison, grizzly
bears, and nearly 300 bird species.
Directly south of city limits is
the 1.8-million acre Gallatin
National Forest which is home to
four federally listed threatened
species: the grizzly bear, gray wolf,
bald eagle, and the Canada Lynx.
Bozeman’s location near these
ecological sanctuaries cements
its identity as a city co-existing
with nature.
Bozeman is at a unique
hydrological setting: the city
is situated at the headwaters
of the drainage of the Missouri
River Basin. This means that all
precipitation flows away from the
city. Numerous rivers, streams
and irrigation canals transverse
Bozeman, mostly in a north-
south direction. Primary rivers
in the Bozeman area include the
Gallatin, Madison, Missouri,
Yellowstone and Jefferson. These
rivers, creeks and streams host
different habitats, scenic views,
and a diverse population. Due to
their excellent recreational value,
these water bodies have greatly
influenced the location of parks,
open spaces, and trails.
A fast-growing micropolitan city
Bozeman is one of the fastest
growing cities of its size in the
nation: the population has grown
by 43% in the past decade. Cities
that are experiencing similar
trends or challenges as Bozeman,
known as “peer cities” include Fort
Collins, Missoula, and Helena. In
contrast, these cities have grown
by 20% or less in the past decade,
with the exception of Bend, OR
which has grown by 29%. Bozeman
and the greater Bozeman area
are projected to keep growing
at an annual rate of about 3% to
reach more than 200,000 people
by 2040. According to the 2019 City
of Bozeman Community Housing
Needs Assessment, as of 2017 27%
of owner households were single-
occupant, compared to 37% of
renters households. A majority
(41%) of owned households were
2-persons. There is also a high
percentage of roomate occupancy,
contribution to a large percentage
of over 3-persons households (33%
6
for owners and 29% for renters).
Bozeman’s population is young
compared to the rest of the state,
with the city’s median age at 27.4
years old, compared to 40.1 years
old statewide. Given its younger
population, and the presence of
Montana State University, most of
the population is single with 64%
of residents filing as such, almost
twice as much as the state’s
average. The city is not as diverse
as its peer cities, with 92.1% of the
population identifying as white.
During and following the Covid-19
pandemic, many people relocated
to Bozeman from urban areas
across the country in search of
more space, access to recreation
and proximity to nature, making
Bozeman an ideal place. While
growth is bringing opportunities
for investment, its rapid pace puts
pressure on the natural system
and recreation areas. The timing
of this update highlights the need
for a proactive planning approach
to maintain Bozeman’s high
access and use of park spaces and
recreation services.
History of the park system
In May of 1883, the same year
Bozeman became an official
town, the City added a street
grid of 52 blocks south and west
of city limits. Investors set aside
two blocks as a public park. The
park was named Cooper Park,
after one of the investors, and
was a popular spot for picnics in
the summer. Other early parks
include Southside Park, Lindley
Park and Bogert Park, which
were added to the park system
in the 1920’s. The land of what
is now Bogert Park (originally
Bogert Grove Park) was originally
purchased by the City as a tourist
park following its past use as
a favorite overnight camping
location during community events
like the Bozeman Roundup.
Following the purchase, the park
quickly became a popular spot for
locals to picnic and host Boy Scout
gatherings.
Recreation programs began the
same decade when Eva Pack
became the City’s first playground
supervisor at Beall Park in
1929. She worked at the park
during the summer months and
served as Athletic Director for
Montana State College during the
Figure 1.1 Rec Mobile Program
7
Figure 1.3 Cooper Park, the City’s first public park.
Figure 1.4 Bogert Park is an early addition to the City’s park system but
still serves as a hub today hosting community events.
Figure 1.2 Bird’s eye view of the city of Bozeman, Gallatin County with
approximate boundary of its historic core.
school year. Early recreational
programs at Beall park included
playgrounds, tennis, picnic
grounds, a bandstand for music
in the summer and an ice skating
rink in the winter. In the 1950’s,
the City planned for a park and
recreation department with a
professional recreation director
and a park maintenance crew.
The 1958 City Plan listed a variety
of seasonal activities, including
swimming, baseball, and special
activities during summer months,
and ice skating, sledding, and
dancing in the winter.
In the 1960’s, community service
groups and the City Recreation
Board began promoting the
idea of a new indoor-outdoor
swimming pool. Support for
the idea was plentiful but costs
escalated, inhibiting the proposal
until a bond passed in 1974. The
Bozeman Swim Center opened
to the public in 1975. The center
closed temporarily in May 2022
to make necessary repairs to
the building’s structure. These
repairs are expected to wrap up at
the end of 2022.
As of 2022, the city’s system
includes over 1,000 acres of
parkland and 79 miles of natural
trails. Residents have the
option to participate in a vast
variety of seasonal recreational
programming, including art
classes, nature-based activities,
athletic offerings, ice skating,
sledding, volleyball, and various
indoor classes.
8
From PROST to PRAT
Bozeman, like many other peer
cities, is grappling with fast
population growth, a changing
climate with warmer winters
and drier summers, and a
higher risk of environmental
disasters. The City aims to
assess and plan to address
these issues while recognizing
the importance of racial equity,
inclusion and environmental
sustainability within its parks,
trails, and recreation centers
and programs. This document
is part of its mission to continue
its high standard for quality of
life through a safe, welcoming
and connected parks and trails
system.
The City’s most current plan
is the 2007 Parks, Recreation,
Open Space and Trails (“PROST”)
Plan which has guided the
creation of numerous trails and
has helped elevate the role of
parks, recreation programs, and
facilities in maintaining the
City’s quality of life. However, as
Bozeman’s population continues
to grow and diversify, the City’s
parks and recreational facilities
will face more pressure from
increased usage. The City and
its residents want to ensure
that it maintains the quality
elements, natural resources,
and recreational opportunities
that continue to draw people in.
Bozeman’s parks, open spaces,
and trails are important in
realizing this vision.
This plan also brings an active
transportation emphasis into
the world of parks, recreation,
and open space, including the
full network of trails from
Trails
Roads
Railroad
City Boundary
Growth Boundary
Streams
Lakes & Reservoirs
Parks
Open Space
Future Parks
Planning Area
Figure 1.5 Bozeman trails are an asset to connect the community
9Figure 1.6 The planning area and its context
Streams
Lakes & Reservoirs
Parks
Open Space
Future Parks
Downtown
Bozeman
MSU
Growth Boundary
0 0.5 1 mile N
Planning Area
10
gravel paths to on-street bike
facilities. This shift recognizes
the community’s shifting values
around transportation and
recreation, and the need to create
greater connectivity between
park assets and places across the
city. In 2012, voters approved a $15
million Trails, Open Space and
Parks (TOP) bond program which
has so far increased parkland
by 145 acres and added 3 miles of
trails. Additionally, in 2020, at the
outset of the COVID pandemic,
residents voted overwhelmingly
in favor of the Parks and Trails
District to address park and trails
maintenance in the City.
This document first aims to
understand and inventory
the existing system of
parks, recreation and active
transportation. This assessment
informs a set of recommendations
to enhance current elements for
all Bozeman citizens, as well
as guide the future expansion
and evolution of the system to
meet the needs of a growing and
changing community.
Relationships to Other Planning Efforts/Projects
Previous PROST Plan
Adopted December 17, 2007, the
City of Bozeman’s current Parks,
Recreation, Open Space and
Trails (“PROST”) Plan provides
a framework for integrating
existing facilities and programs,
Figure 1.7 Main Street and Downtown Bozeman
What is the Parks and Trails District?
In 2020, residents voted to
create a parks and trails
district. This district
provides a dedicated source
of funding for maintaining
and improving our City’s
parks and trails. One of
the key components of the
District is authorization
for the City to annually levy
assessments to provide for
maintenance of all City-
owned or managed parks
and trails.
This means that every
penny that goes into the
Parks & Trails District
will be spent on parks
and trails in the Bozeman
community. It also ensures
that the these publicly
accessible spaces are
maintained consistently
acorss the CIty.
11
while further developing a system
of parks, recreation facilities and
programs, open spaces, and trails.
The plan also helped to establish
City policies and influenced
the evaluation of development
proposals that impact this
system. Finally, it provided a basis
for grant application, regulatory
requirements, and other funding
mechanisms for parkland
expansion.
Following an assessment of
Bozeman’s recreational facilities
and trends at the time, the plan
identified issues and needs for
the City of Bozeman’s Recreation
Division as (1) increasing the
quality and/or quantity of local
swimming facilities, (2) enhancing
local recreation facilities for
youth, (3) developing two new
family-oriented leisure aquatic
centers, one southwest and one
northwest of town, (4) developing
a community recreation facility
with an indoor-outdoor aquatic
component connected to a large
community park, (5) offering
programs that provide multi-
generational recreational
activities, fosters healthy family
relationships, develops character
and team building programs,
educates. Through community
surveys, the PROST plan
identified trails as the most used
recreational facility in the City.
The PROST plan was successful in
ensuring new private development
and city growth contributed to
new open space and trail creation.
2007
2017
PROST Plan
Population
2022
~50,000 people
Population
2010
37,280
Transportation
Master Plan PRAT Plan!
Figure 1.8 Current documents that are informing PRAT Plan. The PROST plan was used by the city starting in 2005 but
formally adopted with the 2008 version of the transporation plan.
12
Transportation Master
Plan (TMP)
Upgrades to the City’s
transportation system following
the PROST Plan and the
community’s increasing interest
in transportation-related matters
called for a comprehensive
transportation master plan
to help direct future growth
through innovative planning. The
Bozeman Transportation Master
Plan (TMP) aimed to provide a
new examination of multi-modal
transportation issues within the
Bozeman area and address the
present and future needs of the
community. Since the release of
the document, the City’s paved
pathway network has been
expanding. However, although the
PROST plan also highlighted the
importance of a connected trail
system, the two documents are
not always in sync. The objectives
of the PROST plan sometimes
differ from the TMP, complicating
the implementation of both
the TMP and PROST, further
exacerbated by the fact that
the two documents are funded
and managed by two separate
departments.
Alignment with UDC
Process
The Unified Development Code or
UDC is a set of regulations that
support public health, safety
the PROST plan identified trails as the most used recreational facility in the City.
Since the release of the TMP, the City’s paved pathway network and on-street bike lanes have been expanding.
and general welfare related
to physical city growth, use of
property and development. Found
within Chapter 38 of the Bozeman
Municipal Code, the UDC covers
a wide range of subdivision and
zoning topics such as setbacks,
building height, allowed uses,
landscaping, affordable housing
and parking. Some regulations
apply city-wide while others
are specific to different city
districts. In terms of parks, the
UDC (in compliance with state
law) sets the calculations for
minimum park area (and/or cash
in lieu) requirements for new
residential development as well
as minimal design requirements
such as frontage, irrigation
and sidewalks. The UDC also
addresses other related factors
such as trails and pathways and
watercourse setbacks. Rules
related to park and facility usage
are addressed in a separate
chapter (Chapter 26) of the
Bozeman Municipal Code.
The City is at the beginning
stages of a UDC overhaul. This
process will include targeted
implementation of adopted plans
and is expected to be completed by
the end of 2023. The timing of this
plan is ideal for recommendations
related to parks, recreation
and active transportation to be
incorporated into the new code.
13
Figure 1.9 Bike tour through City parks to kick off the PRAT process
Figure 1.10 Many residents commute to work by bike everyday and share the road with cars.
14
timeline and milestones
engagement approach and outcomes
methods and milestones
engagement key findings
in this chapter2. plan process
15
Timeline and milestones
The development of the PRAT
Plan was a 15-month process,
beginning in the Summer of 2021
and concluding in the Winter
of 2022. The planning process
was framed largely around
significant engagement efforts
to ensure the desires of the
community and Department staff
were accurately reflected in the
plan’s recommendations. Plan
development was also shepherded
by the Urban Parks and Forestry
Board (UPFB).
The plan process was structured
around four phases:
Phase 1: Analysis: The first phase
encompassed the discovery and
understanding of Bozeman’s
unique recreation and parks
system, its organization, and its
provision of programs. It included
a high level review of park types
and distribution of parks and
trails across the city, in depth
study of historical and ecological
systems, a needs assessment, and
a statistically valid community
survey.
Phase 2: Vision & Concepts: During
this portion of the project’s
development, system-wide
concepts and plan themes were
developed and tested through
public and staff review and
comment.
Phase 3: Draft Plan: The third
phase of the process included
establishing guiding goals
and objectives, as well as an
implementation strategy. A review
of trail connectivity, investments
and maintenance was also
conducted.
Phas 4: Final PRAT Plan: The final
stage of the project included
documentation, review, and
approvals. This phase resulted
in this document and supporting
design and maintenance manuals.
Figure 2.1 Plan process and schedule.
1
Understand
Analysis + Assessment
Engagement
Milestone #3
August 23-25
Park Pop-ups
2
3
Begin!
Project Startup
Engagement
Milestone #1 4
Deliver
Documentation
Vision
Craft a Framework
JULY AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT
Engagement
Milestone #2:
April 5 and 6
Virtual Public
Workshops
Project Schedule
2021 2022
16
Engagement approach and outcomes
During the 15-month long
planning process, the project
team engaged over 900 community
members and stakeholders.
The City’s parks, facilities, and
programs are all beloved, and
the master plan process was
structured to ensure that all
park users and communities
were invited and had the chance
to weigh in on the future of this
important recreational and open
space system.
Methods and Milestones
Much of the plan’s development
occurred during uncertainty
in the COVID pandemic and
encouraged the City to think
creatively about meeting residents
where they were and through
diverse means of communication
and engagement. To ensure people
felt safe and included in their
participation, the plan included
both online and in-person
engagement methods, like online
workshops, pop-up events in parks
and events, partnerships with
other city initiatives and outreach
methods, and both statistically
valid and community surveys
with opportunities for residents to
give feedback on preliminary plan
recommendations.
17
In-person Engagement
Drop-in at local events: Tabling
at existing events like farmers
markets and City-sponsored
festivals can help to reach
residents unaware of the plan
process and ask quick questions
about needs and aspirations for
the future of the park, trail and
recreation system. Early on, the
City identified a series of events
to participate in and destinations
to visit to help build awareness
of the plan process and goals
and to gather feedback using
questions relevant to what was
being explored by the process at
that time. For events happening
in 2021, this meant asking about
favorite parks and barriers to
access using a map and mad
libs exercise, in which residents
responded to an incomplete
sentence with responses about
their recreation experiences. In
the Spring of 2022, engagement
at existing events focused on
resident visions and big ideas
for future projects or policies.
Ultimately, the PRAT plan was
represented at over 20 events
throughout the city.
Online Engagement
Project Web Content: Regular
content updates were made to the
City’s website, which serves as
an increasingly popular resource
for information and updates
regarding city-led projects.
Alongside the City’s project page
on the City’s website, the PRAT
Plan was the first comprehensive
plan to take advantage of a
new digital platform, Engage.
Bozeman.net, a Bang the Table
platform. The project team
shared regular project updates
to the PRAT plan and served as
a space for online conversations
between city staff and residents.
This platform was also used to
share content online at milestone
moments and in between. The
site pulled 159 unique visits over
the year that the platform was
publicly accessible.
Social Media: Ahead of major
public milestones, the City posted
visual graphics and imagery to
promote the plan, promote public
events, and gather reactions
to early ideas on existing City
social media platforms. Certain
advertisements were translated
into Spanish and were also posted
on the City’s website, which offers
Google Translate services.
Statistically Valid Survey: A
statistically valid paper survey
was mailed to 2,500 residents
across the City of Bozeman.
This tool provided an important
18
data set that represented a user
group with similar demographic
characteristics to the City as a
whole and offered a balanced
resident perspective across the
City. Final results were based
on 300 total surveys providing
a 95% confidence level. The City
also made this community survey
available online to residents
who had not participated in the
statistically valid survey. An
additional 100 people shared their
existing patterns and needs for
the City system.
Community Workshops: Due
to ongoing COVID restrictions
during the plan’s development, the
project team made the decision
to hold community workshops
online, halfway through the
plan process. These workshops
included a short presentation
and small group conversations
that used the Engage Bozeman
platform to help facilitate
conversations and map or catalog
participant ideas. The community
workshops were recorded and
posted on Engage Bozeman for
anyone interested in participating
but unable to attend during the
early April meetings.
At the end of each engagement
milestone, engagement feedback
was synthesized and shared with
them in an easily digestible and
clear format that can be shared
on multiple digital platforms, both
internally and with the broader
community.
Alignment with Other City
Initiatives
Safe Routes to Parks: The
project team also worked in
Figure 2.2 HRDC Safe Routes to Parks Community liaisons
19
parallel with the Safe Routes
to Parks grant team to ensure
the PRAT plan helps to reduce
barriers to accessing parks
and facilities. This grant was
awarded to the Human Resource
Development council, District
IX (HRDC) in partnership with
the Western Transportation
Institute (WTI) at Montana
State University and the City
of Bozeman to create and test
a community liaison program
to highlight systematically
excluded voices. The plan worked
alongside three community
liaisons who are connected to
different underrepresented
communities including the BIPOC
(Black, Indigenous, and People
of Color), LatinX and disability
communities. The liaisons tested
a variety of tools such as targeted
surveys, hosting small group
conversations, organizing a walk
audit, and collecting stories
through one-on-one interviews.
Staff and Stakeholder
Engagement
Staff engagement was essential to
the success and implementation
of the plan. In October, as part of
the project’s kick-off, staff and
stakeholders participated in a
series of topical focus groups to
learn about the system through
the eyes of staff, partners, and city
leaders. These representatives
were reengaged as part of the
plan vision process in June
2022 and again to help identify
implementation priorities in
August 2022.
Engagement Key
Findings
Through the engagement
process, the plan uncovered
that the City’s parks and trails
provide an important oasis in the
fastest growing city in Montana.
Bozeman residents clearly
value opportunities to connect
with nature and to safely
access walking and biking
trails. Residents also want
their parks and facilities to be
inclusive places where they
feel welcomed by other park
users, staff, and by the design of
these places and the programs
within them. Residents were also
aligned in their desires for special
use facilities, more specifically
swimming pools. Though
these values are not explicitly
contradictory, they span many
topics, so the planning process
was oriented toward finding the
right balance of investments,
whether they be in policy,
Department capacity, or capital
improvements.
The top responses from the public
engagement process were related
to desires for inclusion, relevant
programs and elements, safe
access, nature immersion, trail
Engagement by numbers (Participation and Methods)
401 community surveys
(300 statistically valid)
24 disability community
Surveys
12 BIPOC surveys
401
78
78 locations mapped
45 ideas shared
1 online implementation
poll
4,537 unique site visits
2 online community
meetings
15 meetings with city,
boards, and councils
24 pop-ups at events and
in parks
2
20
connectivity, special use facilities,
and park etiquette. These seven
engagement themes provide an
important framework for the goals
and strategies outlined within
this plan.
Inclusion
Many residents reported feeling
uncomfortable or unsafe in their
parks. Efforts to enhance physical
access, lead program inclusion,
and expand park policies will
ensure that parks, programs,
and trails are welcoming for all
Bozeman residents.
Relevant Programs and
Elements
Residents continually noted
their love of their park spaces
and requested that same level of
investment in their programs and
events.
Safe Access
Fast moving and wide roadways
that are difficult to cross,
limited universal accessibility
between homes and open spaces
or buildings, inadequate access
to parks and facilities for the
disabled community, and difficult
to reach park spaces were all
identified as creating barriers
to safely getting to barriers to
people’s use of parks and their
participation in recreational
opportunities.
Nature Immersion
Residents enjoy the proximity
to nature both within the City
and outside its limits. Many
residents are also excited for
more nature play and educational
opportunities.
Trail Connectivity
Trails not only facilitate
connections between natural
areas and public lands, but foster
community connections as well.
Residents and visitors love the
existing trail network and are
excited for a more connected
system of pathways and trails
that are connected to beloved
parks and important community
destinations.
Special Use Facilities
Swimming pools and aquatics
programs were consistently
among the top ranked needs by
plan participants. The need for
more water play and swimming
opportunities emerged early on in
the process, before the temporary
closure of the Bozeman Swim
Center. Other desired special use
facilities included a nature center
and affordable indoor fitness
spaces.
Care
Many different audiences
use Bozeman parks, and not
everyone is thoughtful about the
impacts their park use has on the
experience of others, the park’s
Figure 2.3 Themes
Inclusion
Relevant Programs
and Elements
Engagement feedback themes
21
maintenance burden and
financial cost, and the natural
resources and habitat quality.
In order for parks and trails
to be fully inclusive, the City
must ensure that people’s use
of parks isn’t entirely shaped
by dogs, that park rules are
clearly communicated and
respected, that habitat isn’t
unnecessarily destroyed and
that park equipment and
facilities aren’t vandalized.
Through a community of
care, people can protect their
investment made via the Parks
and Trails District and can
begin to yield to others’ needs.
Safe Access
Nature Immersion
Trail Connectivity Special Use
Facilities Care
bozeman outdoors
Existing Facilities and Programs
Equitable Access to Parks
Comparison to Similar Cities
bozeman at play
Recreation Assessment
Distribution of Programs and Activities
Similar Providers
community survey
Evaluating Facility and Amenity Needs Against Demand
bozeman ON THE MOVE
Existing Active Transportation Systemin this chapter3. state of the system
23
Bozeman’s park system reflects
its unique development history,
natural system infrastructure,
and outdoor culture. The
recreational facilities, parks,
and trails are intertwined into
the daily lives and experiences
of Bozeman residents and have
become a central part of one of
the most cherished destination
towns in the country. To
understand more deeply how
this system is structured and
how to expand its role equitably
across the community, we need
to understand what the system
includes today and compare that
understanding against what
we’ve heard from residents. We
also need to see how Bozeman’s
system compares to other cities
to identify where there is an
abundance of access and where
gaps exist. Finally, we have to look
to the future, to anticipate needs
not yet identified and proactively
address those trends through the
plan. To do this, the PRAT plan
evaluated the complexity of the
system through three lenses:
◊Bozeman Outdoors -
What is the structure
of the physical system
and how does it compare
to cities with similar
populations and growth
patterns?
Figure 3.1 REcreation programs invite residents of all ages to spend time outside.
◊Bozeman at Play - What
programs and events
does the city lead and
what programs are
led by other similar
organizations?
◊Bozeman on the
Move - What are the
connections and gaps
in the city’s system of
trails, paths, and street
network and how can
the City work to close
gaps in access between
parks, homes and other
important destinations?
24
Bozeman Outdoors
There are 91 city parks and 24
linear open spaces in the City
that range in size and function.
Within city parks, there is a total
of 895 acres of different kinds
of park elements like sports
field and courts, fishing docks,
playgrounds, open space, and
meandering stream corridors.
Since the PROST plan, the system
895 city-ownedacres of parks
390 open spaceacres
17 acres of parkspace per 1,000 residents
176 miles ofoff-street routes
125+ programs
City
895 acres
Park
Ownership
(Acres)
Private
41 acres
County
108 acres
has preserved 17 acres of park
space per 1,000 residents. The
Citys’s park system plays host to
a variety of fixed and temporary
park elements . From ballfields to
wintertime skating rinks, tennis
courts to dogs parks, and paved
trails to BMX trails, Bozeman’s
parks are destinations for
everyone.
25
Equitable Access to
Parks
Understanding park needs and
equitable distribution of services
is multi-layered and includes
demographic mapping of
◊population density,
◊car ownership,
◊race,
◊income
◊disability
◊age (particularly among
seniors and children
under 18).
This snapshot of Bozeman’s
current population provides
a basis for understanding
community needs for recreation
elements. Demographic ranges
have been combined into a
composite geography that reveal
places with defined opportunities
for city services like parks and
recreation programming. In
general, areas surrounding MSU
and west of 11th Avenue and
northeast of Oak Street and 19th
Avenue show the highest need for
parks and elements based on the
demographic composite.
The demographic data also
establishes the magnitude and
composition of population change
in Bozeman and highlights
segments (youth, the elderly, and
people with incomes below the
poverty line) that the City should
position itself to better serve in
the future. A proximity analysis
reveals physical community
access and gaps to parks and
facilities. The analysis evaluates
a ten minute walk (half mile) and
six minute bike ride (one mile)
from each park by following the
existing road structure and it also
takes into account road crossing
barriers from the 2017 Bozeman
Transportation Master Plan. Any
walkshed that falls over those
significant barriers was removed
Figure 3.2 Social vulnerability demographic compilation map. Households with the highest vulnerability are
the darkest shades on the map.
Social Vulnerability Map
High Vulnerability
Low Vulnerability
City Boundary
26
Figure 3.3 Proximity analysis of access to parks from a 10 minute walk.
Roads
Railroad
City Boundary
Growth Boundary
Streams
Lakes & Reservoirs
Parks
Areas within 10-minute
walk
N
Parks Proximity Map
Many of the
Spanish-speaking people
living in the Wagon Wheel
Trailer Court identified Main/
Huffine as a major barrier to get
to their nearest neighborhood
parks - Kirk Park and Bozeman
Pond.
0 0.5 1 mile
27
to further indicate where park
access is limited, especially
for residents with mobility
limitations, families, and people
without cars. Access to parks
is generally strong within the
denser areas closest to Bozeman’s
Downtown. Still, the mapping
within this section only highlights
the geographic and quantifiable
side of the PRAT’s understanding
of access. From conversations
with various members of the
disability community, the Safe
Routes program liaisons surfaced
that a significant number of
parks and trails and elements
lack access for the disability
community and for low income
and Latinx communities. .
The City has gotten ahead of
growth by investing in new parks
where growth was highest, so
neighborhoods with the highest
populations have high walkable
access to parks. This means that
park access is typically high along
gridded city streets. Conversely,
large areas west, north and
south where large subdivisions
are being built lack walkable
access to community parks and
elements or are bisected by fast
moving streets like Huffine Lane
(Highway 191) and 19th Avenue.
Bozeman is growing most rapidly
in the areas with the newest parks
as a result of land dedication
regulations for new developments.
Communities north and west of
downtown are also increasing
in population, and this growth
pattern is projected to continue
and reinforces the importance
of safe access between parks
and neighborhoods. Population
growth is also occurring outside
of downtown near the edges of the
city.
Comparison to Similar
Cities
As a city of just over 50,000 people,
Bozeman has an abundance
of park acreage, but the city’s
population and development
continues to grow up and out, a
phenomenon that has outpaced
many other urban areas
during the pandemic. Prior to
2020, Bozeman was already
growing rapidly, similar to
peer communities. Like Bend,
Oregon, Fort Collins, Colorado,
and Boulder, Colorado which
boast substantial outdoor
tourism economies - Bozeman
appeals to an outdoor culture
and is increasingly a destination
for people seeking outdoor
adventure. The PRAT plan looks
to cities of similar size and
character to understand how
Bozeman’s acreage, average
park size, trail miles, and park
and facilities elements compare.
This assessment incorporated
data from both the Trust for
Public Land (TPL) and the
National Recreation and Parks
Association (NRPA) to draw these
comparisons.
Bozeman was compared to
seven other similar cities - Fort
Collins, Colorado; Missoula,
Montana; Helena, Montana;
Corvallis, Oregon; Billings,
Montana; Boulder, Colorado; and
Bend, Oregon. Not only are these
cities generally similar in size,
ranging from 28,000 to 170,000
residents, they also have been
growing substantially over the
last decade. While Bozeman is
the second least populous city
among this comparison, it is the
fastest growing city among those
compared. Bozeman also has the
third highest number of acres
per thousand residents (17 acres),
after Bend, Oregon and Missoula,
Montana.
Where is Bozeman
Leading?
Through its development code
and 2012 TOP Bond, Bozeman
has facilitated investment in
playgrounds and its trail system,
and is working to expand access
to a variety of typical park
elements across the city. A closer
look at Bozeman’s facility and
amenity counts against similar
cities highlights the importance
of those investments - Bozeman
has 54 playgrounds, twelve more
playgrounds than Bend, Oregon
with the second highest number of
playgrounds. Bozeman is also well
served by pavilions and natural
surface trails. Bozeman however
also has a deficit of recreation
28
Figure 3.4 With a population growth of 43% in the past decade (2010-2020) Bozeman has grown faster than
peer cities that share similar growth patterns, size, and community appeal.
Corvallis, OR
Bend, ORBillings, MT Boulder, CO
Fort Collins, CO
Population Growth 2010-2020
Bozeman, MT
Helena, MT
Missoula, MT
Peer Department Total Population (2020)Growth
2010-2020
SOURCE: NRPA/US CENSUS
99,178
59,922
+12%117,116
108,100
53,293
169,810
28,190
73,489
+29%
+11%
+10%
+43%
+18%
+14%
+10%
Density
Residents/mi2
2,697
2,347
4,003
2,839
4,240
3,015
1,724
2,671Missoula, MT
Billings, MT
Bozeman, MT
Fort Collins,
Boulder, CO
Corvallis, OR
Bend, OR
Helena, MT
29
facilities (the City currently has
no recreation-focused facility),
basketball and tennis courts,
sports fields, and water based play
(spraygrounds and pools).
Bozeman at Play
From learning and exploring
nature to opportunities for
dancing and family cookouts,
to spaces for sledding in the
winter and public art, Bozeman’s
park, recreation and active
transportation system has the
potential to meet the needs and
wishes of every visitor. These
places provide vital venues for
people to experience togetherness
or provide space for reflection and
alone time, to get exercise, and to
learn new skills. The PRAT Plan
evaluated what programs exist
today and gathered community
thoughts and ideas about what
experiences they enjoy, would like
to see expanded, or would like to
introduce.
Recreation Assessment
As Bozeman grows and changes,
changes and new trends in
recreation are also evolving and
expanding across the country.
Understanding both the localized
and national changes in demand
for recreation and wellness-
centered classes and programs
can help project future program
needs and the spaces that will
CITY OF BOULDEROPEN SPACE ANDMOUNTAIN PARKS
County Line
Boulder Open Space andMountain Parks System
Open Space and
Mountain Parks
Trail Head
LEGEND
In Boulder, CO, the Open
Space and Mountain Parks
Department manages
permanently protected
land that forms a buffer
around the city.
In contrast, while Bozeman
has great natural areas
within town, if better
connected, they can serve as
an urban oasis and part of an
active transportation system.
support them. The community
survey helps to define demand
for programs and research into
the City’s seasonal program
guides and participation data
as well as staff insights help to
provide a framework for the city’s
availability and gaps in program
access.
Mix of Recreation
Programs
The city provides over 125
different types of classes and
events to residents. Many of these
programs fall into the category
of “core program”, which are
categories that help to distinguish
what audiences or what topics
are covered in the City’s offerings
Bozeman has seven core programs
- active aging, adult, aquatics,
camps, events, preschool, and
school’s out activities. In many
departments, core programs are
organized by activity type (fitness,
nature, sports) and not by age
group (preschool, youth, adult).
Bozeman uses a combination of
both activity type and age group.
Like many growing cities, the
Bozeman Parks and Recreation
Department acknowledged
a desire to expand offerings
that are more inclusive and
welcoming to an increasingly
diverse population. As the variety
of programming increases, re-
establishing the core programs
by topic or activity will help to
clarify what programs are offered
publicly, and better identify gaps
How does Bozeman Compare to Peer Cities?
30
in program areas internally. The
City’s core program areas are
described in more detail below.
Active Aging
Active aging programs are for
participants 55 years and older.
Nearly all of the classes offered
in 2019 were fitness classes
including Heart and Sole, Balance
& Beyond, Sole Energy, and
Stability and Mobility.
Adult
Adult recreation encompasses
most programs that serve
participants ages 18 years and
older. These include avalanche
awareness classes and sport
leagues such as sand volleyball,
ping pong, badminton and
pickleball.
Aquatics
The Department offers a robust
swim instruction program for
children 6 months through 12
years. For the youngest age group
(6 months – 3 years), these classes
are parent and child together
(Angelfish). For the next age
group (3 & 4 years), Clownfish is
offered. There are several levels
of swim instruction for 5 to 12
years olds and also for 6 to 12
years olds depending on ability.
These courses are offered at the
Bozeman Swim Center year-round
and at the Bogert Pool during the
summer months. The Department
also offers lifeguard courses and a
Water Safety Instructor course.
Camps
The Department provides several
camp options for the community
broken down into different age
groups including 3 – 5 years,
5 – 7 years, 5 – 10 years, 8 – 10
years, and 11 – 14 years. Camps
are offered during spring break,
winter break, and summer and
include opportunities for all
interests including art, fishing,
sports, and spring break at The
Mill just to name a few.
Events
Several events are offered
throughout the year – many
which are free and do not
require advance registration.
These events include Easter
Egg Hunt, Gallatin Valley Earth
Day Festival, Discovery Walks,
Pickin’ in the Park, Fishing
Derby, National Trails Day, Youth
Triathlon, Sweet Pea Children’s
Run, Wellness in the parks, Walk
with Ease, Avalanche Awareness,
and Active Aging Week. Monster
Mash (a Halloween themed event),
Breakfast with Santa, and the
Father Daughter Dance all require
advance registration and target
specific age groups.
Preschool
Programming for preschoolers is
divided up into several different
age groups and includes a range of
activities, from organized sports
to nature play and education for
ages two years to four years old.BEND, ORBOULDER, COCORVALLIS, ORFORT COLLINS, COMISSOULA, MTBOZEMAN, MTAQUATIC
CENTERS
1 3 1
0 1.621
MEDIAN
In the past year, Boulder,
CO has updated and
added skate elements to 3
existing City Parks and at
their Main Library
Boulder, CO also has the most
aquatic centers out of all of
our peers
How does Bozeman Compare to Peer Cities?
31
School’s Out Activities
School Day off events are offered
throughout the school year when
school is not in session. Programs
are offered for 5 to 10 years and
include several opportunities
including sports, nature, and
science.
Youth
Youth programming is also
divided up into several age groups
that range from six years old to
early teen programs.
Other Services
In addition to the core programs
and activities, the City manages
other types of facilities that
provide community leisure
opportunities.
◊Bogert Pool is an outdoor
facility that has two
swimming areas: a 25-
yard lap pool (3.5 – 9 feet
in depth) and a shallow
pool for young children (1
– 3 feet in depth). The lap
pool includes a climbing
wall, a small slide, and
a zip line. The shallow
pool includes a small
slide. This facility is
typically open from mid-
June to late-August each
summer.
◊The Swim Center is an
indoor aquatic facility
with a 50-meter, eight
lane lap pool that is
typically open year-
round. From mid-August
to mid-March, it is
divided into a 25-yard
pool and a 24-meter pool.
◊The Rec Mobile provides
recreation to children
ages 2 – 10 years in
neighborhood parks
throughout the spring
and summer. Recreation
leaders facilitate play
that keeps children
outside, active, and
engaged with peers.
These opportunities are
available on Monday and
Wednesday evenings at
different parks.
◊Several Bozeman
facilities are available
for rental including Beall
Park Recreation Center,
Lindley Center, Story
Mansion, and Story Mill
Community Center.
Distribution of
Programs and Activities
A total of 329 programs were
offered by the Department
between 2018 and 2019.
Understanding how the City’s
enrollment-based program
offerings are distributed across
core program areas helps to
identify broader City trends and
community needs.
The program with the largest
quantity of programs offered
was aquatics (160), regardless
FIELDS
Bozeman sits below the
median for number of fields:
elements typically found in
Community Parks
28.9
27.8
16
9.2 8.6
28.5
19.8
BEND, ORBOULDER, COCORVALLIS, ORFORT COLLINS, COMISSOULA, MTBOZEMAN, MTMEDIAN
How does Bozeman Compare to Peer Cities?
PER 50K
PEOPLE
32
of season. The second largest
quantity of programs offered was
preschool (43). Excluding events
since they generally don’t require
registration, the program areas
with the lowest quantities are
school’s out activities and adult
programs, with 8 offerings each.
Events (4) include the Easter Egg
Hunt, Pickin’ in the Park, Youth
Triathlon Camps, Youth Triathlon
Race, Sweet Pea Children’s Run,
Wellness in the Parks, Walk with
East, Avalanche Awareness, and
Active Aging Week.
Evaluating Programs by
Age
The PRAT plan also evaluated
City programs against the
current citywide age breakdown.
This analysis surfaced that a
high percentage of programs,
49%, were designated for early
childhood. Of all the age-specific
programming, 91% are designed
for youth under the age of 18 years,
while youth only represent 22%
of the community’s population.
A small percentage of programs
were offered for adults, ages 18
to 54, who make up 66% of the
population.
A large percentage (91%) of the
Department’s enrollment-based
programs are designed for youth,
while youth only represents 22%
of the community’s population.
Adults, ages 20 years and up,
make up 78% of the population,
while only 9% of programs are
designed for adults. For the City’s
programming to cater mostly to
youth is consistent with most
park and recreation agencies’
program offerings across the
country. Youth programming
not only benefits those enrolled,
but caretakers as well. Yet the
percentage of youth programming
among most agencies usually only
represents half to two-thirds of
all offerings. The City’s program
menu’s age segmentation does not
need to mirror the community’s
age demographic segmentation
in an exact manner; however, an
ongoing goal can be to balance the
menu toward a reflection of the
community makeup.
Program Enrollment
Total enrollment into the
Department’s programs was
3,414 in 2019. Aquatics had
the highest enrollment with
1,092 participants, followed by
preschool at 783, and camps
at 661. Figure 5 shows all the
programs and the percentage of
each of the whole. There are some
programs that are offered by other
organizations who take their own
registration (Skyhawks) and this
data is not included in any of these
analyses.
Aquatics accounted for a third
(32%) of the 2018-2019 enrollments,
and preschool and camps
accounted for approximately one-
fifth of the programming each,
21% and 19% respectively.
Bozeman sits below the
median for number of
courts: elements typically
found in Neighborhood
Parks
BEND, ORBOULDER, COCORVALLIS, ORFORT COLLINS, COMISSOULA, MTBOZEMAN, MTMEDIAN
COURTS
8.3
13.9 12
9.5
37.3
22.5
17.2
How does Bozeman Compare to Peer Cities?
PER 50K
PEOPLE
33
Aquatics accounted for nearly half
(48.8%) of the program menu and
32% of all enrollments, which is
typical due to the smaller class
size and the advertisement of
several course sections that can
be combined, if needed. For camps
and preschool, the percentage of
participants is greater than the
percentage of courses offered.
Similar Providers
Bozeman residents enjoy a wide
variety of recreation programs
offered by a host of different
organizations – some of these
are nonprofit groups and others
are private businesses. Many of
these are provided space for their
activities by the Department.
The Department permits space
to several affiliate groups that
provide recreation programs to
the community. When discussing
the permitting process with
staff regarding the local sports
programs, understanding of
requirements were inconsistent.
Future policies should be clarified
for consistent communications
between the Department and
affiliate groups and should
consider requiring all affiliate
groups to:
◊require all coaches to
submit to a criminal
background check,
◊compare the list of
coaches to the state
and federal sex offender
databases,
◊charge a special field
use fee for nonresident
participants
◊track demographics and
city-county resident
status, scholarships
given out and DEI
training
Fitness programs are often
a desire for young adults in
communities across the country.
Due to the low percentage
of programs offered by the
Department for adults, fitness
opportunities within the
community were reviewed. There
are several private facilities
spread out in the community
offering fitness opportunities for
Bozeman residents.
In addition to the camps offered
by the Department, there are
dozens and dozens of summer
camps available for Bozeman
Youth. There are opportunities for
children of all interests including
art, dance (ballet, hip hop, aerial
hammock, and choreography),
hiking, camping, rock climbing,
STEAM (outdoor science, coding,
sports, yoga, drumming, karate,
performing arts, horseback riding,
farm camp, and more).
Community Survey
During the winter of 2021, the
City released a community survey
and received 300 responses. This
survey, which is statistically valid
and has a confidence level of 95%,
How does Bozeman Compare to Peer Cities?
PLAYGROUNDS
20.6
14.8
54
12.2
24
23.3
19.3
23 MEDIAN
Bozeman sits well above
the median for number of
playgrounds, which are
typically found in both
Neighborhood and Pocket
Parks
BEND, ORBOULDER, COCORVALLIS, ORFORT COLLINS, COHELENA, MT*MISSOULA, MTBOZEMAN, MTPER 50K
PEOPLE
*FOR 30K PEOPLE
34
highlighted community-wide
desires for programs, parks, and
park improvements. The survey,
which was administered by mail,
contained a cover letter, survey
document, and instructions for
the survey to be taken online. The
cover letter included instructions
for taking the survey over phone
for any residents that preferred to
speak a different language in their
response.
Findings
The survey surfaced significant
shifts in park and facility use that
could be attributed to the impacts
of the pandemic on outdoor and
indoor recreation, like recent
changes in level of comfort with
visiting facilities or taking part in
online programs. There were also
many unsurprising conclusions,
including the finding that
Bozeman residents visited parks
much more frequently in the past
year than the national average.
Ninety-seven percent of Bozeman
residents visited parks in their
community during the past year
compared to 70% nationally.
Using a calculation that combines
the importance that residents
place on a park, trail and program
with the identification of unmet
need, the survey was able to
identify where a community
should invest resources to add or
increase facilities or programs.
The top five priorities for
investment in recreation
facilities and elements in
Bozeman included natural
trails, on-street bike lanes,
indoor pools, outdoor pools,
and shared use paths. The top
five priorities for program
investment in Bozeman include
aquatics programming, arts
and culture, winter recreation,
fitness, and etiquette programs
for park and trail users, tied
with outdoor adventure
activities.
The community survey also
surfaced barriers to park
or facility use and program
participation. Only 22% of
residents participate in programs
and events offered by the City,
which is below the national
average of 32%, however this
doesn’t necessarily reflect
the people who participate in
programs within parks managed
by user groups. The top reasons
for lack of participation are that
residents are not aware of the
programs offered, have no time to
participate, or have little interest
in what the City offers. While park
participation is at an all time high
for residents in Bozeman, barriers
still exist. Limited time, lack of
relevant elements, maintenance
and cleanliness concerns, and
limited operating hours were
among the top barriers to park
visitation.
When considering the priorities
identified between facilities and
programming together, there
top 5 priorities for investment
recreation facilitiesprogramsnatural trails
on-street bike lanes
indoor pools
outdoor pools
shared use paths
aquatics
arts + culture
winter recreation
fitness
etiquette
35
Bozeman on the Move
The 2007 Bozeman PROST Plan
established that the local trails
are the City’s most utilized
recreation facilities. Likewise,
the PRAT Plan statistically valid
survey revealed this to still be the
case in 2022. This is not unique
to Bozeman, as throughout the
country walking and biking on
local trails are low-cost, low-
impact recreation and exercise
options for people of all ages and
abilities.
Existing Network
As a result of past and current
investments in shared use paths,
natural-surface trails, and on-
street bike facilities, the City
of Bozeman has established
a solid foundation on which
to continue to build a robust,
city-wide pedestrian and
bike transportation network.
Currently, Bozeman is home
to over 39 miles of shared use
pathways, 79 miles of natural-
surface trails, and 58 miles of on-
street bike facilities, resulting in
an exifsting active transportation
network of approximately 176
miles of off-street routes.
Active transportation routes were
consistently prioritized as highly
valued community elements
during public outreach for this
plan. Current trails and pathways
is clearly a need to focus future
investment on aquatics as well as
outdoor education. With indoor
and outdoor pools and aquatics
being included in the top four
for both facilities and programs,
finding spaces for arts and culture
and history programming are
two additional areas of potential
focus. In addition, having a nature
center and outdoor education
both rating high, this type of
programming (and potentially
creating a new space) should be a
priority as well. Bozeman already
provides winter recreation, but
additional offerings should be
explored.
Evaluating Facility and
Recreation Component
Needs Against Demand
The community survey and
public engagement process
helps to define priorities for
strengthened or new elements
from a public needs perspective,
while an evaluation of national
and similar peers articulates
an understanding of demand for
elements. By evaluating need and
demand in unison, the PRAT plan
can best describe where priorities
for investment exist. Based on
this evaluation, there are clear,
aligned priorities for aquatics
facilities, a nature center and
indoor fitness space.
In 2020 American Trails
published a guide highlighting
the health benefits of trails:
Mental Health Benefits
•Spending even 20 minutes
outside will have short
term effects on the brain to
reduce stress.
•Countless studies show
people self-reporting
reduced stress, clearer
thought patterns, more
optimism, and an overall
heightened sense of well-
being after being outdoors.
•We are now seeing more
medical practitioners
prescribe time in the
outdoors as a way to combat
depression, anxiety, and
other health related issues.
Physical Health Benefits
•For every dollar spent on
trails, there is a three-
dollar savings in health
care costs.
•More overall physical
activity is measured in
communities after trails
are built.
•Cardiovascular benefits
are seen across all trail
user types. This means
healthier hearts, and a
reduction in preventable
disease for trail users.
•Commuting by foot or bike
gains popularity when
trails go into a community.
This both reduces traffic
and creates a healthier,
more physically active
community.
Trails Health Benefits
36
what is active transportation?
From the Partnership for Active Transportation:
“Active transportation is a means of getting
around that is powered by human energy, primarily
walking and bicycling. Often called “non-motorized
transportation,” we prefer the term “active
transportation” since it is a more positive statement
that expresses the key connection between healthy,
active living and our transportation choices.
Communities that prioritize active transportation
tend to be healthier [because they enable] residents
to be more physically active in their daily routines
and [because they have] cleaner air to breathe. Active
transportation systems also foster economic health
by creating dynamic, connected communities with
a high quality of life that catalyzes small business
development, increases property values, sparks
tourism, and encourages corporate investment that
attracts a talented, highly educated workforce.”
Source: Partnership for Active Transportation
Existing Bike Routes
Existing Key Connector
Proposed Key Connector
Roads
Railroad
Streams
Lakes & Reservoirs
Parks
Open Space
City Boundary
Forest and Woodland
Grassland
Shrubland + Savannah
overwhelmingly received positive
responses from the community
in terms of quality, and are also
rated the top two most important
facilities for future needs.
Pathways and trails for recreation
and transportation are top
community priorities identified
in numerous local planning
documents including the Bozeman
Community Plan and the Bozeman
Area Transportation Plan.
The current network, however,
needs substantial improvement
regarding equitable accessibility,
range, connectivity, and safety.
These key elements were
identified through the survey,
public engagement and City staff
input.
East-West Corridors
The trail system relies on the
natural network of waterways
throughout the valley that
allow development of trails to
parallel these waterways. As a
result, traveling in a north-south
direction using off street trails is
relatively accessible throughout
the City. However, corridors that
run east-west are outcompeted
by sidewalks and on-street bike
lanes as the only options for this
directional movement.
Lack of Connectivity
The City has a system of shared
use pathways, on-street bike
facilities and off-street trails,
but connectivity between these
37
0 0.25 0.5 1 mile
Current Active Transportation Network
N
Downtown
Bozeman
38
facilities is often lacking. For
many common routes continuity
of experience is frequently broken
through lack of transitions
between existing trails, shared
use paths and bike lanes.
This makes these routes more
challenging and less comfortable
as users are forced to negotiate
wide roadways with high speed
traffic. Furthermore, recreational
trails in the winter, while still
used by residents, can be unsafe
or not enjoyable due to a lack of
maintenance.
System Barriers
Based on analysis within the
Transportation Master Plan of
critical safe crossings at high
traffic intersections and arterial
streets which act as barriers,
there are opportunities for future
investments in parks and trails to
be coordinated with opportunities
to make the sidewalks, crossings,
and roadways that surround
parks and trails safer.
Where are needs and demands aligned?
Demand represents priorities
identified by the Bozeman
community in the statistically
valid survey and Need represents
alignment of elements with peer
communities. For example, not
many people indicated that sports
fields were a priority in Bozeman,
though the City has a lot less sport
supporting infrastructure than
peer communities. Playgrounds
were identified as being important
and Bozeman has more than their
peers.
There is alignment in both
demand and need for the
following:
•Aquatics
•Nature center
•Indoor fitness
39
Barriers: Parks, trails, or facilities
No time to visit parks/trails/facilities
Parks/trails/facilities do not have elements I want
Parks/trails/facilities not well maintained
Operating hours are not convenient
Not aware of parks/trails/facilities
18%
12%
9%
7%
5%
Top barrier to access
Figure 3.5 Top five identified barriers to parks, trails, or faciilties within the Statistically Valid Survey
Barriers: Programs
Not aware of programs offered
No time to participate in programming
Types of programming not interesting/relevant/desired
Times when programs offered not convenient
Program location/venue not convenient
Top barrier to participation
45%
24%
16%
12%
6%
Figure 3.6 Top five barriers to programs within the statistically valid survey
Splash pads
Courts
Trails
Fields
AquaticsDog
accommodations
Playgrounds
Community
gardens/ Food
Forest Indoor fitness
Nature center
HIGH NEED HIGH
DEMAND
HIGH NEED
LOW DEMAND
LOW NEED
HIGH DEMAND
LOW NEED
LOW DEMANDDEMAND
NEED
Figure 3.7 Demand (the y-axis) represents priorities identified by the Bozeman community in the statistically valid survey and Need
(the x-axis) represents alignment of elements with peer communities.
safe routes to parks community engagement
The “Safe Routes to Parks Community Survey: Disability
Community” and interviews conducted by the Community
Liaisons indicated that several respondents were unsatisfied
or unsure of support options for programming and events. A
lack of access to ASL interpreters in the City of Bozeman was
used as one example. Other participants cited inadequate
transportation options to programming and events as a barrier.
Comments included:
“Post
that interpreters will
be made available upon
request.”
“He needs an interpreter to be
understood. And it is the law.”-
Interviewee
“If there is a sign with info, you can offer a bar code to scan so
the device will link to web pages or audio files to be able to read
it.Also, partnering with organizations like Montana Independent
Living Project, Montana Association for the Blind, School for the
deaf/blind, VR agencies and senior focused housing to get
more folks active and out into the community.” -
Survey Respondent
“At the event at Bogert, he would have liked
to be able to ask questions. He couldn’t do
that without an interpreter.” -Interviewee
“We
haven’t had much opportunity yet,
but how do the deaf get interpreters
so they can get equal access?” - Survey
Respondent
“For self and native students, main concern is
how do we do this for free” - Interviewee during
Safe & Welcoming Parks to BIPOC Communities
conversation
“At MSU, one thing that has been successful
having events that engage in a direct
cultural activity; not a lot of visual cues
that people of color belong unless there
are other people there” - Interviewee
during Safe & Welcoming Parks to BIPOC
Communities conversation
community Liaisons
Mikayla Pitts
Hosted group conversations
and conducted surveys to
engage BIPOC community
conducted interviews
and surveys to engage
disability community
Hosted front door
conversations to hear
from Latino community
Bri Daniels
Luis Islas
42
Pocket Parks
2 acres
Neighborhood
Park
238 acres
Community
Park
145 acres
Regional Park
54 acres
Special
Use
Park
200 acres
Natural
Areas
179 acres
Linear Parks/
Buffers
64 acres
Acreage
of
Park Type
Parks and Trail Facilities by Type
There are eight park types that
frame how the City activates,
maintains and develops parks.
These park types have unique
characteristics that balance a
variety of elements and demands
based on their size, use, and
location within the city. Each type
is described in more detail on the
next few pages.
In addition to these seven park
types, the PRAT also includes
active transportation types.
For more information on active
transportation elements and types,
head to Bozeman on the Move.
43Park TypeNumber of ParksTotal AcreageProgram and UseEnvironmental BenefitsSiting/AccessPocket Park 6 2
Provides public space and
recreational opportunities
to underserved or
commercialized areas
Allows access to shade +
water during hot summers
Urban or commercialized areas without
access to public open space, accessible by
sidewalks, trails, or residential streets
Neighborhood
Park 47 238
Flexible multi-use spaces
(traditional recreation
elements, including
courts, playgrounds, and
fields, informal seasonal
recreation, movable
furniture, access to
electrical/water)
More land area for denser
canopy + shade, accessibility
by interconnected trails
create valuable ecological
corridors for local wildlife
Centrally located within residential
service area, easily accessible by way
of interconnecting trails, sidewalks, or
residential streets, aesthetic qualities,
leftover parcels of land that are
undesirable for development are also
generally undesirable for neighborhood
parks and should be avoided.
Community
Park 7 145
Provides active and passive
recreational facilities
for all, space for group
activities, sitting areas
Guided walking trails connect
to existing trail network,
areas with native plantings,
and nature study areas
Natural character of site, serviced by
arterial and collector streets, community
trail system, accessible to parking areas
Special Use Park 8 200
Provide for single-purpose
recreational uses (such as
indoor/outdoor recreational
facilities or historic/
cultural sites)
Single-use cultural sites
advocate for environmental
stewardship (arboretums,
native plant gardens,
sculpture gardens), benefits
of turf with droughts, keeping
facilities cool
Accessibility from arterial/collector
streets, recreation need, community
interests, and land availability
determine location
Natural Areas 27 179
Provide for greenway,
trails, and nature viewing
opportunities
Protect natural resource
areas such as wetlands,
riparian areas, and ponds
Lands unsuitable for development,
remnant landscapes, parcels with
steep slopes and natural vegetation,
drainageways, riparian areas, wetlands,
ponds
Natural Areas in
Parks ----
Provide for greenway,
trails, and nature viewing
opportunities
Protect natural resource
areas such as wetlands,
riparian areas, and ponds
Lands unsuitable for development,
remnant landscapes, parcels with
steep slopes and natural vegetation,
drainageways, riparian areas, wetlands,
ponds
Linear Parks 22 64
Allow uninterrupted and
safe pedestrian and bicycle
movement between parks,
connect parks, trails,
recreational areas, and open
spaces into a cohesive sytem
Linear parks and buffers
improve stormwater runoff,
connect ecological habitat
Edges of developments, buffers adjacent
to linear features such as water courses
or railways, linear parks are often places
with significant topography, located
in floodplains or other locations not
suitable for development
Regional Park 1 54
Provide park elements and
larger recreational facilities
for the larger region, special
events, concerts, sports
tournaments
Connect to countywide trail
sysem
Sited to be accessible from a multi-county
area, serviced by arterial and collector
streets and the countywide trail system,
accessible to parking areas
4. bozeman prat vision
The Bozeman Parks, Recreation and Active
Transportation Plan’s recommendations
are formed around five central goals:
Unify and provide safe, equitable
access to all.
Invest in alignment with changing
community needs and trends.
Connect and experience all that
Bozeman has to offer.
Adapt to changing environmental
pressures.
Increase staff and resources to benefit
the community.
1
2
3
4
5
45
goal 1: unify
goal 2: invest
goal 3: connect
goal 4 :adapt
goal 5: increase
in this chapterThese citywide goals were developed through
analysis into the existing system today,
identification of gaps and opportunities for
the future, and - most importantly - through
community conversations, engagement, and
input into the plan. Each goal is supported by
a series of recommendations that will help
to realize and implement them over time.
Community conversations and ideas were
distilled into plan themes which drove the
outcomes.
The PRAT recommendations reflect the
community’s love for their parks and
recreation system, their aspirations and
concerns for its future, and the changing
social, environmental, and economic context
that surrounds the system and future
generations who will steward it.
46
UNIFY and provide safe,
equitable access to all.
A high priority of the PRAT Plan and the Bozeman Parks and
Recreation Department is to provide high quality, equitable access
to parks, nature, and recreation programs for all city residents
- especially as the city grows and changes in the coming years.
Through the planning process, both the level of service analysis
and feedback from community members pointed to key areas of
gaps in access, barriers created by fast-moving roadways, and to
the increasing challenges of having more park users occupying
the same beloved spaces. Even as population growth is projected
to increase significantly in the coming years, the Bozeman Parks
and Recreation Department holds firm in its commitments to work
to ensure residents are within a safe ½ mile (or ten minute walk)
to a publicly-accessible park, and can access a wide variety of
recreation experiences and programs that meet the expectations of
Bozeman’s high quality of life.
To meet this goal, the plan includes strategies to
◊ensure a baseline of elements across the city,
◊meet targets for expansion as growth occurs,
◊balance park use by increased numbers of people
◊reinforce the diversity of the park system and
◊expand access and usability of the system in all seasons
and into the evening.
Goal 1
47
Bozeman’s growth as a city has moved from
its original development in the 1920s around
Downtown and the first park at Cooper Park
outward, with recent development focused in the
west, north, and southwest. As the decades have
evolved, development patterns have changed and
the shape, uses, and character of the parks and
open spaces within each neighborhood reflects
the era within which it developed. This varied
character is both a strength and a challenge
for the system: the variety lends interest and
choice across the city, yet makes equitable
access to recreation elements difficult when the
underlying park fabric is so different. Looking
forward to increased growth and change, the
PRAT plan seeks to leverage the diversity of the
system, while ensuring a baseline of elements,
access, and equity citywide.
In the rectilinear gridded neighborhoods
of historic central Bozeman, vehicular
transportation did not fully impact the
neighborhood pattern leading to more walkable
neighborhoods where classic neighborhood and
community parks predominate today. There,
over ½ of all parks are community serving parks
and over ⅓ are neighborhood parks. In the next
ring of development, which formed in the middle
to later 20th century, Bozeman grew outward
from its downtown core and was developed
around the rise of the automobile. Here, parks
- such as the recent Story Mill Park - perform
more multifaceted services drawing community
members from both local neighborhoods
and driving distances. In this middle era of
development, natural areas in parks, linear
parks and special use parks are much more
common. Finally, modern neighborhoods that
developed most recently in Bozeman echo the car-
orientation of the latter part of the 20th century.
There, destination parks with unique elements,
such as Gallatin County Regional Park, can be
found alongside more natural areas.
48
1.1: Create a baseline of elements across
neighborhoods
◊Add park assets that were identified as in high
demand by the community in new and existing
spaces.
Using community feedback as a guide, add elements to
increase access citywide to playgrounds (including universal
playspaces), trails, spaces for dogs, community gardens/
food forests, fields, courts, and splash pads. Explore ways
to respond to high demand and identified need for aquatics,
indoor fitness, and nature centers, which require more
significant investment.
◊Create and implement a plan to provide
universal access to parks and programs.
Parks and recreation services should be made accessible to
all Bozeman users regardless of age, ability, or language. The
Department can begin with an ADA audit of physical facilities
and program access to create an ADA Transition Plan
which should include clear phasing over time and identified
funding. Universal access should consider access and cultural
appropriateness with special consideration of play spaces,
trails (including paved trails), printed and digital materials,
wayfinding and signage, and ongoing community engagement
and communication.
◊Strategically include and allocate resources
for community engagement in parks,
recreation plans and capital projects to
align with changing community needs and
concerns.
UNIFY
Strategies
Parks and recreation services should be made accessible to all Bozeman users regardless of age, ability, or language.
“N19th is a bike/ped barrier.
Need safer crossing for east-
west shared use paths” -
Feedback from April Public
Workshop
49
Bozeman’s recent Strategic Plan resulted in creation and
adoption of the Engage Bozeman Community Engagement
Initiative in April 2021 which is a guiding framework for how
the community can contribute to decision making processes.
The PRAT plan incorporated Engaged Bozeman principles and
approaches, and was able to use a partnership with the HRDC’s
Safe Routes to Parks grant to increase the focus on engagement
and outreach to underheard communities to ensure that their
voices were heard and incorporated. In particular, the grant
included community liaisons to Bozeman’s BIPOC, Latinx, and
disability communities.
Future engagement should build on the lessons learned from
PRAT engagement overall and on the early relationships from
this engagement to deepen and extend connections into all
communities in Bozeman. Perhaps the most important lesson
learned was that additional resources (both funding and
time) need to be specifically added to projects to meaningfully
support this type of more diverse engagement. Additional
engagement recommendations include:
◊In line with the universal access strategy above, future
community engagement should factor in universal
access and translation/interpretation. These
components should be planned and budgeted for at the
start of any project.
◊During future park and recreation planning and
improvements, staff should develop engagement
processes that match the scale of the improvement
and subsequent impact. These plans should
coordinate with the City of Bozeman’s community
engagement process and early outreach to community
organizations, partners, and affected community
members.
“Parks build
and enhance neighborhood
character and community
culture” - Partners PRAT
Visioning Session
“Need parks and outdoors
where people can just “exist
and be yourself;” as a writer
I crave to walk to a park
and just write or read”
-SRTP Conversation: BIPOC
Communities
50
UNIFY
Strategies
1.2: Maintain or expand parkland as the
community grows
The City of Bozeman currently provides 17 acres of parkland per 1,000
residents, not including undeveloped open space, putting Bozeman’s
current parks provision in the upper middle of similar peer cities. If
the population grows to 91,000 residents by 2050 and the city does not
acquire land, this ratio will drop to 9.6 acres per 1000 residents. While
Bozeman’s overall park supply does not indicate a shortfall today,
staying in balance with future rapid growth will be important since
residents have made clear that parks are a core driver of quality of life
in the city.
◊Refine and clarify the process of obtaining
new parks, facilities and trails from new
development through changes to the UDC.
The UDC currently requires new residential development
to support park system growth through either direct land
dedication, a contribution to a fee-in-lieu fund, or a combination
of both. This contribution acknowledges that residential
development generates a need for additional parkland, facilities
and trails; yet, it has not always produced spaces with the
right match of elements to community needs or enabled more
strategic investment in the system. The plan recommends
creating criteria that allow more targeted allocation of
resources to meet the specific needs of a neighborhood and
acknowledge the land’s intrinsic value for recreation or
environmental contributions. These criteria, if met, could enable
the contribution of more well-designed park spaces and more
connected trails/pathways between parks.
Department staff have identified the core programs as active
aging, adult, aquatics, camps, events, preschool, and school’s out
activities. In many departments, core programs are organized
by activity type (fitness, nature, sports) and not by age group
If the popul ation grows to 91K by 2050 and the City doesn’t continue to acquire parkland through development, park acreage will drop to 9.6 acres per 1000 residents.
The City of Bozeman currently provides 17 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents
51
(preschool, youth, adult). Bozeman uses a combination of both.
As the variety of programming increases, re-establishing the
core programs will help to clarify what programs are offered
publicly, and better identify gaps in program areas internally.
◊Continue to improve coordination with the
School District.
State law and the UDC allow for a subdivider to dedicate a land
donation to a school to satisfy park land requirements, subject
to the approval of the City Commission and acceptance by the
school district. This provision could be explored in more detail
to foster increased coordination for mutually beneficial public
facilities such as a new aquatics center.
Figure 4.1 UDC process
Intent
Applicability
Base 0.03ac/du
Calculations
Land Dedication
Fees in Lieu
Combinations
Possible
New Park Base
Requirements
Types of Parks
Key Design
Criteria
Types of
Pathways
Base
Requirements
Key Design
Criteria
Pathway
Connection
$ Toward
Improvements Criteria
Cash-in-Lieu Critera
UDC 38.420
52
◊Explore the possibility of requiring
commercial development to also contribute to
parkland.
Hotel and motel guests are increasingly using city parks
and trails as Bozeman continues to grow into one of the
leading outdoor recreation tourist destinations and
sports tournament centers. While state law currently
prohibits requiring parkland for subdivisions that are all
nonresidential, there is the potential to explore commercial
linkage for parkland through zoning requirements. Using
existing national data to supplement local data can help
to efficiently create the needed nexus study. This could
supplement the cash-in-lieu fund and be used for park and
pathway improvements. Staff should monitor discussions
at the state level that could open the door for parkland
requirements applicable to commercial developments.
◊Invest in acquisition of new pathways, parks
and open spaces that: 1) help to close existing
10-minute walk gaps, and 2) overcome extreme
physical barriers.
For future investments, the Department should use park
space & trail gap mapping to prioritize adding land in areas
that are experiencing limited public park space today, or
reducing barriers, such as rail or busy roads, between existing
neighborhoods and parks.
◊Focus increased parks and recreation service
in areas of high growth or current park
overcrowding.
Work with the Community Development Department, during
growth policy updates in particular, to align park and
recreation investments in areas planned for new housing or
increases in density in the future.
UNIFY
Strategies
tourists are increasingly using city parks and trails as Bozeman continues to grow into one of the leading outdoor recreation destinations
53
Figure 3.8 Proximity analysis of access to parks from a 10 minute walk.
Roads
Railroad
City Boundary
Growth Boundary
Streams
Lakes & Reservoirs
Parks
Areas within 10-minute walk
TMP-identified roadway
barriers
Park access gaps
N00.5 1 mile
54
◊Acquire land to make key trail, path or
park connections identified in the Active
Transportation component of the plan (Goal 3)
and to better connect people to parks.
◊Collaborate with staff in Transportation and Engineering
to expand the continuity of the active transportation
network by overcoming existing gaps through acquisition of
land, facilitation of safe crossings and the maintenance of
continuity of facility type and level of comfort.
1.3: Balance the needs of different park users
The popularity of many of Bozeman’s parks, open spaces, trails, and
recreation centers is both a success and a challenge. Community
members reported many issues with overcrowding, user conflicts,
and balance of different activities. As the City continues to grow,
these concerns will only increase without efforts to respond with
greater service or programs and policies that reinforce shared
spaces.
◊Expand kindness campaigns.
Continue to partner and expand the One Montana “Outside
Kind” campaign that reinforces kindness and civic
engagement in public spaces. Reinforce the Gallatin Valley
Land Trust’s additional educational efforts to support similar
outcomes.
◊Make rules and regulations clear and easy to
understand.
Ensure that all parks, trails, and centers contain clear, direct,
non-conflicting, and community-minded signage that clarifies
rules, regulations, and expectations of behavior for use of
facilities. Chapter 26: Park Regulations, Bozeman Municipal
Code be separately evaluated and updated.
UNIFY
Strategies
Case Study
One Montana “Outside Kind”
campaign:
The primary goal of Outside Kind is
to share best practices, principles
and tips for enjoying the outdoors
in any community. Whether you
wish to encourage your friends
and family or visiting guests to
hike kind, ride kind, fish kind,
etc., Outside Kind is designed to
offer users consistent and clear
messages around outdoor activities,
increase user knowledge, and
maintain natural resources. We
also encourage users to engage with
organizations and communities
that provide opportunities for you to
enjoy our wild places.
55
◊Partner with volunteers and youth.
Explore a park ranger volunteer program and junior ranger
program to expand monitoring capacity and model kindness in
parks and recreation spaces.
◊Consider adding non-conventional dog and dog-
owner oriented programs or policies.
A large number of conflicts and complaints were noted between
dog owners and non-dog owners. A few areas for exploration to
address this topic directly include:
◊Expand programs and activities.
Many parks and recreation departments offer a range
of courses geared to dogs, including training, owner
information, and social activities. Consider broadening
into this area through partnerships or expanded
programs to support more formal opportunities for
dogs and dog owners to socialize and get easy access to
instruction.
◊Consider designated off-leash hours.
Some communities also include specific off leash hours
in parks, not just designated off-leash areas. These
additional off leash hours are designed to avoid times
when small children or high volumes of people are likely
to use the park space and reduce conflicts. Some areas are
also closed to dogs during wet or thawing conditions to
prevent damage to grass and field areas.
Case Study
The City of Austin’s B.A.R.K.
program is an example of a new
city-initiated dog etiquette program,
based on the National Park Service’s
Healthy People Healthy Parks
Initiative which created a B.A.R.K.
program for national sites. Austin’s
B.A.R.K program strives to teach
dog owners etiquette specific to
visits to public parks with dogs.
The program stands for: Bag your
pet’s waste; Always leash your pet;
Respect wildlife; and Know where
you can go. With successful program
completion, dogs can also become
“BARK Rangers!”
56
UNIFY
Strategies
1.4: Promote parks that reflect unique
neighborhoods but also continue to advance
the City’s brand within the park system
◊Use parks to tell stories that engage with arts,
culture and local history and reflect local
identities.
Bozeman residents identified a need and desire for more arts
and cultural programming, a request that was a much higher
priority for Bozemanites than in other cities. In addition to
considering programs, Bozeman’s parks and trails have a
chance to engage with art to express community culture, the
city and region’s history, industrial relics, local heroes, and
unique environmental systems. Approaches to storytelling
must reflect the diversity of the city and region to celebrate a
range of lived experiences as the area becomes increasingly
diverse. Signage and interpretive panels can communicate
effectively, while murals and other forms of public art are
more creative platforms for storytelling. Always plan ahead
for needed maintenance practice changes and engage
maintenance team members in design decisions for non-
standard features and art.
Key possibilities for storytelling include:
◊Weave local sports history and heroes into parks,
educating the public about important Bozeman
figures such as mountaineers Conrad Anker or Alex
Lowe, paleontologist Jack Horner, teacher Frieda
Bull, and Sacagawea, the Shoshoni woman who
accompanied Lewis and Clark on their westward
journey.
◊Amplify hyper-local stories at neighborhood
parks, through art, interpretation or naming,
in partnership with community processes and
partners. The PRAT plan engagement included a
naming contest for a new park. Carefully consider
Figure 4.2 Bozeman Creek bridge
57
the common practice of naming parks and
other places after people, as the meaning and
relevance of these names can change over
time.
◊Work with partners to incorporate art into
functional park elements when possible,
like the existing frog and trout drinking
fountains.
◊Draw attention and educate about interesting
natural history such as watersheds, creeks,
and wetlands as successful programs such
as the Gallatin Valley Land Trust’s Discovery
Walks have done
◊Establish a network of local craftspeople
and artists who can construct elements such
as benches along trails and integrate their
stories into the pieces.
◊Beyond permanent installations, activate
spaces and tell stories through festivals and
special events.
◊Explore signature play experiences
Creative play experiences are increasingly popular,
as evidenced at Story Mill where design of the play
structures interpret the landscapes of Montana,
from farms and agriculture to rocky terrain and
forested wilderness. While it is not practical to
have every play structure represent this level of
design for maintenance and cost reasons, there is an
opportunity for strategic expansion of artful play in
other areas of the city as future community parks are
developed. These are key opportunities for partners or
philanthropic engagement.
Figure 4.3 Pedestrian bridges in Bozeman
58
UNIFY
Strategies
◊Celebrate Bozeman’s park bridges.
Bozeman’s parks and trails include many unique,
architectural pedestrian bridges that go beyond their
utilitarian function. The city should build on this pattern and
embrace opportunities to continue it in the future. Artful/
designed bridges could be mapped to create a Bridge Loop or
passport for visitors to explore Bozeman’s parks and trails
through a new lens.
1.5: Support all-season recreation
The Bozeman community’s desire to get outdoors and be active is
not limited to fair weather days. Instead the city and its parks and
recreation spaces and landscapes take on new dimensions and
activities during the colder months. Maintaining access to outdoor
experiences in the winter can be important to balance Seasonal
Affective Disorder (SAD), which is a type of depression that is
brought on during the fall and winter months. Currently, partners
such as the Bridger Ski Foundation program existing park spaces,
groom cross-country ski trails and support facility development.
◊Support existing winter activity partners by
increasing access to complementary indoor
space.
Indoor spaces support outdoor wintertime activity by
providing storage and warming spaces which expand
programmatic and concession opportunities. Indoor space
also makes participation more viable and accessible for people
of all ages and abilities. Bozeman’s larger historic parks,
which also are located in the east side of the community
with better winter snow access, are often characterized by
older park buildings. These buildings abound with charm
and authenticity, but are not fully operational to the public.
Opening small buildings to community use offers many
benefits, but also will require additional resources, in terms of
staffing and operational support. Small buildings also do not
offer the efficiencies of larger centers, but meet more specific,
BOZEMAN’S parks, recreation spaces and landscapes take on new dimensions during the winter.
59
local needs. The City should explore the costs and benefits of each
site and investigate ways to partner and share costs.
◊Conduct a Feasibility Study to Open the Lindley
Center.
The Lindley Center is currently closed to public access, but could
be explored for renovations and improvements that better support
year-round public use to expand recreation and programming
opportunities at Lindley Park, for skiing and beyond. A feasibility
study of the building should first be undertaken to understand
costs associated with physical improvements (weatherizing,
insulation, code-compliant updates, access and parking), program
and staffing costs, operations and maintenance implications,
and community benefits. With a complete picture of needs,
opportunities, and constraints, the City can explore potential
partnerships or grants to support capital improvements and
future operations. Vendors or concession operators and space
rentals can also be additional ways to outsource elements and
raise small amounts of revenue.
◊Reduce barriers to participation in wintertime
activities.
Many wintertime activities entail specialized equipment and
require warm weather clothing to be comfortable and safe.
The Bridger Ski Foundation’s annual Ski Swap is an example
of a community-driven effort to make wintertime recreation
equipment available in a more affordable and sustainable way.
If a building like Lindley were renovated and made open to the
community, a possible vendor or city-led effort could include
loaning or renting equipment to encourage new users in addition
to the BSF program.
◊Communicate best practices for safety outdoors
in the winter.
Outdoor winter recreation safety practices are similar, but
different, from those in warmer months. While many in Bozeman
Figure 4.4 Cross skiing is a popular outdoor
winter activity
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are well-prepared for outdoor activities, newcomers to winter
sports may benefit from safety information and support
around hydration, staying warm, and risks to mobility.
Informational signage for trails prepared for winter use or
other outdoor spaces and the presence of warming huts or
access to water can support safe use.
◊Adapt maintenance practices for winter use.
As more spaces are made available and adapted to wintertime
use, align maintenance practices and resources to additional
care needed to maintain paths, parking areas, and access to
facilities, parks and open trails. This might include winter
maintenance of shared use paths (see Goal 3 for alignment
with active transportation recommendations) to allow for
more ‘year-round’ commuting, as well as enhanced winter
recreation use of trails, like designated/groomed fat bike
trails or Nordic skiing areas.
Figure 4.5 Multi-modal transportation on trails in the
winter include biking, walking, and skiing.
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top barrier to usage of parks, trails, or facilities was a lack of time to participate
“To cater to youth and teenagers,
transportation infrastructure
could be expanded for teen
destinations” - Partners PRAT
Visioning Session
1.6 Increase evening or night time access
and activities at designated facilities with
appropriate lighting, facilities, and noted hours.
The top barrier to usage of parks, trails, or facilities that Bozemanites
identified in a statistically valid survey was a lack of available time
to participate (18%). Survey results also noted that residents say
operating hours are not convenient (7% or 4th place ranking). Today,
Bozeman Parks and Recreation does not have a fully operational, all
day recreation and community center. Instead, a combination of the
new Story Mill Community Center, Beall Center, and the Bozeman Swim
Center work together to provide distinct services to the community, with
the recent addition of the Story Mill taking an important step forward.
However, both Story Mill and Beall Centers typically close by 4:30pm
unless a user group has reserved a space (though, as of 2022, Ping Pong
is happening in the evenings several nights). In contrast, Bozeman park
policy is to keep parks open until 11:00pm, unless specified otherwise.
In peer communities, recreation and community centers are often open
until 8:00pm or 9:00pm most evenings.
Evening programming and drop-in hours provide important flexible
options for busy Bozeman residents of all ages. In particular, it offers a
“third space” for teenagers to be together and socialize, other than home
and school. Extended hours are important to capture teens and younger
children after school hours and support busy people whose days are
occupied with work and other requirements.
Extended hours bring with them expanded needs for staff resources to
support programming and facility operations. The Department should
evaluate demand and access across its facilities, determining where it
can begin to pilot extended hours and what it will cost to support this.
As planning for the westside recreation and community aquatics facility
continues (see Goal 2.1), evening hours should be considered as part of
that major, citywide investment. Partners who provide youth or after-
school programming may be able to benefit from access to city space
through use agreements where they share space during these times and
the community benefits from extended access.
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Demand for existing and new programs is high, and Bozeman
residents are keenly interested in structured programs like
classes, sports, and events and places that allow for unstructured
or individual-led recreation. Investments in this range of activities,
classes, sports, and events alongside places to enable residents to
explore their own creative approaches to fitness and wellness will
have a significant impact on residents’ lives.
Finally, the Safe Routes to Parks Community Survey: Disability
Survey and a review of program participation rates all identified a
gap in inclusive or adaptive programs. These programs can build
on what the Parks and Recreation Department already offers and
be structured around the specific needs of persons with different
physical, visual, or mental abilities. From a youth soccer game to
a swimming class, residents’ lives are impacted everyday by their
participation in what the City offers. In addition to reaching out for
more inclusive program offerings, the PRAT plan also recommends
filling in existing programming gaps based on regional and national
trends to create a more robust and equitable range of opportunities
for residents of all backgrounds and abilities.
Bozeman residents are aligned in identification of their top three
program needs: access to aquatics or swimming, arts and culture,
INVEST in alignment
with changing
community needs and
trends.
Goal 2
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and winter recreation. Beyond this consensus, residents
identified needs for over 18 different programs.
Given the size of existing facilities, the City’s staffing
capacity, and the wide range of recreation needs, the
Bozeman Park and Recreation Department today is unable
to provide all programs at all locations. By re-purposing
the facilities that the City has and partnering to build new
spaces that support what the community wants most in
places with the lowest access, the Department can make
better use of available resources and tailor programming
to meet the needs of all residents. The following strategies
outline how the City can make use of what it has, expand
inclusive programming, and craft a transformative
program menu over time.
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Bozeman has limited indoor space to support indoor programming
2.1. Invest in distributed community hubs.
Bozeman has limited indoor space to support indoor programming
and has less community center and recreational facilities than
its peer cities. Still, the City and various partners are actively
engaged in conversations to close facility gaps. For example, the
City of Bozeman, Belgrade, and Greater Yellowstone Aquatics are all
working to increase access to aquatics spaces and programs through
investments in new swim facilities.
◊Create an intergenerational, multi-functional
center on the west side of the city.
The 2012 Feasibility Study, ongoing library and community
center project, and ongoing aquatics discussions reinforce
the need for a new recreation center and outdoor pool facility.
Investments also need to be made in existing facilities,
especially the Bozeman Swim Center and Bogert Pool to
ensure aquatic facilities are more evenly distributed across
the city. The new westside center is slated to include aquatics
space and programs, flexible indoor fitness space, and a
library, as well as elements like a cafe, kitchen, and lab
space. Its proximity to the Bozeman High School will support
community desires for an intergenerational space that
also provides focused support for teenagers, mental health
connections, and universal design.
◊Prioritize future facility or community hub
investments in areas with limited park access
and places where growth is highest.
Coordinate all long-term future community hubs near
land within the city designated commercial mixed-use or
residential mixed-use as identified by the City’s future land
use map.
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◊Regularly update and expand the City’s
inventory to support community health,
wellness, and need across the city.
Baseline elements for community hubs like universally
accessible and gender neutral restrooms, indoor gathering
spaces, outdoor pavilions, water access and aquatics related
elements, and trails within parks should be increased in areas
of the city with high social vulnerability or in areas projected
to grow.
2.2. Connect program offerings and facility
elements to community needs, especially
underserved demographic groups.
While people across all ages currently participate in recreation
programs, anecdotally, community members indicated that currently
the Department does the best job providing a range of options for
youth activities. Winter recreation, arts and culture, and aquatics
or swimming programs were the programs for which the highest
number of residents indicated were a priority for future investment.
Many of the programs identified as community priorities have
specific requirements about the types of facilities that can support
their function or have limitations on inclusion. The Department
should focus on providing program offerings that support a
welcoming, inclusive, and accessible environment for all residents.
◊Redefine core program areas to focus on
program type rather than age.
Rather than organize programs by age group, which is how
these programs are organized today, Bozeman should consider
using activity types to designate core programs, building
on the core programs residents identified as priorities for
future investment. The PRAT Plan proposes that the future
core programs be organized into nine program areas - arts,
athletics, aquatics, camps, fitness, general interest, lifelong
learning, nature/outdoor education, and outdoor adventures.
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Within each program area, the goal would be to provide offerings
for all age groups (preschool, youth, teen, adult, seniors). There
will still be age-specific core program areas like camps, which
would only include preschool, youth, and teen. Organizing in this
fashion will clarify the structure of recreation programming and
reinforce how the City is incorporating the needs and desires of
residents for structured experiences and activities.
◊Develop a policy for inclusive or adaptive
recreation programming.
While the Department aims to make all programs inclusive and
accommodate participant special needs for accommodations
on a case by case basis, the Department needs a formal policy
for therapeutic or inclusive programming to communicate
how these needs will be met and set expectations regarding
program participation with Bozeman residents with intellectual,
physical and/or sensory disabilities. In accordance with these
efforts, Eagle Mount distributed disability survey to get relevant
community feedback. The City needs to continue outreach to get
the word out to partner organizations, leaders and individuals
with disabilities and their families.
◊Formalize oversight of athletics partners
and field use with public and private sports
organizations.
Explore an athletic commission to work with the operators of
private leagues to coordinate scheduling, sign-ups, marketing,
and officials.
◊Create a clear calendar and reservation system
for field reservation needs.
◊Consider requiring all affiliate groups to provide
proof of coach criminal background checks,
and compare the list of coaches to the state and
federal sex offender databases.
the city presently organizes programming by age group
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◊Charge a special field use fee for nonresident
participants.
◊Partner to expand the mix of Arts and Culture
program offerings.
Building on a successful partnership with the Bozeman
Municipal Band, explore more opportunities for program
partnerships or shared use agreements with Bozeman Art
Museum, the Emerson, and other cultural organizations to
support arts-based education and capacity building.
◊Expand temporary art exhibitions and
permanent public art programs across city
parks and facilities.
Work with the Gallatin Art Crossing and other organizations
focused on community enrichment and wonderment, like
Random Acts of Silliness and Mountain Time Arts to foster
more engagement with art and exploration throughout the
city.
2.3: Enhance awareness of programs and
services.
In the statistically-valid community survey, over 90% of respondents
rated parks and recreational opportunities in Bozeman as good or
excellent. Yet, throughout the planning process, and in that same
survey, citizens and stakeholders frequently indicated they were
unaware of all of the parks, facilities, and programs that the Park
and Recreation Department offers. Just under half of respondents
were unaware of or do not take advantage of the City’s programs.
Case Study
BumbleWood Thicket
Fairy Village 2022
Located amid the winding, wooded
paths of Glen Lake Rotary Park in
Bozeman, the 3rd Annual Fairy
Village contained all new fairy
homes and business establishments
created by talented Montana
artists.
69
◊Develop mobile applications for users to
find system information (e.g., park locations
and elements, trails and paths, program
information, upcoming events) or to report a
problem.
People increasingly prefer to access the majority of their
information online, rather than through print material. In
response, communities across the country are developing
mobile applications, or apps, with information and locations
of all of the municipality’s parks and facilities and their
elements, tied to work cities are already doing to inventory
and communicate all that their parks have to offer. It can be a
great tool to get the word out to teens and young adults about
park-specific events, share updates about new facilities or
programs, and provide a seamless connection to a centralized
program registration system.
◊Continue to review the most effective uses of
electronic and social media for marketing and
informational purposes.
Almost half of Bozeman residents are unaware of the
programs the City offers and the printed program guide
continues to be the primary source of information about City-
led programs. The City of Bozeman social media platforms
including, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram collectively have
over eleven thousand followers. These platforms could be used
to market programs and classes, as well as to broadly share
when the Department is hiring and celebrate major events.
◊Highlight health and wellness benefits of Park
and Recreation Department programs in all
informational materials.
Bozeman Health, Healthy Gallatin, the Billings Clinic and
the City-County Health Department, among others, already
tracks localized health information and shares health
The following programs
are offered by many
agencies across the
country, but are programs
not currently offered by
the Department.
◊Arts
◊Childcare
◊Cooking
◊Dance
◊E-Sports
◊Golf
◊Gymnastics/Tumbling
◊Homeschool
◊Horseback Riding
◊Language Arts
◊Martial arts
◊Music
◊Open Gym
◊Pets
◊Preschool
◊Seniors
◊Theatre/Acting
◊Therapeutic Recreation
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benefits of increased physical activity, thoughtful eating
habits, and access to the outdoors. The Department should
develop a relationship with these health-focused partners to
communicate the role of parks and recreation on community
health online, in social media posts and program guides, and
in City facilities.
2.4 Work with local and regional tourism
and economic development organizations to
get the word out about Department parks,
facilities, and events as destinations for
visitors.
Over 1.94 million visitors flew into Bozeman’s airport and spent
a total of $1 billion dollars in Gallatin County in 2021 alone. As
the gateway to Yellowstone and Big Sky, the Park and Recreation
Department has the opportunity to capitalize on the value and
quality of its events and parks to attract visitors to the city, recoup
costs, and support economic development.
◊Work with the City of Bozeman’s Chamber
of Commerce and Downtown Bozeman
Partnership to strengthen the Park and
Recreation Department’s contribution to local
and regional marketing efforts.
At a minimum, this could include flyers in the tourism office,
at the Bozeman airport, and top ten City park attractions on
partner webpages to help strengthen engagement between
visitor experiences of the city.
◊Cross-market Park and Recreation
Department destinations with other regional
attractions to encourage visitors to spend
time and money in the city of Bozeman, like the
Pathway to the M.
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“People freaking love the
park when it gets flooded for
hockey.” -- Partners PRAT
Visioning
71
2.5. Gather program data and track program
participation annually.
The pandemic has shown just how beneficial parks and recreation
programs are to the health and wellness of a community; yet, Parks
and Recreation Departments continue to work within increasingly
tight budgets and cuts as a “nonessential” community service. Data
can help to safeguard against budget cuts. Data-driven decisions
are needed to better make the case for the essential contributions of
parks, open space and recreation services as well as to ensure that
investments are shared equitably across the city and, particularly, to
places where investments could have outsized impacts on the long-
term sustainability and health of residents.
◊Establish metrics for measurement of
departmental goals (i.e., program cancellation
rate, program reach, new programs offered,
and residency).
One method to establish and track progress is to develop a
Department-led “business plan” process that establishes
priorities and defines performance metrics as a way to
quantify the Department’s success towards program goals. The
business plan could be developed as part of recreation staff
meetings to brainstorm metrics and connect staff to achieving
quantifiable goals.
◊Begin Recreation Division quarterly program
evaluation process.
Using fee to participation data, customer satisfaction
surveys, and overall program participation as a guide, meet
as a Department quarterly to share updates to program
investments, participation rates, and revenues after every
program season to reflect on the season and prepare for future
investments.
IN 2021, Over 1.94 million visitors flew into Bozeman’S airport
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◊ Track population changes, community health
metrics, and development starts across the
city, and use that data to inform decisions
about locating recreation programs and
events.
Work with Gallatin City and Gallatin County Health
Department, Bozeman Health, and Billings Clinic to help
support their Community Health Needs Assessment process
and identify any metrics that help to tie individual and
community health outcomes to nutrition programming,
physical activity, and outdoor experiences.
2.6. Grow and formalize program
partnerships in areas that are not
Department mission-critical.
◊ Enhance existing local public, private and
nonprofit partnerships and seek out new ones
to fill gaps in service delivery.
The City’s Park and Recreation Department operates over 125
programs a year, which is significant for a small group and
a resident population of over 50,000 people. There are also
many private and not-for-profit organizations that provide
either similar programs or help to close the gaps on programs
the Department cannot operate. As an example, Aquatics
are among the most sought after programs for residents
of all ages, reaching capacity within hours of opening the
registration portal. The YMCA, discovery walks lead by the
Gallatin Valley Land Trust and other programs and private
providers help to alleviate the pressure on Bozeman to provide
aquatics programs across the City, especially more recently
when an unexpected closure at the Bozeman Swim Center
meant that many City-led programs needed to find space for
aquatic needs.
Data can help to safeguard against budget cuts
73
◊ Expand partnerships beyond the Montana
Parent Magazine to deploy seasonal program
guides.
Additional partners could include organizations that serve
persons with disabilities, persons who speak a language
other than English at home, seniors, teens, and young adult
populations.
◊ Create partnership, teaming guidelines and
policy to define goals and expectations.
The City of Bozeman currently has a wide range of
partnerships with various organizations for programming,
advocacy, land acquisition, and park improvements. To
protect and strengthen these relationships, it is vital that
the Department craft formal agreements that better define
common mission, outline expectations, timelines, and specify
leadership roles for both the City and the partner organization.
Bozeman’s operations, capital investments, and programs are
made stronger by successful partnerships with like-minded
organizations. The Gallatin Valley Land Trust and their trail
acquisition and trail building programs are an example of a
mutually beneficial partnership the City of Bozeman wants
to continue to enhance and expand. Not all relationships are
as successful. Communicating expectations early and clearly
around topics that can easily become significant challenges
if not addressed, like maintenance or operations roles, will
help to support the capacity of City staff and optimize existing
resources aligned with the core mission of the Department.
Partnerships, even strong ones with long standing
organizations like the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, benefit from
short term agreements that allow both parties to revisit terms
every few years to protect the relationship over a sustained
period. The PRAT plan proposes that the Department engage
all partners in two to five year agreements with all program,
maintenance, and investment partners.
“Organize frequent family, kid
runs” - Community member
during August Pop-Up Event
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Demand for new facilities to expand the current network of
pathways, trails and bike facilities is strong and the network will
need to keep up with the growing community. Additionally, the need
to fill in connectivity to reduce barriers within the network must
be addressed. This goal is focused on the facilities and policies to
connect and grow the active transportation network of shared use
paths, natural trails, on-street bike boulevards, and sidewalks.
A safe, well-maintained, connected path and trail system provides
more residents with the option to walk or bicycle as a primary
means of transportation. Whether for work or accessing goods
and services, the better the network the more residents will
choose active transportation as a less expensive, healthier, and
environmentally friendly option over driving a personal vehicle.
Additionally, how people move to, from, and within parks is
fundamental to building a healthy community, both in terms of
providing active options for transportation, but also for providing
equitable means for residents to access park facilities and
CONNECT and
experience all that
Bozeman has to offer.
Goal 3
75
programs. Active communities have improved health, a cleaner
environment, and are more sustainable and resilient. To maintain
and improve its status as an active transportation community
Bozeman must prioritize the construction and maintenance of
bike and pedestrian infrastructure. Expanding and improving a
network of safe, accessible, and efficient paths and trails will make
active transportation an even more attractive option for everyday
travel by everyone.
This plan includes recommended strategies and key actions to
create a connected active transportation network. Together with
the specifications outlined in Design and Maintenance Standards
and the implementation recommendations in Mechanisms for
Improvements, these strategies outline the actions to build a
seamless network for active transportation.
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3.1. Invest in a City-wide Active
Transportation Network
Expanding the active transportation network will provide both
reliable recreation and transportation opportunities throughout
the community. The proposed network maps identify locations of
new shared use paths and connector paths that begin to address
the community needs and future needs identified in this plan. This
plan, in coordination with the county level Triangle Trails Plan,
focuses on network level connectivity. Additional neighborhood
trails should be included through the private development process
to enhance connectivity further.
◊ Use this plan as a guide for future public
infrastructure planning and investment, as
well as a resource in the private development
process.
Proposed facilities in this plan should be incorporated
into the City’s GIS mapping and other resources to ensure
that the public and development community has access
to the proposed network. Proposed pathway alignments
shown are a ‘planning level’ representation of intended
routes, which provide connections between destination
points and desirable pathway experiences for a variety
of users. In the final implementation of the proposed
network, adjustments and modifications to the alignments
shown are expected. Such adjustments may be required to
navigate environmental features, meet code requirements,
accommodate landowner desires, and complement future
development projects. These adjustments should be
expected and accommodated, so long as the adjustments
do not compromise the original intent of the planning level
alignment.
The proposed new routes represent approximately 135 new
miles of shared use paths, 37 new miles of connector paths,
and 107 new miles of neighborhood trails.
Shared Use Path
wide thoroughfares with paved
or concrete surfaces that
accommodate higher speed travel
directly connecting community
destinations.
Connector Path
connect other bike and pedestrian
corridors and neighborhood
destinations with generously
sized paved, concrete or natural
surfaces.
Neighborhood Trail
narrow natural surfaced or gravel
local routes that are typically used
for recreational purposes.
Pathways
a term used to collectively refer to
all types of active transportation
routes.
Active transportation facility typologies
77
Bike lane recommendations are included in the 2017
Transportation Master Plan. This plan recommends that the
city and MDT consider upgrading existing and proposed bike
lanes to separated bike lanes as new collaborative projects and
opportunities allow. All collector and arterial roadways within
Bozeman should have some form of on-street improved bike lane.
Figure 4.7 Active Transportation facility typologies
Shared Use Pathway Neighborhood TrailConnector Path
4’-6’
TRAIL
Neighborhood Trail
VARIES
LANDSCAPE AREA
VARIES
LANDSCAPE AREA
6’-8’
TRAIL
Connector Path
10’
CLEAR
BUFFER
2’VARIES
LANDSCAPE
AREA
VARIES
LANDSCAPE
AREA
BUFFER
2’
Shared Use Pathway
10’
PAVED TRAIL
VARIES
TRAIL BUFFER
2’2’10’
DRIVE LANE
12’
CLEAR
BUFFERBUFFER CURB &GUTTER
4’-6’
TRAIL
Neighborhood Trail
VARIES
LANDSCAPE AREA
VARIES
LANDSCAPE AREA
6’-8’
TRAIL
Connector Path
10’
CLEAR
BUFFER
2’VARIES
LANDSCAPE
AREA
VARIES
LANDSCAPE
AREA
BUFFER
2’
Shared Use Pathway
10’
PAVED TRAIL
VARIES
TRAIL BUFFER
2’2’10’
DRIVE LANE
12’
CLEAR
BUFFERBUFFER CURB &GUTTER
4’-6’
TRAIL
Neighborhood Trail
VARIES
LANDSCAPE AREA
VARIES
LANDSCAPE AREA
6’-8’
TRAIL
Connector Path
10’
CLEAR
BUFFER
2’VARIES
LANDSCAPE
AREA
VARIES
LANDSCAPE
AREA
BUFFER
2’
Shared Use Pathway
10’
PAVED TRAIL
VARIES
TRAIL BUFFER
2’2’10’
DRIVE LANE
12’
CLEAR
BUFFERBUFFER CURB &GUTTER
HOLD for Proposed AT Map
HOLD for Proposed AT Map
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◊Establish a family-friendly network of
bike boulevards that provide low-stress
connectivity throughout Bozeman.
Bike Boulevards are streets with low motorized traffic volume
and speeds. They are designated and designed to bicycle
travel priority by using signs, pavement markings, and design
to limit speed and number of vehicles. Bike boulevards can
feature enhanced crossing treatments at major streets to
provide improved comfort and safety. Bike boulevards are
a key component of a low-stress bike network providing key
connections throughout the community.
◊Annually update the network improvements
using the prioritization recommendations
included in the Mechanisms for Improvements
Appendix.
The list of proposed new routes and connections exceeds
the annual investment for active transportation. In order to
maintain and grow the network, the City should annually
review and dedicate funds to effectively construct the
new routes over time and consider requirements in the
development code for new developments to infill the system as
they currently do for roads
connect
Strategies
“A big investment in parks and
connecting trails would make
the city much more vibrant and
liveable.” -PRAT Plan Engage
Bozeman public comment
Figure 4.9 Existing bke boulevards in Bozeman
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3.2. Identify and develop a network of Anchor
Routes that serve as key travel corridors.
Anchor Routes are the highways of the active transportation
network. Existing pathway corridors, like the Gallagator Trail,
as well as new major corridors were identified as Anchor Routes.
These primary routes will serve as long-distance, low-stress,
family-friendly and comfortable thoroughfares that anchor the
active transportation network. Anchor routes provide a highly
visible system enhanced by the wayfinding plan (see appendix).
These primary routes will serve as low-stress, family-friendly and
comfortable long-distance thoroughfares that anchor the active
transportation network providing a highly visible system enhanced
by the wayfinding plan (see appendix).
◊Identify key needs for land acquisition,
easements, and coordination opportunities
with land development projects to secure
Anchor Route corridors.
Developing a network of anchor routes will require a long-
term vision and a comprehensive strategy to aggregate the
necessary land or legal access.
◊Prioritize funding to build, connect and
maintain Anchor Routes.
The City should add prioritized shared use path and connector
path projects to the Capital Improvements Plan (CIP). Likewise,
an annual portion of the City’s street construction budget
should be allocated to build shared use paths and critical
connector paths. In areas of key park connectivity benefit and
where severe barriers exist, cash-in-lieu of parkland money
can be used to close gaps. Routes not likely to be completed
with adjacent development should be prioritixzed.
"I would love to ride my bike
from Bozeman to Belgrade
and Four Corners without
traveling along a high vehicle
traffic route." -PRAT Plan
Engage Bozeman public
comment
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Strategies
"Traffic Calming on Babcock
is critical as promoting access
to Valley West park. Bike
lane on Babcock is a step, but
decreasing the width of the
road and more trees close to
the street edge would slow
traffic more naturally on
this corridor and improve
multimodality." -PRAT Plan
Engage Bozeman public
comment
◊Plan for robust maintenance of Anchor Routes
to ensure year-round use and a high level of
accessibility.
A complete set of maintenance recommendations are provided
in the Design & Maintenance Standards.
3.3. Create an interconnected network of
pedestrian and bicycle facilities by closing
existing network gaps.
This plan identifies areas of Bozeman that lack adequate access to
the network and neighborhoods where facilities are isolated due
to a lack of connectivity. New shared use paths and connectors are
proposed in these areas to close network gaps and increase overall
connectivity.
◊Prioritize construction of network segments
to close key connectivity gaps.
This plan includes a project prioritization matrix located in
the Mechanisms for Improvement, which suggests a variety
of recommended criteria including mobility equity and park
accessibility. High priority projects should be added to the
City’s CIP or funded with an allocation from the City’s street
construction budget.
◊Ensure new private development is required to
construct any adjacent active transportation
facility identified in this plan.
As Bozeman continues to grow, private development has
and will continue to be a primary vehicle for building out the
active transportation network. The UDC should be reviewed to
ensure this is clearly required.
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mid-block crossings
Mid-block crossings are often needed due to off-street
active transportation routes intersecting the street
network away from existing street intersections. These
are ideal for connecting neighborhood trails to nearby
services and the greater active transportation network.
An effective mid-block crossing consists
of a marked crosswalk, appropriate
pavement markings, warning signage, and
other treatments to slow or stop traffic
such as curb extensions, median refuges,
beacons, rectangular rapid flashing
beacons (RRFBs), hybrid beacons, and
signals. Designing crossings at mid-
block locations depends on an evaluation
of motor vehicle traffic volumes, sight
distance, pedestrian traffic volumes, land
use patterns, vehicle speed, and road type
and width.
Mid-block crossings should be provided
where pedestrian and bicycle desire lines
clearly exist such as along trails that do
not conveniently connect to an existing
intersection. Experience in Bozeman
shows that diverting these users to nearby
intersections is not effective or practical
and will not dissuade many users from
crossing at the most obvious location.
On collector or arterial streets with center
turn lanes, mid-block crossings should
be paired with pedestrian refuge islands
to shorten the crossing and break it into
two stages. Mid-block crossings vastly
simplify the number of potential conflicts
and decisions that need to be made by both
trail users and motorists over intersection
locations.
Figure 4.10 Conflict diagram showing that mid-block crossings have
fewer conflicts with vehicles.
Figure 4.11 The Galligator trail at Graf Street where trail has been
cut for road extension. Snow tracks after a few hours of use show
that the sign routing users to a crosswalk 160 feet away is not
effective.
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Strategies
3.4: Improve east-west connections that
prioritize active transportation
Most of Bozeman’s primary active transportation corridors run
north-south, and this isn’t a coincidence. Many of the current
corridors align with creeks or other waterways that flow through the
city and generally run south to north. Thus, there are currently very
few continuous path and trail corridors in Bozeman that run east-
west resulting in serious connectivity and access issues. A priority
was placed on proposing east- and west-running routes to address
this network inadequacy.
Figure 4.12 At locations where active transportation facilities cross a major street, a variety of
treatment can improve visibility and safety for bicyclists and pedestrians
19th & Lincoln Pedestrian Crossing
Mid Block Crossing at Oak & Ferguson (View 1)
Kagy & MSU Stadium
Mid Block Crossing at Oak & Ferguson (View 2)
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◊Prioritize construction of east-west network
facilities.
◊Improve safety of pedestrian and bicycle
crossings for east-west routes.
There are numerous north-south arterial streets that act
as major barriers to any east-west active transportation
routes. Therefore, as the recommended east-west routes are
implemented, safe crossings must be included.
3.5. Improve crossings for pedestrians and
bicyclists to overcome major barriers.
Addressing network barriers created by Bozeman’s arterial roadways
is a priority to ensure that the active transportation system is no
longer fragmented by busy streets. Strategies have been established
for various safe and intuitive pedestrian and bike crossings across
large roads, such as 7th Avenue, 19th Avenue, Oak Street, and Huffine
Lane, which prevent continuous low-stress active transportation
connectivity across the city. Critical locations for these crossings
were identified by assessing pedestrian-bicycle-vehicle conflict
points and desire lines along major arterials.
◊Prioritize improvements to critical safe
crossing locations.
This plan identifies the locations of important crossings that
need safety improvements.
◊Implement ‘best practice’ safe crossing
configurations and technology.
The safest crossing design alternatives will likely not be the
least expensive. The critical importance of providing the safest
crossings and the long-term health and air quality benefits
of increased ridership requires committing the necessary
funding.
Case Study
Mount Stirling Alpine
Resort Interpretive
Trail
Victoria, Australia
Merit Award 2015
a suite of interpretive elements
that highlight local history and
resources and presented the
information on trail markers
that provide visual clarity
while blending into the natural
environment. Sturdy cypress
pine posts are laser-etched with
the name of the resort and at eye
level, partially encased in three-
sided aluminum panels with
digital prints applied
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Strategies
3.6. Implement a comprehensive wayfinding
system.
A comprehensive wayfinding system is a mandatory element of
Bozeman’s active transportation network. Effective wayfinding
signage is a cost-effective way to improve the overall use and
accessibility of the system. Comprehensive wayfinding helps people
traveling throughout the network and directs them to community
destinations.
A coordinated and well-designed signage system improves the
coherency of the network and can provide a greater sense of user
security and comfort, as users receive confirmation that they are on
the correct route and are aware of how far they must travel to reach
their destination.
◊Enhance users’ ability to navigate Bozeman’s
network and find key destinations.
The wayfinding system should give clear guidance to users
to ensure their experience is safe and that they understand
any accessibility considerations related to that particular
pathway, crossing, or facility.
◊Provide information such as destinations,
direction, distance, and travel time.
Detailed and accurate wayfinding information will increase
user confidence, improve travel efficiency, and ultimately
increase overall network utilization.
◊Support and promote Bozeman’s identity.
Future wayfinding should reinforce the unique identity of
the City in the colors, textures and fonts used in signage.
To ensure that the wayfinding identity is communicated
Figure 4.13 Oak street trail
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comprehensively, implementation of the system should happen
within phases over ten years and include parks and buildings
that tie into the active transportation system.
◊Build community voice into the wayfinding
strategy process and raise visitor awareness
of the overall network.
The wayfinding strategy should look back to community inputs
to the PRAT Plan related to access and safety in order to
ensure increased awareness of the final result.
3.7: Install additional facilities and supporting
amenities along active transportation routes.
Certain associated amenities adjacent to pathways are essential for
the success of a functional and safe active transportation network.
Others are not critical for network function but enhance the user
experience, safety, and cleanliness, and are often greatly desired by
the community and are particularly necessary when trying to effect
mode shift toward bicycling..
◊Commit to installing the recommended
required facilities
Shared Use Paths Connector Paths Neighborhood Trails
Required
Amenities
Wayfinding
Lighting
Benches
Bike racks
Bike stations
Trash Receptacles
Wayfinding
Dog Waste
Stations
Wayfinding
Dog Waste Stations
Optional
Amenities
Picnic tables
Water fountains
Lighting
Bike stations
Water fountains
Trash Receptacles
Benches
Lighting
Water fountains
Trash Receptacles
Benches
Trailside Amenities Classification
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As discussed further in Design & Maintenance Standards,
certain supporting facilities like wayfinding and lighting
are essential to a highly functioning active transportation
network and therefore are mandatory.
◊Prioritize installation of recommended
optional amenities to enhance user experience
Optional amenities not only improve resident’s experience
but encourage higher utilization of the active transportation
network. These include strategically located benches, bike
racks, and water fountains.
3.8: Better utilize linear parks and
watercourses to connect the active
transportation network with parks and open
spaces.
Many of the existing network gaps and new routes identified in
this plan could be implemented by allowing more flexible use of
linear parks and watercourse setbacks. In order to do so the Unified
Development Code must be revised as recommended in the Policy
Considerations section.
◊Allow all active transportation typologies to
be located within watercourse setbacks.
Shared use paths, connector paths, and neighborhood trails
should be permitted within Zone 2 of watercourse setbacks
regardless of surface types in areas where infill pathways are
needed or where lot constraints prevent additional setback.
◊Allow certain active transportation corridors
to be designated as linear parks that meet
parkland requirements.
In many cases corridors that incorporate pathways and
adjacent open space should be recognized as both active
transportation routes and parkland.
connect
Strategies
“I would like to see the city plan
for a connecting network of trails
that allow bike and ped access
throughout the city, even to
Belgrade and Bridger Bowl, etc.”
-PRAT Plan Engage Bozeman public
comment
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3.9: Ensure inclusive and equitable access to
and within parks.
To develop an inclusive active transportation network, pathways
must be designed and maintained to engage communities of varying
incomes, and feel safe and accessible to all age groups, modes of
travel, and ability levels. The network should consist of a variety of
facility types that promote walking, biking, and micromobility as
both recreation activities and transportation options. Finally, the
network of shared use paths and connector trails should meet the
minimum standards for accessibility to create a variety of accessible
active transportation and recreation opportunities for those with
mobility challenges.
what is micromobility?
Micromobility is an umbrella term encompassing
a variety of small, generally low-speed vehicles
and conveyances that can be electric or human-
powered and privately owned or part of shared
fleets. Micromobility devices include most small,
predominantly one-person vehicles that operate
at low speeds and are not gas-powered. Most
micromobility devices fit within a standard bike
lane or sidewalk and weigh less than 100 pounds.
Although the term applies to everything from
skateboards to wheelchairs, the term, coined by
Horace Dediu, gained popularity when fleets of bikes
and scooters flooded city streets in the 2010s, kicking
off a revolutionary trend that has altered the way
planners and policymakers think about and regulate
street space in many cities.
When supported by safe and accessible
infrastructure, micromobility devices can bridge
the gap between public transit options, replace
cars for short trips, and complement larger delivery
vehicles by providing last-mile services in dense
neighborhoods. Shared fleets can eliminate the
cost of private ownership and the hassle of bringing
devices onto public transit while connecting urban
residents to their destinations.
Source: What Is Micromobility? | Planetizen Planopedia
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Strategies
◊ Develop policies to allow for the use of e-bikes,
e-scooters, and similar modes of assisted
mobility on active transportation routes.
Electric assisted modes of micromobility encourage and
allow more people to engage in active transportation.
Comprehensive policies that include education and
enforcement components can effectively incorporate all modes
and minimize user conflicts, and enforcement starts with good
design.
◊ Develop a toolkit to evaluate and prioritize
projects.
Use adopted City plans (Strategic Plan, Community
Plan, Climate Action Plan, Transportation Master Plan),
key network connections, and equitable access goals as
prioritization criteria.
3.10: Revise network typology classifications
and comprehensive design and maintenance
standards.
Clearly defined typologies for active transportation routes is
critical to identifying which facilities best serve future users. The
recommended typologies are intended to not only provide common
nomenclature for this plan and future plans, but also to establish
corresponding design standards. A more comprehensive analysis
of these typologies and standards is included in the Design &
Maintenance Standards section.
◊ Redefine and simplify off-street active
transportation typologies.
This plan recommends a revised structural hierarchy of
pathway typologies that loosely mimics Bozeman’s roadway
classifications of arterial, collector, and local streets. The
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three recommended pathway typologies are shared use paths,
connector paths, and neighborhood trails.
◊ Create standards for bike boulevards.
In order to provide a complete network in under served areas,
bike boulevards create low-stress routes within existing
neighborhoods by increasing awareness of bicycles, and
ensuring vehicle speeds and volumes are compatible with most
types of bicyclists. Major street crossings will have treatments
designed to enhance safety and comfort.
◊ Establish comprehensive standards
and specifications for construction and
maintenance.
Standards for the design and construction of all active
transportation typologies is critical to successful
implementation of the PRAT Plan. Maintenance standards
for construction, surface preservation, repairs, safety
precautions, and managing adjacent landscaping should
be developed for and consistently applied to all network
typologies.
Winter maintenance, like removing snow from shared use paths, is critical to year-round active transportation
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The intersectionality of Bozeman’s natural and human
systems continues to shape how the city grows and manages its
environmental, social, and economic assets. The City of Bozeman
is shaped by thousands of years of human interaction with the
land, which has changed more rapidly as white settlers built roads,
businesses and houses over the landscape--culverting creeks and
covering wetlands.
As the city approaches its growth boundary, the balance of agrarian
uses and woodland, meadow, and riparian land covers continues
to decline at a rapid pace, giving way to more developed places. The
City has responded to rapid growth with forward looking policies
and investment priorities to ensure that new development is
balanced with valuable open spaces both large and small. Recent
investments in City-owned open space has skewed towards larger
parcels dedicated to natural areas and special use facilities,
alongside a greater array of neighborhood scale parks that provide
safe, walkable access between new housing developments and
neighborhood centers and natural areas. These City policies are
ADAPT to changing
environmental
pressures.
Goal 4
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also predicting a future that could result in an
overabundance of these neighborhood parks and
natural areas, potentially putting watercourses,
riparian corridors, and wetlands in vulnerable
positions without proper stewardship or
management.
The PRAT Plan presents an opportunity to
redefine our relationship to our natural systems
and to develop approaches for City-owned and
managed parks to effectively address climate
change and protect our natural places for the use
and enjoyment of generations to come. This goal
identifies strategies to protect valuable green
space balanced with increased development
pressures, improve water conservation and air
quality, support responsible use of our parks and
natural areas, and craft a resilient future.
Montane
grassland 18%
Sagebrush steppe
6%
Floodplain and
riparian 5%
Deciduous
dominated forest
and woodland 4%
Deciduous
shrubland 2%
Introduced
vegetation 1%
Wet
meadow
1%
Conifer-dominated
forest and woodland
(xeric-mesic) 21%
Developed 21%Agriculture
23%
Land Cover: Bozeman and Surroundings
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adapt
Strategies
4.1: Create environmental standards for
acquisition and management appropriate to
each landscape type.
Environmental standards will provide much needed guardrails
for decision making that ensures that the City has the capacity
to purchase, improve, and appropriately maintain various park
landscapes.
◊ Create an environmental management and
design best practices toolkit.
Pull best practices from past plans and local manuals as a
guide, like the 2017 Gallatin Valley Hazard Mitigation Plan,
2018 Climate Vulnerability and Resilience Strategy, and 2020
Bozeman Climate Plan among others.
◊ Consider a rating system to set goals and
benchmarks and evaluate progress.
Rather than starting from scratch, the City can look to existing
environmental standards and benchmark systems like SITES.
This program provides clear guidance for standards and also
connects environmental outcomes with community benefit. The
standards should include tools for reduced fire risk, drought
management, shade, and flood adaptability.
◊ Require developments to provide a parkland
and natural resource analysis coinciding with
the trails/greenway layer to facilitate the
connection and continuity of natural resource
areas (black bear and sandhill crane pathways)
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4.2: Promote sustainable trail and park uses to
positively impact natural areas.
Parks are ideal places to prioritize environmental restoration and
build awareness of natural systems. This can be accomplished by
planting native vegetation, incorporating trails that immerse people
in nature while staying on paths, reducing the use of machinery or
chemicals in maintenance processes that can impact water and air
quality, and communicating the ecosystem service values of natural
areas.
◊ Encourage sustainable trail design and
maintenance through the PRAT Design and
Maintenance Manual.
◊ Establish an awareness campaign for
considerate park and trails use within natural
areas.
Well-intentioned visitors should always stay on marked trails
to protect wildlife habitats and reduce negative impacts to
native vegetation, including ecological degradation from heavy
foot traffic off designated paths.
Successful awareness campaigns are accessible to young
audiences and provide a balance of friendly, clear messaging
with facts that reinforce the importance of abiding by park
rules.
Campaigns that reinforce the relationship between dog owner
behavior and intended or unintended outcomes should also be
considered. Refer to Strategy 1.3 for more information about
programs to support a dog owner and dog etiquette program.
◊ Train and hire staff in sustainable land
management practices.
Consider creating a park ranger program or partnering with an
existing city security program to monitor appropriate park and
trail use.
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The program could be expanded to include volunteer programs
with residents interested in invasive species management,
riparian corridor enhancement, or trail maintenance.
4.3: Promote the protection and enhancement
of intact, contiguous critical lands through
parkland acquisition
◊ Identify large areas of significant ecosystem
benefit in areas of future City expansion and
identify funding mechanisms or partnerships
for acquisition.
The Park and Recreation Department’s mission focuses on
recreation experiences for people. While the Department
does own many natural areas and works to maintain the
land sustainably, the purchase of public lands that limit
public access are not aligned with that mission unless well-
integrated into the design of the park. In order to maintain
the net open land, focus cash-in-lieu and other funding on
acquisition.
◊ Allow watercourse setbacks, wetlands,
and other priority conservation lands and
similar acreage to contribute to dedication
requirements in new developments if the
project also includes community benefit
improvements.
As of 2022, land dedication in new developments is limited to
upland parcels that enable active uses, however these same
dedication requirements do not include improvements to the
park beyond irrigation infrastructure, sod, and perimeter
trees and sidewalks.. Incorporating critical habitats,
riparian corridors, and wetlands into a portion of the land
dedication requirement will enable the City to take on unified
management of critical lands and increase the development’s
responsibility to improve adjacent areas for more active
adapt
Strategies
97
uses with more elements than previously required. Not only
will this change to dedication encourage responsible long-
term stewardship by the City, it will also reduce the burden on
maintenance staff to mow large undeveloped open space parcels.
◊Direct funding outside the City in areas of
critical natural resource benefit to prevent net
loss of open land.
4.4: Expand nature play and programming.
◊Find more ways for people and children to
interact with wetlands, waterways and forests.
The Parks and Recreation Department should develop a
metric similar to the “10-minute walk” for unstructured play
areas or ”wild” spaces. The City should frame nature play as
intergenerational, or as spaces that allow people of all ages to
be wild. The park system as a whole should mirror the greater
natural context of Bozeman and include “wild” natural plantings,
outdoor recreation, and places to pause and enjoy nature for all.
4.5: Emphasize water conservation, stormwater
management, and best land management
practices in park and facility capital projects.
In May of 2022, the City Commission enacted permanent watering
restrictions to curb irrigation of lawns and landscape, which often use
half of all city water in the summer months and the Parks Division
followed suit. The Park Division’s participation in achieving and
demonstrating water conservation strategies will make it more difficult
to irrigate parks and fields with large swaths of lawns. It also provides
an opportunity for Parks and Recreation to think differently about
water use and find creative ways to maintain the same high quality
spaces while prioritizing water management needs. Best practices need
to develop specific design guildelines and management for wetlands,
soccer fields, and other park or natural spaces to be improved for
sustainability and climate metrics.
Case Study
Boulder Public Library
and Boulder Creek
Pathway
When the Boulder Public
Library was moved to its current
location along the Boulder Creek
Path, improvements were made
to the path, adjacent creek and
a new nature playground was
incorporated into the project,
next to the new library site.
The balance of active, children-
centered uses and protection
of an important creek corridor
highlighted the City of Boulder’s
approach to reinvestment and
critical habitat protection.
98
◊ Create standards for low water or drought
tolerant irrigation infrastructure.
Prioritize simple irrigation systems over advanced systems
to reduce unnecessary water waste. Install flexible irrigation
systems that are easy to manage, maintain, and replace
if needed. Irrigating planting beds and trees during the
vegetation’s establishment period will greatly increase
the chances of survival for the planting and the planting’s
lifespan.
◊ Increase the amount of drought tolerant
and native vegetation and trees in the park
system.
Work with the Montana Master Gardener Program and other
like minded organizations to confirm and update plant
selection guidance, share low water best practices with
city staff, and lead workshops with community members to
promote residential drought tolerant landscape.
4.6 Align Staffing Plan with the Above
Recommendations
◊ Enhance riparian areas and wetland corridors
within existing and new parks through the
design manual
adapt
Strategies
99
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INCREASE staff and
resources to benefit the
community.
Goal 5
To fully care for Bozeman’s parks, trails and facilities and to
provide the most inclusive experiences for the community, the City
needs to build internal capacity and resources internally. Today,
the City is managing increased maintenance of parks alongside
the management, activation, and investment of existing and new
parks and facilities with a small staff. Increasing staff and City
resources can elevate the quality of the City’s operations and
ensure that Bozeman’s community has equitable access to high-
quality spaces and programs. To start, the City needs to ensure
that the capabilities and capacity of its current staff match the
department’s needs.
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increase
Strategies
5.1: Attract and retain staff to effectively
support the needs of Bozeman’s parks,
programs, and trails.
The design and upkeep needs of parks and facilities and the growing
variety of programs offered by the Department increasingly require a
larger staff. Currently, the Department has 54 FTE employees, which
is far below staffing numbers of the City’s peer communities. The City
needs to increase staff capacity now, while simultaneously looking
to the future. As needs and offerings grow, the Department must
constantly reassess and adapt its staffing to maintain efficiency and
meet the community expectations.
◊ Create intentional strategy to address hiring
gaps directly.
Work with the City’s Human Resources Department to actively
and efficiently recruit qualified staff to fill open positions.
Human Resources has already responded to position gaps
with signing bonuses and hourly wage increases, and is
positioned to do more to connect Department staffing needs to
important programs, like lifeguards and aquatics.
The Department will also need to be proactive about on-
boarding and training new staff who need to develop the
skills necessary to fill the roles they are hired for.. A training
program can be developed to specifically address needed
skills, and encourage staff growth through the Department.
Alongside clear communication and training of roles, the
Department should shed any tasks historically given to
programming staff, including janitorial or administrative
tasks, that are not core to the reason for their hiring.
◊ Conduct annual staff surveys to assess job
satisfaction, staff development, staffing
levels, and work environment.
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Assign a lead investigator within the Department to
summarize surveys and share high level takeaways
Department-wide. The Department should incorporate those
takeaways into future policies and projects to appropriate
retain existing staff, and attract future staff.
◊ Provide regular training to ensure that
existing staff develop the skills to perform
their duties and grow within their roles.
For example, if the City is accepting more watercourse
setbacks as dedicated parkland, the overall maintenance
is likely reduced but is much different from mowing turf
grass because its management will require different types of
equipment and technical skills.
◊ Conduct an in-depth operational assessment
including a staffing plan to define roles and
responsibilities and to strategically allocate
funding.
For example, if the City is accepting more watercourse
setbacks as dedicated parkland, the overall maintenance
is likely reduced but is much different from mowing turf
grass because its management will require different types of
equipment and technical skills.
5.2: Continue to refine and communicate the
Bozeman Parks and Trails Special District
In May 2020, the City created the Bozeman Parks and Trails Special
District. The purpose of the District is to equitably invest and manage
much of the City’s publicly and privately owned open space land. One
of the key components of the District is the transition of maintenance
of privately owned, publicly accessible lands to City management.
five ways to improve hiring process
1. Create and improve
job descriptions
2. Communicate with
applicants in multiple
channels
3. Post job in many
databases
4. Center training/
development as part of
the job
5. Move quickly to
respond to applicants
and potential hires
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increase
Strategies
In order for the effective management and maintenance of these
spaces, the City now levies assessments that will benefit all City-
owned or managed parks and trails. As the City works to transition
to this new structure, it is imperative that the City sets expectations
with communities through a variety of communication methods.
◊Develop a dashboard to share successes
and communicate how resources are being
allocated.
The online dashboard can live on the Parks and Recreation
webpage, and will include updates regarding District
implementation and improvements, along with responses to
frequently asked questions.
Start by comparing costs and benefits of current maintenance
district structure against Department desires for building out
staff capacity including reduced contract reliance, increased
supervision, redundancy with HOA maintenance, etc.
Create a ticket system for the Community Enhancement
application program and publicly track requests from
community members regarding the District program. Using
the seeclickfix program as a model, share what parks and
open spaces are included within the Maintenance District and
include tags in spaces where questions have been asked and
responded to.
The dashboard could include a Frequently Asked Questions
document that is shared with key stakeholders, including
property managers, Homeowners associations, developers
and residents.
◊Undertake a drive time analysis to determine
the time maintenance staff spends driving
during a typical day.
Ensure maintenance district oversight and work to limit the
amount of drive time (ideally to no more than an hour daily) to
increase productivity and reduce the cost of maintenance and
associated expenses such as fuel.
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Use and communicate the highest standards of maintenance
(Per NRPA’s maintenance standards), with the PRAT’s
maintenance and design manual as a guide.
5.3: Develop a philosophy and policies for cost
recovery and revenue generation.
The Department does not currently have a broad-based cost-
recovery plan that could be used as a guideline for setting fees and
systematic resource allocation; however, there is appetite to adopt a
comprehensive cost-recovery philosophy, which can provide guidance
for prioritizing core program areas, setting fees and charges,
identifying tax subsidy levels, and allocating resources effectively
and efficiently.
◊Establish cost recovery targets.
The Department’s average annual cost recovery, or the
calculated percentage of aggregate costs in relation to the
revenues generated from programs and services, is 34.6%.
As context, the offering of an activity or delivery of a service
would achieve 100% cost recovery if the fees charged generated
revenue sufficient to cover all associated costs related to the
operation of the program.
In order to increase the percentage of cost recovery to a new
target, the Department should identify a range of cost recovery
targets related to individual activity and service categories.
Once the range has been established, adjust fees within that
service category accordingly and monitor the program or
service’s cost recovery annually.
◊Adjust fees and pricing to balance revenue
generation with community accessibility.
Departments typically subsidize activities for youth, teens,
and seniors more than adult activities. Bozeman should also
consider subsidies to programs with higher participation by
low-income residents, or scholarships in programs in which
“Create an online "suggestion
box" for people to pin their
ideas or maintenance
concerns onto a platform” -
Community member feedback
during August pop-up event
106
affordability or willingness to pay are a barrier for low income
families and other underrepresented demographics.
◊Create pricing strategies for different
audiences based on a variety of factors that
take into account existing fees, affordability,
and program attractiveness.
The following are common pricing factors the Department
should consider when developing an approach to updating fees
and charges:
◊Cost to offer the program (limited direct costs only)
◊History of fees charged
◊Perceived ability and willingness to pay
◊Number of participants per class/activity
◊Affordability for target audience
◊Ability to attract participants
increase
Strategies
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108
Parks Implementation Guidance
Active Transportation Implementation Guidance
Design and maintenance Manual
in this chapter5. how do we get there?
109
Parks Implementation Guidance
Successful implementation of the strategies and
projects identified by the Parks, Recreation and
Active Transportation Plan requires balancing and
addressing community aspirations, partner and
stakeholder goals, and the Department’s mission
and vision. The following build on the strategies
and actions identified in the PRAT plan document
and serve as first steps the Department and the
City can take to begin a successful and inclusive
implementation process.
The PRAT Plan is a Framework
The vision, goals, strategies, and recommendations
should serve as a framework for decision making.
When decisions or responses to the Bozeman
community are needed, the plan serves as the
reference point for decision making and whether or
not new issues or responses to the community are of
higher importance than what’s been established as
existing direction. Because the plan is an integral
tool for the Department, it should also be central to
employee onboarding.
Track Progress: Publicly release the plan online by
placing the plan on the Department’s website and
on Engage.Bozeman to track plan implementation
progress on these sites. The Department can share
updates about recommendation implementation
progress. Track and share progress with interested
partners and community members as well as with
key decision makers.
At the end of each fiscal year, reflect on the results
of the implementation efforts to-date and include
continued community engagement and progress
made within each big idea. In addition to yearly
reviews, the Department should comprehensively
reflect on accomplishments to-date and evaluate
progress in equitable project completion that
achieves the plan’s goals. These comprehensive
reviews are an opportunity for Bozeman to refine or
change strategies and recommendations to reflect
changing community needs and recreation trends.
In these reports the Department should provide data
and metrics to clearly articulate plan developments
and explain project benefits in a way various
audiences can understand
Identify the Plan Champion(s)
Identify a primary staff person (or team) to guide
various pieces of the plan’s implementation to
ensure success. These staff people are responsible
for monitoring progress and works with staff to
effectively integrate the plan into the department. A
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strong candidate or team should be knowledgeable
of the planning process, design and community
engagement values of the recommendations made
by the plan. Additional staff members should
also lead specific big ideas. These individuals can
manage each recommendation within a big idea
to ensure implementation is followed through and
communicated with the Plan Champion, project
partners, stakeholders and the broader community.
Commit to Community Goals
Engage community members (residents, businesses,
Department partners, and non-profit organizations)
early and often during the implementation process. A
knowledgeable community is the best way to secure
support and ensure the project(s) suit the needs of
those who will benefit from them. Equity needs to
continue to be at the forefront of all conversations
and engagement with underresourced communities
must also be paramount to the engagement process.
The following actions can be used to help get the
word out and provide a continuous feedback loop with
community members:
•Engage the community through maintenance
and recreation program staff who interact with
the community daily in conversation or through
formal feedback methods.
•Include a plan progress update in the Urban Parks
and Forestry Board agenda to keep staff and
stakeholders informed of the plan’s progress.
PARTNERS Regular Maintenance and
Monitoring Activation and Programming Significant Renovations or New Investments
Core
Implementer Plan Partner Core
Implementer Plan Partner Core
Implementer Plan Partner
Parks/open
spaces
Parks and
Cemetery
Property Owners
Associations
Recreation Volunteer organizations;
Downtown Bozeman
Partnership; Western
Transportation Institute;
Private Recreation
Programmers; HRDC; Leagues
Parks Planning
& Development;
Bozeman
Planning
Division
Private Developers, Land
Trusts (e.g. Gallatin Valley
Land Trust, Trust for Public
Land)
Trails/AT
System
Parks and
Cemetery
Future Trails
Staff; Private
maintenance
crews to offset
staff capacity
Recreation Gallatin Valley Land Trust;
Western Transportation
Institute; Private Recreation
Programmers
Parks Planning
& Development;
Bozeman
Planning
Division
Private Developers, Land
Trusts (e.g. Gallatin Valley
Land Trust, Trust for Public
Land)
Buildings/
facilities
Facilities
Management
Recreation;
Aquatics
Bozeman Libraries; Bozeman
School District
Parks Planning
& Development
YMCA, Bozeman Libraries;
Bozeman School District
Potential Plan Champions
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•Guide outreach in an inclusive direction and
adapt to changing community desires by using
formalized policies for outreach advertising and
messaging.
•Use strong, clear visuals paired with data and
reflections on community input to frame the
conversation.
•Hold meetings at times and both in person and
online that make it possible for all members of the
community to participate.
•Partner with community leaders and project
partners to maintain momentum for the plan.
•Build from the Safe Routes to Parks liaisons
program to address language barriers,
communication issues, and cultural barriers.
Regulations
The City of Bozeman enables park acquisition and
improvments through the Unified Development
Code. The City should use the design manual and
the current geographic distribution and gaps in
parks and specific park types to dictate what types
of investments should be made in different parts of
the city, either by the city on city-owned or dedicated
land or by developers. The following actions are
recommended.
•UDC revisions are recommended that support an
equitable distribution of elements, park types,
and facilities, especially in communities of color,
low income communities, and in places where
there are gaps in safe, walking access.
•Collect copies of all adopted individual park
•·Continue to require that developers prepare
individual park master plans for all newly
dedicated parkland.
•Revise the Unified Development Ordinance to
support more connected park spaces and Active
Transportation investments.
•·Allocate funds in the City budget for City staff
and/or consultants to prepare individual park
master plans for existing parks lacking an
adopted plan.
•Revise and update existing park plans to reflect
changing community needs as identified by this
process and community feedback.
Hold for Active Transportation Plan Implementation Pages
Hold for Active Transportation Plan Implementation Pages
Hold for Active Transportation Plan Implementation Pages
Hold for Active Transportation Plan Implementation Pages
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Looking Forward
The PRAT plan sets forth an ambitious vision and
series of goals for the growth of the system that
are driven by community voices. These goals are
the product of rigorous community conversations,
multiple surveys, in-depth analysis, and stakeholder
visioning. Going forward, the City should use the plan
as a tool to assist in decision making as it relates
to investment strategies and resource allocation to
ensure barriers to participation are removed and
create a more equitable system. Finally, the PRAT
plan should serve as a unifying document that helps
align the needs of the community with the priorities
and actions of the City in order to continue to grow an
inclusive, loved, and connected park system.
Amendments to the Parks, Recreation, and Active Transportation Plan
The PRAT Plan should be reviewed and revised
as needed every 5 years. Because the PRAT Plan
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is coordinated with the growth policy, Bozeman
Strategic Plan and other city documents, the City’s
growth policy, and in light of the time and effort
invested in the preparation of this plan,staff should
follow the procedures for growth policy amendments
and other relevant state laws for revisions.
Amendments to Individual Park Master Plans
Since adoption of the PROST in 2007, there has
been a goal to update park master plans for
existing individual parks within the system. With
the adoption of the PRAT, this effort should be
undertaken on a neighborhood or other sub-area level
to forecast improvement needs for the Department,
partners and new developments to implement
the recommendations in the PRAT and changing
community needs. The individual park master plans
should be conceptual in nature and will be used to:
◊implement new design guidelines as
identified in the PRAT Design Manual for
the individual park type
◊analyze site-specific potential and existing
conditions
◊forecast what types of improvements are
needed in individual parks to improve
the balance of offerings across all
neighborhoods and to eliminate access
barriers.
◊target appropriate grant funds and
partners.
Using neighborhood-level or other subareas, such as
Urban Renewal Districts, as the boundary for these
amendments, this type of assessment will not only
guide investments in existing parks, it will illustrate
needs that parks in new developments can meet.
Parks and Recreation staff should work with the
Urban Parks and Forestry Board and the City’s
Communications and Engagement staff to design
appropriate community engagement for the scale and
scope of these amendments.
Cash-in-lieu of Parkland (CILP) funding can be used
for planning efforts and would be an appropriate
source of funding for this effort because it would set
up future CILP and Improvements-in-Lieu of Parkland
(IILP).