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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-27-23 UPF Agenda & Packet MaterialsA.Call to Order - 6:00 PM This meeting will be held both in-person and also using an online videoconferencing system. You can join this meeting: Via Video Conference: Click the Register link, enter the required information, and click submit. Click Join Now to enter the meeting. Via Phone: This is for listening only if you cannot watch the stream, channel 190, or attend in- person United States Toll +1-650-479-3208 Access code: 2551 680 3383 B.Disclosures C.Changes to the Agenda D.Public Service Announcements E.Approval of Minutes E.1 Urban Parks and Forestry February 23, 2023 Minutes (Phillips ) F.Consent Items G.Public Comments This is the time to comment on any matter falling within the scope of the Urban Parks & Forestry THE URBAN PARKS & FORESTRY BOARD OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA UPF AGENDA Thursday, April 27, 2023 General information about the Urban Parks & Forestry Board can be found in our Laserfiche repository. If you are interested in commenting in writing on items on the agenda please send an email to agenda@bozeman.net or by visiting the Public Comment Page prior to 12:00pm on the day of the meeting. Public comments will also be accepted in-person and through Video Conference during the appropriate agenda items. As always, the meeting will be streamed through the Commission's video page and available in the City on cable channel 190. For more information please contact Mitch Overton, moverton@bozeman.net 1 Board. There will also be time in conjunction with each agenda item for public comment relating to that item but you may only speak once per topic. Please note, the Board cannot take action on any item which does not appear on the agenda. All persons addressing the Board shall speak in a civil and courteous manner and members of the audience shall be respectful of others. Please state your name and place of residence in an audible tone of voice for the record and limit your comments to three minutes. General public comments to the Board can be found on their Laserfiche repository page. H.Special Presentations I.Action Items J.FYI/Discussion J.1 Alex Nordquest, Bozeman Forestry Manager will give an update on the Arbor day Celebration and Volunteer tree planting on Friday April 28th 2023.(Nordquest ) J.2 Parks, Recreation, and Active Transportation Plan Work Session (Jadin) K.Adjournment This board generally meets the fourth Thursday of the month from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Citizen Advisory Board meetings are open to all members of the public. If you have a disability and require assistance, please contact our ADA coordinator, Mike Gray at 406-582-3232 (TDD 406-582- 2301). 2 Memorandum REPORT TO:Urban Parks & Forestry Board FROM:none SUBJECT:Urban Parks and Forestry February 23, 2023 Minutes MEETING DATE:April 27, 2023 AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Minutes RECOMMENDATION:Approve STRATEGIC PLAN:6.5 Parks, Trails & Open Space: Support the maintenance and expansion of an interconnected system of parks, trails and open spaces. BACKGROUND:none UNRESOLVED ISSUES:none ALTERNATIVES:none FISCAL EFFECTS:none Attachments: Urban Parks and Forestry Minutes 02-23-2023 .pdf Report compiled on: April 18, 2023 3 Urban Parks and Forestry Meeting Minutes, February 23, 2023 Page 1 of 2 URBAN, PARKS & FORESTRY MEETING OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA MINUTES February 23, 2023 General information about the Urban Parks & Forestry Board can be found in our Laserfiche repository. A) 00:01:27 Call to Order - 6:00 PM B) 00:05:07 Disclosures Present: Angie Kociolek, Dan Fenn, Donald Ulrich, Alice Stanley, Thomas Cuezze, I-Ho Pomeroy, Reno Walsh Absent: Anna Wearn Excused: None C) 00:07:20 Changes to the Agenda D) 00:08:26 Public Service Announcements E) 00:08:38 Approval of Minutes E.1 Urban Parks and Forestry Board Minutes January 26 2023 Urban Parks and Forestry Minutes January 26 2023.pdf 01:47:50 Motion to amend Alice Stanley: Motion Thomas Cuezze: 2nd 01:48:02 Vote on the Motion to amend N/A The Motion carried 6 - 0. Approve: Angie Kociolek Dan Fenn Donald Ulrich Alice Stanley 4 Urban Parks and Forestry Meeting Minutes, February 23, 2023 Page 2 of 2 Thomas Cuezze Reno Walsh Disapprove: None F) 00:08:45 Public Comments F.1 Public Comment from February 2023 LaserFiche Link to Public Comment for February 2023.02.15_HaraldsonPRATcomments.pdf SAS_Comments PRAT Goal 4 & Design Manual.pdf G) FYI/Discussion G.1 00:12:25 Forestry Manager Alex Nordquest Will Give A Division Update G.2 00:48:47 Parks, Recreation, and Active Transportation Plan Work Session PRAT-Plan.pdf PRAT Public Comment-SAS PRAT Public Comment-DEQ H) 02:18:48 Adjournment This board generally meets the fourth Thursday of the month from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. 5 Memorandum REPORT TO:Urban Parks & Forestry Board FROM:none SUBJECT:Alex Nordquest, Bozeman Forestry Manager will give an update on the Arbor day Celebration and Volunteer tree planting on Friday April 28th 2023. MEETING DATE:April 27, 2023 AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Citizen Advisory Board/Commission RECOMMENDATION:none STRATEGIC PLAN:6.5 Parks, Trails & Open Space: Support the maintenance and expansion of an interconnected system of parks, trails and open spaces. BACKGROUND:none UNRESOLVED ISSUES:none ALTERNATIVES:none FISCAL EFFECTS:none Attachments: Arbor Day Celebration 2023.pdf Report compiled on: April 21, 2023 6 Arbor Day Celebration and Tree Planting Event Agenda 12pm-4pm  Friday, April 28th use the parking lot at the Softball Complex Park (upper parking lot along Ellis St.), 501 Haggerty Ln. (see map)  12:00pm - Bozeman Forestry Division Manager, Alex Nordquest will start with a welcoming and introduction to the event.  12:10pm- Mayor Andrus and other attending officials will read the proclamation and speak on the importance of arbor day/trees in our community.  12:15pm- Plant the first tree together as a group to provide step by step instruction and then properly divide groups depending on skillsets.  12:45pm/4pm- Complete the Creekside trees first to eliminate unnecessary road crossings. Then move to the boulevard planting after Creekside is finished. 7 Memorandum REPORT TO:Urban Parks & Forestry Board FROM:Addi Jadin, Park Planning and Development Manager Mitch Overton, Director of Parks and Recreation Chuck Winn, Assistant City Manager SUBJECT:Parks, Recreation, and Active Transportation Plan Work Session MEETING DATE:April 27, 2023 AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Plan/Report/Study RECOMMENDATION:N/A STRATEGIC PLAN:6.5 Parks, Trails & Open Space: Support the maintenance and expansion of an interconnected system of parks, trails and open spaces. BACKGROUND:DISCUSSION TOPIC for APRIL 27, 2023: Staff and consultants will give an update on the consultant's revised scope of work proposal and tentative timeline for publishing the final draft, UPFB review and recommendation, and Commission final adoption. BACKGROUND: In early 2021, staff and the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board (RPAB) began the effort to commence the revision of the city's comprehensive plan for parks, recreation and trails. The existing plan, the Parks, Recreation and Active Transportation Plan (PROST), was adopted December 17, 2007. The purpose of the 2021-2022 planning process was to create a new, overarching document that assesses and makes recommendations to provide for sufficient parkland, recreation/aquatics programs, active transportation options and facilities for Bozeman citizens. The plan will also guide the expansion of these essential services as the community grows and changes. The recommendations in the plan are based on an updated review of community needs and priorities and may result in the revision of local development code requirements, procedures and criteria. The plan also makes recommendations regarding the role of the parks, recreation, and active transportation systems in fulfilling the goals of recently adopted and applicable City of Bozeman plans and guiding documents such as the Bozeman Community Plan, Climate Action Plan, the County Triangle Trails Plan, and other professional, industry metrics. Lastly, the plan has recommendations and supporting appendices that will improve the efficacy of the Parks and Recreation Department's tasks including master park plan review, individual park site plan review and recreational programming, cost- recovery and marketing. 8 A Request for Proposals (RFP) for professional services for the Parks, Recreation and Active Transportation Plan (PRAT Plan) was advertised in March of 2021 and the City entered into a Professional Services Agreement with Agency Landscape and Planning on July 13, 2021. Consultant responsibilities described in the PSA include the following: background research and analysis of relevant state and local laws, policies and plans; participation in the creation and implementation of a public outreach and engagement plan; needs assessment and community goal, objective and priority development; assessment of the level of service of existing parks, recreation and active transportation systems and services; implementation/policy recommendations for improving both the City's recreational program offerings and the land use/urban design components of the park system, including natural areas and the active transportation network. The First Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement was authorized by the City Commission on September 20, 2022 to include city- wide wayfinding for active transportation within the scope of the project. With the creation of the Urban Parks and Forestry Board (UPFB) by the City Commission via Resolution 5328, the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board (RPAB) was disbanded and UPFB assumed the responsibility to focus on the Parks, Recreation and Active Transportation Plan from drafting through adoption. The UPFB will forward their recommendation of the PRAT Plan to the City Commission for final adoption. With the adoption of the PRAT, the City Commission will also be asked to formally adopt the Gallatin County Triangle Trails Plan. REVIEW TIMELINE: To be updated after April 27th UPFB meeting. See PRAT Plan website (engage.bozemen.net/pratplan) for updates. WORKING DRAFT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT: Please use the link above for draft PRAT chapters and appendices under review. A master document is also attached to this memo. Public comment may be provided during above public meetings on the PRAT Plan and can be provided in writing to the City Clerk (agenda@bozeman.net) and/or Addi Jadin, Park Planning and Development Manager (ajadin@bozeman.net). Public Comment Repository Public Comment received since last City Clerk upload is linked below. 9 Upon completion of work sessions, a final draft will be made publicly available via the Urban Parks and Forestry Board agenda and PRAT Plan website. UNRESOLVED ISSUES:N/A ALTERNATIVES:N/A FISCAL EFFECTS:N/A Attachments: PRAT-Plan.pdf Gallatin Watershed Council PRAT Feedback 4_14_223.pdf Report compiled on: January 19, 2023 10 2023 COMPREHENSIVE PARKS, RECREATION, AND ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN Report DRAFT November 2022 City of bozeman 11 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 12 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? xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx 13 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 14 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% 15 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 16 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. 17 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 18 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 19 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. 20 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. 21 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. 22 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. 23 14 timeline and milestones engagement approach and outcomes methods and milestones engagement key findings in this chapter2. plan process 24 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 25 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. 26 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 27 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 28 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 29 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 30 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 31 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 32 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? 33 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. 34 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 35 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 36 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 37 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 38 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 andMountain 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? 39 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? 40 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 9.28.6 28.5 19.8 BEND, ORBOULDER, COCORVALLIS, ORFORT COLLINS, COMISSOULA, MTBOZEMAN, MTMEDIAN How does Bozeman Compare to Peer Cities? PER 50K PEOPLE 41 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 42 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 PEOPLE43 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 44 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 45 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 46 37 0 0.25 0.5 1 mile Current Active Transportation Network N Downtown Bozeman 47 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 48 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. 49 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 50 “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 51 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. 52 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 53 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 54 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. 55 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 56 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. 57 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 58 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 59 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 population 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 60 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 61 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 62 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 63 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. 64 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!” 65 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 66 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 67 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. 68 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 69 60 UNIFY Strategies 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. 70 61 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. 71 62 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 72 63 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. 73 64 invest Strategies 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. 74 6575 66 invest Strategies ◊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. 76 67 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 77 68 invest Strategies ◊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. 78 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 79 70 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. invest Strategies “People freaking love the park when it gets flooded for hockey.” -- Partners PRAT Visioning 80 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 81 72 invest Strategies ◊ 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 82 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 83 76 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 improve connectivity and 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 safer, 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 CONNECT and experience all that Bozeman has to offer. Goal 3 84 77 equitable means for residents to access park facilities and 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 the Design Manual and the implementation recommendations, these strategies outline the actions to build a seamless network for active transportation. 85 78 connect Strategies 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 identified in this plan. This plan, in coordination with the county level Triangle Trails Plan, focuses on network connectivity. Additional neighborhood trails should be added 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 137 new miles of shared use paths, 36 new miles of connector paths, 107 new miles of neighborhood trails, and nine miles of bike boulevards for a total of 289 miles of new pathways. “A big investment in parks and connecting trails would make the city much more vibrant and livable.” -PRAT Plan Engage Bozeman public comment 86 79 Connector Path VARIESSHARED ROAD VARIESSHARED ROAD5’LANDSCAPEAREA 5’LANDSCAPEAREA 5’SIDEWALK 5’SIDEWALK2’2’ CURB &GUTTER CURB &GUTTER BIKE BOULEVARD 4’-6’TRAIL Neighborhood Trail VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA6’-8’TRAIL Connector Path 10’CLEAR BUFFER 2’VARIESLANDSCAPEAREA VARIESLANDSCAPEAREA BUFFER 2’ Shared Use Pathway 10’PAVED TRAIL VARIESTRAIL BUFFER2’2’10’DRIVE LANE 12’CLEAR BUFFERBUFFER CURB &GUTTER Bike Boulevard Streets that prioritize pedestrian and bicycle travel by using signage, pavement markings, and lane constrictions to limit vehicle traffic. Connector Path Connect other bike and pedestrian corridors and neighborhood destinations with 6 to 8-foot wide paved or natural surfaces. Neighborhood Trail Four to six foot wide local, natural surface or gravel routes that are typically used for recreation Pathways A term used to collectively refer to all types of active transportation routes. Shared Use Path Ten to twelve foot paved paths that accommodate higher speed travel directly connecting community destinations. Typologies Figure 4.6 Active Transportation facility typologies Neighborhood Trail Shared Use Pathway VARIESSHARED ROAD VARIESSHARED ROAD5’LANDSCAPEAREA 5’LANDSCAPEAREA 5’SIDEWALK 5’SIDEWALK2’2’ CURB &GUTTER CURB &GUTTER BIKE BOULEVARD 4’-6’TRAIL Neighborhood Trail VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA6’-8’TRAIL Connector Path 10’CLEAR BUFFER 2’VARIESLANDSCAPEAREA VARIESLANDSCAPEAREA BUFFER 2’ Shared Use Pathway 10’PAVED TRAIL VARIESTRAIL BUFFER2’2’10’DRIVE LANE 12’CLEAR BUFFERBUFFER CURB &GUTTER VARIESSHARED ROAD VARIESSHARED ROAD5’LANDSCAPEAREA 5’LANDSCAPEAREA 5’SIDEWALK 5’SIDEWALK2’2’ CURB &GUTTER CURB &GUTTER BIKE BOULEVARD 4’-6’TRAIL Neighborhood Trail VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA6’-8’TRAIL Connector Path 10’CLEAR BUFFER 2’VARIESLANDSCAPEAREA VARIESLANDSCAPEAREA BUFFER 2’ Shared Use Pathway 10’PAVED TRAIL VARIESTRAIL BUFFER2’2’10’DRIVE LANE 12’CLEAR BUFFERBUFFER CURB &GUTTER Bike Boulevard VARIESSHARED ROAD VARIESSHARED ROAD5’LANDSCAPEAREA 5’LANDSCAPEAREA 5’SIDEWALK 5’SIDEWALK2’2’ CURB &GUTTER CURB &GUTTER BIKE BOULEVARD 4’-6’TRAIL Neighborhood Trail VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA 6’-8’TRAIL Connector Path 10’CLEAR BUFFER 2’VARIESLANDSCAPEAREA VARIESLANDSCAPEAREA BUFFER 2’ Shared Use Pathway 10’PAVED TRAIL VARIESTRAIL BUFFER2’2’10’DRIVE LANE 12’CLEAR BUFFERBUFFER CURB &GUTTER 87 Baxter LnBaxter Ln Valley Center LnValley Center Ln I-9 0 I-9 0 I-90I-90Oak StOak St DurstonDurston Huffine LnHuffine Ln Kagy BlvdKagy Blvd Kagy BlvdKagy Blvd Main StMain St7th Ave7th Ave19th Ave19th AveRouse AveRouse AveFowler AveFowler Ave3rd Ave3rd Ave7th Ave7th Ave19th Ave19th AveFowler LnFowler Ln3rd Ave3rd AveSourdough RdSourdough RdCottonwood RdCottonwood Rd80 Proposed AT Network 88 Kagy BlvdKagy Blvd I-90I-90 Main StMain St Durston RdDurston Rd Griffin DrGriffin Dr W Tamarack StW Tamarack St 7th Ave7th AveRouse AveRouse Ave3rd Ave3rd AveOak StOak St I-90I-90 81 Proposed Anchor Routes Proposed Shared Use Paths Proposed Connector Paths Proposed Neighborhood Trails Proposed Bike Boulevards Existing Trails Existing Shared Use Paths City Boundary Growth Boundary Roads Railroad Streams Lakes & Reservoirs Future Parks Parks 7th-Front Street Connector Pathway Facilities Figure 4.7 Proposed Active Transportation network with zoom in of 7th-Front St Connector, highlighted in orange. N1 mile00.5 89 Baxter LnBaxter Ln Valley Center LnValley Center Ln I- 9 0 I- 9 0 Oak StOak St DurstonDurston Huffine LnHuffine Ln Kagy BlvdKagy Blvd 19th Ave19th AveFowler AveFowler Ave19th Ave19th AveFowler LnFowler LnCottonwood RdCottonwood RdBaxter LnBaxter Ln I-9 0 I-9 0 I-9 0 I-9 0 Oak StOak St DurstonDurston Huffine LnHuffine Ln Kagy BlvdKagy Blvd Kagy BlvdKagy Blvd Main StMain St7th Ave7th AveBridger DrBridger Dr Tschache LnTschache Ln Annie StAnnie St 19th Ave19th AveRouse AveRouse AveFowler AveFowler Ave3rd Ave3rd Ave7th Ave7th Ave19th Ave19th AveFowler LnFowler Ln3rd Ave3rd AveSourdough RdSourdough Rd82 East/West Connector Figure 4.8 Proposed East-West Connector highlighted in orange Proposed AT Network 90 I- 9 0 I- 9 0 Kagy BlvdKagy Blvd I-90I-90 Main StMain St7th Ave7th AveRouse AveRouse Ave3rd Ave3rd Ave7th Ave7th Ave3rd Ave3rd AveSourdough RdSourdough RdBaxter LnBaxter Ln Oak StOak St Ferguson AveFerguson AveFlanders Mill RdFlanders Mill RdValley Center LnValley Center Ln Catamount StCatamount St I-9 0 I-9 0 19th Ave19th AveFowler AveFowler AveI- 9 0 I- 9 0 Fr o n t a g e R d Fr o n t a g e R d 83 Frontage Pathway Figure 4.9 Proposed Frontage Pathway highlighted in orange 91 84 Bike facility recommendations are included in the 2017 TMP. All collector and arterial roadways within Bozeman should have some form of bike facility. This plan recommends that arterial roadways have separated facilities. This plan also recommends that the City and MDT consider upgrading existing and proposed on-street bike lanes to separated facilities. ◊ Establish an inclusive network of bike boulevards that provide low-stress connectivity through Bozeman’s core. Bike Boulevards are streets with low motorized traffic volume and speeds. They are designated and designed to give pedestrians and bicycles travel priority by using signs, pavement markings, and obstacles to limit speed and number of vehicles. Bike boulevards feature enhanced crossing treatments at major streets to provide improved comfort and safety. Bike boulevards are a key component of a low- stress active transportation network providing connections throughout the core of the community. ◊ Annually update the network improvements using the prioritization recommendations included in the “How Do We Get There” chapter. 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. Figure 4.10 Bike boulevard connect Strategies 92 85 Bike BOulevards Bike Boulevards are local streets that prioritize bicyclists, pedestrians, and rollers of all ages and abilities. The goal of a bike boulevard is to increase bike and pedestrian comfort, safety, and accessibility to provide more active transportation opportunities through urban settings. Although some vehicle traffic is still allowed on these boulevards, cars are demoted to secondary users. Creating successful bike boulevards require implementing a variety of strategies including traffic-calming mechanisms, ample signage and pavement markings, and protected crossings. Bike boulevards should include a selection of (but are not limited to) the following design elements: Signs and pavement markings – Essential elements for establishing and differentiating a bike boulevard from a local street. Signage and markings communicate priority for bikers and pedestrians, while limiting through traffic and lowering vehicle speeds. Signage guides users through the active transportation network. Sharrow Wayfinding Identification Speed management strategies – Tools constructed to reduce the speed of vehicles on the street, ideally below 20 miles per hour. This can be achieved by vertical deflection mechanisms, horizontal deflection mechanisms, or roadway narrowing. Vertical deflections are raised sections of the roadway, such as speed humps, that force vehicles to slow down in order to go up and over the obstacle in a safe and comfortable manner. Horizontal deflections are treatments to the edges or middle of the street, such as chicanes, that require drivers to slow their speed to turn and navigate around the obstacles. Finally, physically narrowing the roadway leads drivers to slow down due to the reduced space available to operate their vehicle. - Speed humps, bumps, tables, and cushions - Chicanes - Neighborhood traffic circles - Median Islands - Curb bulb outs - Pinch points Speed Hump Chicane Median Island Figure 4.11 Sharrow pavement markings Sharrow Wayfinding Identification Speed management strategies – Tools constructed to reduce the speed of vehicles on the street, ideally below 20 miles per hour. This can be achieved by vertical deflection mechanisms, horizontal deflection mechanisms, or roadway narrowing. Vertical deflections are raised sections of the roadway, such as speed humps, that force vehicles to slow down in order to go up and over the obstacle in a safe and comfortable manner. Horizontal deflections are treatments to the edges or middle of the street, such as chicanes, that require drivers to slow their speed to turn and navigate around the obstacles. Finally, physically narrowing the roadway leads drivers to slow down due to the reduced space available to operate their vehicle. - Speed humps, bumps, tables, and cushions - Chicanes - Neighborhood traffic circles - Median Islands - Curb bulb outs - Pinch points Speed Hump Chicane Median Island Figure 4.12 Wayfinding Signage Sharrow Wayfinding Identification Speed management strategies – Tools constructed to reduce the speed of vehicles on the street, ideally below 20 miles per hour. This can be achieved by vertical deflection mechanisms, horizontal deflection mechanisms, or roadway narrowing. Vertical deflections are raised sections of the roadway, such as speed humps, that force vehicles to slow down in order to go up and over the obstacle in a safe and comfortable manner. Horizontal deflections are treatments to the edges or middle of the street, such as chicanes, that require drivers to slow their speed to turn and navigate around the obstacles. Finally, physically narrowing the roadway leads drivers to slow down due to the reduced space available to operate their vehicle. - Speed humps, bumps, tables, and cushions - Chicanes - Neighborhood traffic circles - Median Islands - Curb bulb outs - Pinch points Speed Hump Chicane Median Island Figure 4.13 Identification Signage 93 86 Vehicle volume management strategies – Established to reduce vehicle through- traffic. Diversions can be either regulatory or physical. Regulatory treatments include signs that post written street restrictions, such as banning turns or entry onto a street during specific times of day or only allowing Vehicle speed management strategies – Physical improvements to the streets that reduce vehicle speeds to a maximum of 15 to 20 miles per hour. Vertical deflections, such as raised speed humps, horizontal deflections, such as chicanes, and street narrowing, all create streets designed for slow driving. Sharrow Wayfinding Identification Speed management strategies – Tools constructed to reduce the speed of vehicles on the street, ideally below 20 miles per hour. This can be achieved by vertical deflection mechanisms, horizontal deflection mechanisms, or roadway narrowing. Vertical deflections are raised sections of the roadway, such as speed humps, that force vehicles to slow down in order to go up and over the obstacle in a safe and comfortable manner. Horizontal deflections are treatments to the edges or middle of the street, such as chicanes, that require drivers to slow their speed to turn and navigate around the obstacles. Finally, physically narrowing the roadway leads drivers to slow down due to the reduced space available to operate their vehicle. - Speed humps, bumps, tables, and cushions - Chicanes - Neighborhood traffic circles - Median Islands - Curb bulb outs - Pinch points Speed Hump Chicane Median Island Figure 4.14 Chicane Bike Boulevards Bike Boulevards are local streets that prioritize bicyclists, pedestrians, and rollers of all ages and abilities. The goal of a bike boulevard is to increase bike and pedestrian comfort, safety, and accessibility to provide more active transportation opportunities through urban settings. Although some vehicle traffic is still allowed on these boulevards, cars are demoted to secondary users. Creating successful bike boulevards require implementing a variety of strategies including traffic-calming mechanisms, ample signage and pavement markings, and protected crossings. Bike boulevards should include a selection of (but are not limited to) the following design elements: Signs and pavement markings – Essential elements for establishing and differentiating a bike boulevard from a local street. Signage and markings communicate priority for bikers and pedestrians, while limiting through traffic and lowering vehicle speeds. Signage guides users through the active transportation network. Sharrow Pavement Markings Wayfinding Signage Identification Signage Vehicle speed management strategies – Physical improvements to the streets that reduce vehicle speeds to a maximum of 15 to 20 miles per hour. Vertical deflections, such as raised speed humps, horizontal deflections, such as chicanes, and street narrowing, all create streets designed for slow driving. Speed Hump Chicane Median Island Figure 4.15 Speed hump Sharrow Wayfinding Identification Speed management strategies – Tools constructed to reduce the speed of vehicles on the street, ideally below 20 miles per hour. This can be achieved by vertical deflection mechanisms, horizontal deflection mechanisms, or roadway narrowing. Vertical deflections are raised sections of the roadway, such as speed humps, that force vehicles to slow down in order to go up and over the obstacle in a safe and comfortable manner. Horizontal deflections are treatments to the edges or middle of the street, such as chicanes, that require drivers to slow their speed to turn and navigate around the obstacles. Finally, physically narrowing the roadway leads drivers to slow down due to the reduced space available to operate their vehicle. - Speed humps, bumps, tables, and cushions - Chicanes - Neighborhood traffic circles - Median Islands - Curb bulb outs - Pinch points Speed Hump Chicane Median Island Figure 4.16 Median island Neighborhood Traffic Circle Curb Bulb Outs Pinch Point Volume management strategies – Established to reduce vehicle through-traffic by discouraging drivers to use neighborhood greenways as transportation routes for cars or actually forcing drivers to take alternative route. Diversions can be either physical or regulatory. Regulatory, or “soft”, treatments include signs that post written street restrictions, such as banning turns or entry onto a street during specific times of day or only allowing residents to drive on the greenway. These are considered “soft” barriers as they can technically be disregarded by drivers with the risk of be ticketed. Physical, or “hard”, treatments are constructed barriers that prevent certain vehicle traffic from entering the neighborhood greenway. These are considered “hard” as vehicles are physically forced to reroute to a different street. - Regulatory signage - Partial physical closer - Full physical closer - Channelized Right-in, Right-Out - Diagonal or Median diverter Neighborhood Traffic Circle Curb Bulb Outs Pinch Point Volume management strategies – Established to reduce vehicle through-traffic by discouraging drivers to use neighborhood greenways as transportation routes for cars or actually forcing drivers to take alternative route. Diversions can be either physical or regulatory. Regulatory, or “soft”, treatments include signs that post written street restrictions, such as banning turns or entry onto a street during specific times of day or only allowing residents to drive on the greenway. These are considered “soft” barriers as they can technically be disregarded by drivers with the risk of be ticketed. Physical, or “hard”, treatments are constructed barriers that prevent certain vehicle traffic from entering the neighborhood greenway. These are considered “hard” as vehicles are physically forced to reroute to a different street. - Regulatory signage - Partial physical closer - Full physical closer - Channelized Right-in, Right-Out - Diagonal or Median diverter Figure 4.17 Neighborhood traffic circle Figure 4.18 Pinch point Figure 4.19 Curb bulb outs Neighborhood Traffic Circle Curb Bulb Outs Pinch Point Volume management strategies – Established to reduce vehicle through-traffic by discouraging drivers to use neighborhood greenways as transportation routes for cars or actually forcing drivers to take alternative route. Diversions can be either physical or regulatory. Regulatory, or “soft”, treatments include signs that post written street restrictions, such as banning turns or entry onto a street during specific times of day or only allowing residents to drive on the greenway. These are considered “soft” barriers as they can technically be disregarded by drivers with the risk of be ticketed. Physical, or “hard”, treatments are constructed barriers that prevent certain vehicle traffic from entering the neighborhood greenway. These are considered “hard” as vehicles are physically forced to reroute to a different street. - Regulatory signage - Partial physical closer - Full physical closer - Channelized Right-in, Right-Out - Diagonal or Median diverter connect Strategies 94 87 Crossings – Protected intersections and crossings allow for continuous and safe travel of bikes and pedestrians along the bike boulevard corridor. Adequate protection at intersections should ensure that intersecting car traffic is highly aware of crossing pedestrians and bicyclists, while establishing a comfortable crossing experience for users. Signage Partial Closer Right-In, Right-Out Median Diverter Crossings – Protected intersections and crossings allow for continuous and safe travel of bikes and pedestrians along the neighborhood greenway corridor. Adequate protection at intersections should ensure that intersecting car traffic is blatantly aware of crossing pedestrians and bikers as well as establish comfortable crossing infrastructure for users. - Crossing signage - Pedestrian signals (RRFBs, HAWKS, etc) - Median refuge islands - Curb bulb outs Median Refuge Island RRFB Figure 4.20 Median diverter Signage Partial Closer Right-In, Right-Out Median Diverter Crossings – Protected intersections and crossings allow for continuous and safe travel of bikes and pedestrians along the neighborhood greenway corridor. Adequate protection at intersections should ensure that intersecting car traffic is blatantly aware of crossing pedestrians and bikers as well as establish comfortable crossing infrastructure for users. - Crossing signage - Pedestrian signals (RRFBs, HAWKS, etc) - Median refuge islands - Curb bulb outs Median Refuge Island RRFB Figure 4.21 Median refuge island and RRFB Crossings – Protected intersections and crossings allow for continuous and safe travel of bikes and pedestrians along the bike boulevard corridor. Adequate protection at intersections should ensure that intersecting car traffic is highly aware of crossing pedestrians and bicyclists, while establishing a comfortable crossing experience for users. Median Refuge Island RRFB Curb Bulb Out HAWKS Crossing Figure 4.22 Curb bulb out Figure 4.23 Signage/ Partial closure Signage Partial Closer Right-In, Right-Out Median Diverter Crossings – Protected intersections and crossings allow for continuous and safe travel of bikes and pedestrians along the neighborhood greenway corridor. Adequate protection at intersections should ensure that intersecting car traffic is blatantly aware of crossing pedestrians and bikers as well as establish comfortable crossing infrastructure for users. - Crossing signage - Pedestrian signals (RRFBs, HAWKS, etc) - Median refuge islands - Curb bulb outs Median Refuge Island RRFB Figure 4.24 Right-in, right-out Signage Partial Closer Right-In, Right-Out Median Diverter Crossings – Protected intersections and crossings allow for continuous and safe travel of bikes and pedestrians along the neighborhood greenway corridor. Adequate protection at intersections should ensure that intersecting car traffic is blatantly aware of crossing pedestrians and bikers as well as establish comfortable crossing infrastructure for users. - Crossing signage - Pedestrian signals (RRFBs, HAWKS, etc) - Median refuge islands - Curb bulb outs Median Refuge Island RRFB Signage Partial Closer Right-In, Right-Out Median Diverter Crossings – Protected intersections and crossings allow for continuous and safe travel of bikes and pedestrians along the neighborhood greenway corridor. Adequate protection at intersections should ensure that intersecting car traffic is blatantly aware of crossing pedestrians and bikers as well as establish comfortable crossing infrastructure for users. - Crossing signage - Pedestrian signals (RRFBs, HAWKS, etc) - Median refuge islands - Curb bulb outs Median Refuge Island RRFB Figure 4.25 HAWKS crossing Crossings – Protected intersections and crossings allow for continuous and safe travel of bikes and pedestrians along the bike boulevard corridor. Adequate protection at intersections should ensure that intersecting car traffic is highly aware of crossing pedestrians and bicyclists, while establishing a comfortable crossing experience for users. Median Refuge Island RRFB Curb Bulb Out HAWKS Crossing residents to drive on the bike boulevard. Physical treatments are constructed barriers that prevent certain vehicle traffic from entering the bike boulevard. 95 88 3.2. Identify and develop a network of Anchor Routes that serve as key travel corridors. Anchor Routes are the backbone 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 longer-distance, lower-stress, and comfortable thoroughfares that anchor the active transportation network. Anchor routes provide a highly visible system enhanced by the wayfinding plan. These primary routes strive to maximize connectivity between key community locations. They are chosen because they provide cohesion within the system (sufficient spacing and connection to the supporting grid) and directness in terms of distance and travel time and they will be the focus of investment for improvements to safety, comfort and enjoyment for all ages and abilities. At times, Anchor Routes will be primarily part of a street cross-section that ties together lively civic spaces. At other times, Anchor Routes will fall entirely within a park or a parklike space. ◊ 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 prioritized. "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 What is an “Anchor Route”? Visionary Highly visible All-ages and abilities Uninterrupted All-season Anchor Routes are Shared Use Paths, with a minimum with of 12-feet, are intended to establish unbroken routes linking neighborhoods to parks and commercial areas. They connect to neighborhood trails and connector pathways to provide a unified network. connect Strategies 96 89 ◊ 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 Manual. 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 “How Do We Get There” chapter, 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 and best practices from other communities should be adapted for Bozeman. "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 97 90 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 HAWK 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 4.26 Conflict diagram showing that mid-block crossings have fewer conflicts with vehicles. Figure 4.27 The Gallagator 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. connect Strategies 98 91 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 4.28 At locations where active transportation facilities cross a major street, a variety of treatments can improve visibility and safety for bicyclists and pedestrians 19th & Lincoln Pedestrian Crossing Mid Block Crossing on Oak St (View 1) Kagy & MSU Stadium Mid Block Crossing at Oak & Ferguson (View 2) 99 Figure 4.29 Critical intersection and midblock crossings for safe crossing investments. Roads Railroad City Boundary Growth Boundary Streams Lakes & Reservoirs Parks Existing Trails Intersection Crossings Midblock Crossings Oak StOak St Durston RdDurston Rd Baxter LnBaxter Ln Huffine LnHuffine Ln 92 ◊ 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. Critical Intersections and Midblock Crossings connect Strategies 100 N00.5 1 mile Figure 4.29 Critical intersection and midblock crossings for safe crossing investments. Parks Existing Trails Intersection Crossings Midblock Crossings I-9 0 I-9 0 I-90I-90 I-90I-90 Oak StOak St Durston RdDurston Rd 7th Ave7th Ave3rd Ave3rd AveRouse AveRouse AveBaxter LnBaxter Ln Catamount StCatamount St Huffine LnHuffine Ln E Kagy BlvdE Kagy Blvd Main StMain St W Kagy AveW Kagy Ave19th Ave19th Ave19th Ave19th Ave93 Critical Intersections and Midblock Crossings 101 94 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 comprehensively, implementation of the system should happen Case Study High Line Canal Vision Plan Denver Region, CO 2018 Gold National Planning Achievement Award For Public Outreach The plan proposed a comprehensive signage and wayfinding system as a kit of parts to unify the Canal’s identity and visitor orientation. The guidelines provided guidance about design direction and location placement for signage and wayfinding. Consistent identity for trails and pedestrian routes easily and safely guide users to and from the Canal as well as nearby landmarks, facilities, and community services. connect Strategies 102 95 Figure 4.30 Oak street trail within phases over ten years and include parks and buildings that tie into the active transportation system. To ensure cohesiveness of the whole system, existing signage should be considered into decisions of future wayfinding identity as much as possible. ◊ Build community voice into the wayfinding strategy process and raise visitor awareness of the overall network. The wayfinding strategy should look back to community feedback to the PRAT Plan related to access and safety in order to ensure increased awareness of the final result. 3.7: Install path imporovements along active transportation routes. Certain associated improvements 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 Shared Use Paths Connector Paths Neighborhood Trails Required Improvements Wayfinding Lighting Benches Bike racks Bike stations Trash Receptacles Wayfinding Bike racks Benches Wayfinding Dog Waste Stations Optional Improvements Picnic tables Water fountains Dog waste stations Lighting Bike stations Water fountains Dog Waste Stations Lighting Water fountains Trash Receptacles Benches Pathway Improvements Classification 103 96 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 improvements. As discussed further in Design Manual, 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 improvements to enhance user experience. Optional mprovements 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, within the “How Do We Get There” chapter. ◊ 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 “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 connect Strategies 104 97 parkland requirements. In many cases corridors that incorporate pathways and adjacent open space should be recognized as both active transportation routes and parkland. 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 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 105 98 of facility types that promote walking, biking, and micromobility as both recreation activities and transportation options. Finally, the network of shared use and connector paths should meet the minimum standards for accessibility to create a variety of accessible active transportation and recreation opportunities for those with mobility challenges. ◊ 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. 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 which 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 Manual. ◊ Redefine and simplify off-street active connect Strategies 106 99 Winter maintenance, like removing snow from shared use paths, is critical to year-round active transportation Street Network Active Transportation Network Local Neighborhood Collector Connector Arterial Shared Use Urban Route Anchor Route Comparative Typologies 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 three recommended pathway typologies are shared use paths, connector paths, and neighborhood trails. ◊ Create standards for bike boulevards. Bike boulevards create low-stress routes within existing neighborhoods by increasing awareness and safety of pedestrians and bicycles, by ensuring vehicle speeds are reduced. Major street crossings will have treatments designed to enhance safety and comfort. ◊ Establish comprehensive standards and specifications for construction and maintenance. 107 92 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 4 108 93 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 109 94 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) 110 95 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. 111 96 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 112 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. 113 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 114 99115 100 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. 116 101117 102 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. 118 103 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 119 104 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. 120 105 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 121 106 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 122 107123 112 Parks Implementation Guidance Active Transportation Implementation Guidance Design and maintenance Manual in this chapter6. how do we get there? 124 113 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 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. 125 114 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. • 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. 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 Parks and Forestry Board 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 Parks and Forestry Board 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 126 115 • 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 improvements 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 plans. • ·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. Active Transportation Implementation Implementation is the primary goal of any community plan. However, there are fundamental questions that must be answered to successfully implement a comprehensive active transportation network connecting Bozeman’s parks and recreation facilities. How will new routes and segments be established? Who pays for construction? How will the routes be maintained? What criteria determine prioritization for investment? The foundation of successful implementation is built upon coordination and cooperation between the City, landowners, developers, non-profit organizations, and Bozeman’s citizens. Coordination beyond Bozeman and its city limits are also critical to ensure the plan’s active transportation efforts align with those in Gallatin County as outlined in the 2020 Triangle Trails Plan. The implementation strategies focus on network construction and route maintenance. As emphasized throughout this plan, properly maintaining existing routes is equally important to constructing new ones. The primary implementation components for both construction and maintenance include: • Methods: Various methods need to be used to construct and maintain Bozeman’s active transportation network • Regulations: City regulations must efficiently guide route construction within future subdivisions, private development, public transportation projects, and specifically wayfinding elements 127 116 • Policies: City procedures and policies need to align with the goals of establishing and maintaining a robust active transportation network • Standards: Clear standards for route construction and maintenance must be established and coordinated between jurisdictions and partners • Funding: Multiple sources of financing for both construction and maintenance must be identified and leveraged • Prioritization: Strategic criteria need to be utilized to establish annual and long-term priorities for route construction and maintenance network Construction Active transportation facility construction is needed throughout the community for several key reasons: extending existing routes; closing gaps in the existing network; upgrading an existing segment from one typology to another; and providing entirely new routes. This plan recommends construction projects meeting all four of these needs. Methods A variety of methods will be employed to construct new routes and segments of the active transportation network. Which method for a given construction project will be most appropriate will depend on facility type, location, responsible parties, and funding sources. Anchor Routes and Shared Use Paths Anchor routes and shared use paths are typically, but not always, aligned with street corridors. Therefore, the most logical method for constructing new shared use paths is to incorporate them into street improvement and construction projects. These projects are usually planned and funded by the City of Bozeman or Montana Department of Transportation, but occasionally are part of large private developments. The “Path to the M” is an example of a significant shared use path construction project involving multiple government jurisdictions and several non-profit organizations. Connector Paths Connectors can be constructed using the widest range of methods. Often, they need to be constructed with private property owners as required by Bozeman Unified Development Code. Connector paths and associated wayfinding can be planned and budgeted as a part of street improvement or construction projects. Lastly, non-profit partners may also construction new connectors. Neighborhood Trails Trails are typically constructed in conjunction with private development. Therefore, they are primarily dictated by the Unified Development Code. Regulations The City of Bozeman requires active transportation improvements through the Unified Development Code, Section 38.400.110 Transportation Pathways 128 117 and Section 38.420.110 Recreation Pathways. There are also design and construction standards for some active transportation facilities within the City’s public work standards. The following actions are recommended. • New development, regardless of type, should the required to construct any active transportation facility identified in this plan. The UDC should be reviewed to ensure to this is clearly required. • Several other UDC revisions are recommended in Item 2 and Item 4 within the UDC appendix. This includes allowing all active transportation facility typologies to be located within watercourse setbacks and allowing certain facility corridors to count towards a project’s parkland requirements. • The City should revise its Transportation and Engineering standards to include all of the active transportation facilities identified in this plan and the corresponding specifications. Policies Building the comprehensive active transportation network requires a variety of aligned policies to ensure efficient implementation. A review of existing policies should be completed to ensure they support the recommendations in this plan. The following actions are recommended. • Replace the routes proposed by the PROST Plan with those proposed in the PRAT Plan in the City GIS Community Development and Infrastructure Viewers. • For the PRAT Plan routes added to the City GIS include a data layer like the “View Additional Resources” layer currently available for existing facilities to provide basic specifications of the proposed routes. • Continue to engage developers and educate them about the PRAT Plan routes, facility classifications, design standards, and maintenance requirements. Ensure the PRAT Plan is readily available and directly referenced in Community Development Department entitlement process materials. • Revise policies and procedures to reference the Triangle Trails Plan and the Triangle Transportation Plan. • Develop policies in conjunction with Gallatin County and the City of Belgrade to review proposed network facilities adjacent to jurisdictional boundaries and identify opportunities to partner on the construction of new routes. • The City should include the active transportation component of the PRAT Plan within the scope of establishing a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Funding Financing the construction of a comprehensive active transportation network will require a long-term commitment from the City and its partners. A variety of funding sources will be necessary to implement the route construction proposed in this plan. Different funding mechanisms will apply to each facility typology. 129 118 Numerous State and Federal grants are available annually to assist with active transportation facility construction. These grant funds are awarded on a competitive basis and demand often exceeds allocation. While grants are not a reliable source of funding, they are worth pursuing. An overview of applicable grants is included below. The purpose of the future Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is to coordinate transportation planning. The MPO may be an option to assist with the planning, coordination, and funding for active transportation route construction. New shared use paths that align with City or State rights-of-way can be designed and constructed as streets and roads are improved or built. Therefore, the funding could come from several sources or a combination thereof including Montana Department of Transportation, City of Bozeman, private developers, and grants. Connector paths are a critical component of a complete active transportation network and can be funded similarly to, and potentially in conjunction with, shared use path projects. The following actions are recommended. • Add prioritized shared use path and connector path projects to the Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) • Allocate an annual portion of the City’s street construction budget to build shared use paths and critical connector paths • Use Cash-in-Lieu of Parkland and Parks District funds for constructing routes and installing wayfinding that are part of park and recreation facilities • Include Bozeman’s active transportation network and plan into the scope of the future Metropolitan Planning Organization • Identify potential State and Federal grants for proposed shared use and connector path projects on an annual basis. Work with community partners where appropriate. • Coordinate with other jurisdictions and partners to secure matching funds and improve competitiveness of active transportation grant applications. Neighborhood trail construction will likely be incorporated as part of future residential and commercial development projects. These improvements will be completed by the developer as part of a private project’s required infrastructure improvements. The Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT) has partnered with the City to construct numerous neighborhood trails and improve connector trails throughout the community. GVLT will continue to play an important role in the implementation of the PRAT Plan as it relates to trails and outdoor recreation. The following actions are recommended. • Continue to ensure that UDC requirements facilitate the construction of neighborhood trails in a way that connects to the larger active transportation network. • Use Cash-in-Lieu of Parkland funds for constructing trails that are part of park and recreation facilities. 130 119 • Continue to partner with GVLT to develop and maintain important neighborhood trails. State and Federal Grants Transportation Alternatives (TA) Set-Aside from the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STBG) The Surface Transportation Block Grant program (STBG) provides flexible funding that may be used by States and municipalities for projects to improve the conditions and performance on any Federal-aid highway, bridge and tunnel projects on any public road, pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and transit capital projects. The recent Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law” (BIL), expanded and reformed this critical program which supports smaller biking and walking projects. The act also increased the size of the transportation alternatives funding set aside. Rebuilding American Infrastructure and Sustainability and Equity (RAISE): The RAISE program to help urban and rural communities move forward on projects that modernize roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports, and intermodal transportation and make our transportation systems safer, more accessible, more affordable, and more sustainable. Previously known as BUILD and TIGER discretionary grants, these competition awards support the development of transportation infrastructure. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) more than doubled the funding the RAISE Program in 2022. Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) This program provides funding to improve transportation facilities that provide access to, are adjacent to, or are located within Federal lands. The Access Program supplements State and local resources for public roads, transit systems, and other transportation facilities, with an emphasis on high- use recreation sites and economic generators. Recreational Trails Program (RTP) This is a financial assistance program of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The RTP provides funds to the States for a variety of uses including construction of new recreational trails and acquisition of easements and fee simple title for recreational trail corridors. Utilize Community partners to increase likely hood of grant funding. Montana Trail Stewardship Program This program is administered by Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Department and can be used for the construction and maintenance of natural trails or shared use paths. The maximum award is $75,000 and approximately $1.67 million were dispersed to over 30 projects in 2022. Utilize Community partners to increase likely hood of grant funding. This can also fund nordic ski grooming and equipment. Prioritization The PRAT Plan proposes an ambitious slate of new active transportation routes to extend and connect the network. The construction of new segments and routes will take years and considerable funding. Therefore, it is important to develop and utilize a method to prioritize the proposed improvement 131 120 projects. This plan includes a weighted prioritization matrix template utilizing the criteria listed below. The following actions are recommended. • Develop a methodology for prioritizing potential active transportation network projects based on the following criteria: • Importance of active transportation connection or route as outlined in the PRAT Plan • Importance to the Parks & Recreations Department facilities, operations, and objectives of the PRAT Plan • Importance to the Bozeman Area Transportation Master Plan • Importance to the Bozeman Climate Action Plan • Importance related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals • Opportunity to leverage partnerships and funding sources • Create, and annually revise, a rolling 5-year construction plan similar to the City’s CIP • Add larger high-priority projects into the City’s CIP Network Maintenance Maintaining active transportation routes that are safe and accessible for users of all ages and abilities is a high priority. In addition, adequate maintenance is critical to maximizing year-round utilization. The City needs to establish annual and long- term maintenance plans that includes a deferred maintenance analysis. There are three essential elements to properly maintaining an active transportation network. First, establish minimum standards for maintenance. Next, determine maintenance responsibility for each segment of the network. Lastly, identify the various sources to finance the necessary maintenance. Methods Developing a comprehensive maintenance strategy will require considering various surface types, locations, responsible parties, and available funding. Anchor Routes and Shared Use Paths Anchor routes and shared use paths located within street rights-of-way are typically maintained by the corresponding jurisdiction. One challenge is achieving consistent maintenance expectations and standards between the City, County, and State. Connector Paths The maintenance of Connectors not only depends on the responsible party but also on the surface type each route. 132 121 Neighborhood Trails Despite being smaller, trails require a considerable amount of maintenance depending on location, the quality of construction, and the amount of use. Neighborhood trails are typically maintained by neighborhood associations, HOAs, the City, or GVLT. Regulations The ability of the City to regulate maintenance of active transportation routes is limited. The City should consider ways to require routes owned or managed by private parties to be maintained according to established standards. The following actions are recommended. ◊Strengthen requirements for residential subdivisions, commercial developments, and other privately held routes to be adequately maintained according to standards adopted by the City. Policies Maintenance of active transportation routes in Bozeman is currently managed through a variety of resources, including private property owners, homeowner associations, community groups, non-profit partners, the City, and the Montana Department of Transportation. Clarifying responsibilities for maintenance and establishing standards will help ensure the financial investment developing a complete network is protected and enhanced in future years. The following actions are recommended. ◊Establish a comprehensive maintenance plan that includes minimum standards for upkeep, repairs, and replacement ◊Conduct a comprehensive deferred maintenance analysis of each route identifying the current condition, upkeep and repair needs, and sections needing to be rebuilt ◊Establish a maintenance template for the City, property owners, and partners to develop schedule tasks and estimate costs ◊Review and clarify how the Bozeman Parks Maintenance District can support the maintenance of the network Standards General maintenance standards for evaluating needs for surface care, repairs, safety precautions, and managing adjacent landscaping should be developed for and consistently applied to all network typologies. In addition to annual and long-term tasks, seasonal maintenance of shared use paths is essential to accommodating year-round active transportation. Paved paths must have the snow removed frequently during the winter and be swept of grit and debris each spring. The following actions are recommended. ◊Develop a comprehensive maintenance plan including detailed standards by typology that ensure a high-level of safety, accessibility, and utilization. 133 122 Below are recommended routine and periodic maintenance tasks based on surface type. Paved Surfaces—Routine maintenance activities: ◊ Regular sweeping to remove debris, gravel, and other hazardous items ◊ Regular snow removal during winter months ◊ Inspect and repair pavement surface problems (seal cracks, grind down ridges, cut back tree roots, repair pavement) ◊ Prune adjacent and overhanging vegetation to reduce encroachment or cause sight distance problems ◊ Treating noxious weeds along corridor ◊ Mowing trail edges if applicable (keep vegetation height low along trail) ◊ Clearing drainage features to ensure proper function Paved Surfaces—Periodic maintenance activities: ◊ Coordinate and schedule pavement overlays as part of adjacent road maintenance ◊ Addition of surfacing material depending on condition (2-3 years) ◊ Re-grading to improve cross-slope or out- slope for improved drainage ◊ Improvement of transitions with sidewalks or streets, restripe crosswalks and other markers ◊ Repair or replace wayfinding, stop control signs and other elements ◊ Restripe crosswalks and other markers Natural Surfaces—Routine maintenance activities: ◊ Removing encroaching vegetation from trail tread (grading, chemical treatment) ◊ Prune adjacent and overhanging vegetation to reduce encroachment or cause sight distance problems ◊ Treating noxious weeds along corridor ◊ Mowing trail edges if applicable (keep vegetation height low along trail) ◊ Clearing drainage features to ensure proper function ◊ Flood or rain damage repair: silt clean up, culvert clean out, etc. ◊ Bridge/culvert inspection, clearing/repair ◊ Map/signage post condition inspection, and vandalism repair ◊ Assessing need for sign/map updates or replacement Natural Surfaces—Periodic maintenance activities: ◊ Yearly trail evaluation to determine the need for minor repairs, identification of erosion damage, need for improved drainage ◊ Addition of surfacing material depending on condition (2-3 years) ◊ Re-grading to improve cross-slope or out- slope for improved drainage ◊ Improvement of transitions with sidewalks or streets, restripe crosswalks and markers ◊ Repair or replace wayfinding, stop control signs and other elements ◊ Restripe crosswalks and other markers 134 123 Funding Like construction, the maintenance of Bozeman’s active transportation is funded by a variety of entities including the City, Montana Department of Transportation, non-profit partners, and private property owners. There are more maintenance needs than committed funding which leads to a backlog of repairs and overall degradation of accessibility and utilization. According to the Rails to Trail Conservancy, annual maintenance costs on average range from $1,000 to $2,000 per trail mile, depending upon the surface. Therefore, average annual funding required to maintain Bozeman’s 178 miles of paths and trails is approximately $267,000. The funding needed to adequately maintain the network will only increase as new extensions and routes are constructed. To meet this financial commitment, the City and its partners must proactively account for the necessary funding to execute the annual and long-term maintenance plans and aggressively commit the dollars. The following actions are recommended. Ensure that a significant portion of the Parks and Trails Maintenance District funds are dedicated to path and trail maintenance Allocate an annual portion of the City’s street maintenance budget to repair shared use paths and paved connector paths Include Bozeman’s active transportation network and plan into the future Metropolitan Planning Organization budget Prioritization Addressing the maintenance backlog of existing active transportation network will take years and considerable funding. Therefore, it is important to develop and utilize a method to prioritize the needed upkeep and repair projects. This plan includes a weighted prioritization matrix template utilizing the criteria listed below. The following actions are recommended. Develop a methodology for prioritizing potential maintenance projects based on the following criteria: •Area of deferred maintenance that poses a public safety risk •Area of deferred maintenance that restricts equitable access •Area of deferred maintenance that reduces utilization •Highly utilized routes •Ability to partner and/or leverage creative funding opportunities 135 124 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 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). 136 Design Manual 137 Unifying principles The following principles guide the development and maintenance of City-owned or managed parks with the goal of creating a safe, accessible, sustainable, and long lasting system of parks, trails, and facilities. These principles should be used to ensure the City’s capital improvements and decisions about park and facility maintenance align with the goals and vision laid out by the Parks, Recreation, and Active Transportation Plan. Ecology & Environment The City should strive to maintain or enhance the ecological function and resiliency of its open space, trail, and recreation assets. Accessibility & Inclusivity City parks, facilities, and trails should strive to exceed requirements for accessibility to engage visitors of differing abilities. Durability & Efficiency Materials, furnishings, and landscaping used to construct or improve City assets should be able to withstand frequent and intense use and limited maintenance. Equipment should sourced from sustainable materials and should require typical, easy to access replacement parts. 138 Typical Assets Identifiers 139 The following standards identify important elements and facilities that should be included in the design, construction, and maintenance of parks and open spaces to align with the vision and goals of the PRAT Plan. The standards are broken out into two topics - systemwide requirements, which include investments in physical accessibility, lighting, and landscape elements; and guidance for design and maintenance by park type. As community needs and trends change, this guidance should continue to provide a relevant and consistent framework for the design, renovation of future parks and open spaces. System-wide Park Standards 140 • Reduce road and walkway widths to minimum acceptable dimensions. • Reduce the size/width of parking spaces to NACTO minimums and limit the number of parking stalls. • If an entrance or route is not accessible, install signage that indicates the next closest accessible entry. Trees Trees provide shade and reduce the impacts of urban heat island on hot days. Trees also sequester carbon and help to reduce soil erosion through their root systems. Trees contribute to the natural look and feel of urban parks year round. The City should take care to protect existing trees through proactive monitoring and maintenance. New trees should be planted in communities with low tree coverage and to plan for successful succession of the canopy within older parks and open spaces. The City should ensure diverse species selection in parks and city-owned open spaces. The City should also advocate for more street trees at the perimeter of parks and facilities. Required Facilities The following amenities and furnishings are important facilities to include in all parks and open spaces to provide clear and cohesive identity, encourage safe access, and enhance park enjoyment. Barrier free/Accessible paths Parks should be made accessible to a wide range of visitors, including persons with varying abilities, and they must connect safely and efficiently to surrounding transit stops and neighborhood streets. Accessible routes often result in paved connections, which can increase impervious surfaces, negatively impact stormwater capture, and increase heat island effect. To reduce these negative impacts on accessible paths and parking needs, consider the following: • Use semipermeable or permeable surfaces that meet or exceed ADA/Universal Design requirements. • Share parking with neighboring uses, like schools. Milwaukee Path - Missoula cross city trail 141 Signage Clear, consistent, and accessible signage and wayfinding helps to communicate what parks, trails, and facilities have to offer and reinforce the City’s identity and role in maintaining these community spaces. There are many types of signs that should be considered in Bozeman parks and facilities, depending on the park or facility’s use. • Informational signage clearly communicates the City’s relationship in owning or maintaining the park or facility. • Directional signage and wayfinding helps to direct visitors to destinations within parks and facilities, and will set expectations about distances between destinations. • Interpretive signage can be used as an educational feature to describe the park’s historic, cultural, or environmental significance. Seating Seating and benches give park users a place to rest, socialize, and enjoy their parks. Benches, picnic tables and other seating should be prioritized along highly trafficked paths and parks, and in natural spaces. Consider age-friendly bench designs that prioritize back support and arm rests as well as benches and picnic tables with adjacent wheelchair spaces. Trash & Recycling Placing trash and recycling receptacles along major network paths helps keep pathways, corridors, and their surroundings clean and more enjoyable for their users. 142 Enhancing Amenities These amenities are not critical for a functional active transportation network but enhance the user experience, safety, and cleanliness, and are often greatly desired by the community. Lighting Pedestrian scaled lighting should be considered at entrances and in parking lots or fields of larger parks, many special use facilities, and other parks used throughout the year. Adequate lighting should also be considered along popular pathways and trails through parks. Pedestrian scaled lighting increases safety for users throughout the year. Shade Structures Shade structures range in size, materiality, cost and purpose. They include arbors, pergolas, gazebos, pavilions, and canvas tensile structures over playgrounds and bleachers at fields. These structures should be used in places where shade trees are limited and where shade trees conflict with the particular park use, e.g. playing field or meadow. Comfort stations/Restrooms In larger parks like regional parks and certain special use facilities, permanent, ADA accessible restrooms should be considered. Comfort stations are appropriate as temporary facilities tied to large events, festivals, or other large gathering. Bike Racks Bike racks provide reliable bike storage options at parks with access to major trails and pathways. As stated in the Active Transportation section, providing ample bike racks reduces potential issues of bikes being locked inappropriately to trees, park furniture, and private property. Bike Repair Stations Bike repair stations can be helpful for bicyclists if they are caught with an unexpected flat tire or need to make an adjustment to their bike during a ride. As noted in the Active Transportation section, bike repair stations should be located along major bike corridors and in major parks that are popular for bike users. Dog Waste Stations Dog stations provide pet waste bags and a trash receptacle for dog owners that use parks. Installing dog stations along popular dog walking areas can be beneficial in maintaining clean parks and trails. Water Fountains Outdoor public water fountains along pathways are often desired by active users. However, upkeep of these amenities is extensive which reduces their practicality in many situations. Providing public water fountains will be deliberate decisions that will hinge on specific locations and circumstances. Picnic Tables Picnic tables can be appropriate along pathways near community hubs. They provide opportunities for a variety of social activities that can be enjoyed outdoors such as picnics, games, and conversations. Irrigation 143 Design + Maintenance Guidance by Park Type The following principles guide the development and maintenance of City-owned or managed parks with the goal of creating a safe, accessible, sustainable, and long lasting system of parks, trails, and facilities. These principles should be used to ensure the City’s capital improvements and decisions about park and facility maintenance align with the goals and vision laid out by the Parks, Recreation, and Active Transportation Plan. Pocket Parks Neighborhood Parks Community Parks Special Use Parks Natural Areas Natural Areas within Parks Linear Parks 144 Special Use Natural Areas Community Neighborhood Pocket Linear Roads Buildings City Boundary Railroad Streams Lakes & Reservoirs Park Types 145 Pocket Parks are used to address limited, isolated or unique recreational needs. They are typically 1 acre or less in size and contain amenities such as recreational opportunities for young children with slides, swings, spring toys and the like. They may also function as landscaped public use areas in commercialized parts of town, and serve as a destination within a 5 minute walk of a neighborhood. The service area for a pocket park is a ¼-mile radius around the park in a residential setting. Pocket Parks 10 Acres | 20 Parks Annie St & Cottage Park Ln Baxter Square Black Ave Pocket Park Bosel Park Childrens Memorial Gardens Cotton Park Ln Creekside Park Equestrian Park Farmhouse Ln & Little Cottage Ln Lewis and Bark Dog Park Milkhouse N Pocket Park Milkhouse S Pocket Park North Meadows Park Northeast Neighborhood Park Norton East Ranch Subdivision Park Pinnacle Star Street Sacajawea Park Sanders Park Soroptomist Park Valley Commons Park Valley Meadows Westglen Park Westlake Community Garden Relevant Parks Soroptimist ParkWestglen Park Tree Canopy Goal Final design manual will include tree canopy goals as percentage per park type. These goals are currently still in progress Placeholder146 Arterial access through residential plots Access to shade and planting Immediate access through sidewalks and residential streets Access to play areas Typical Assets and Design Considerations Program & Use Pocket Parks typically contain amenities such as recreational opportunities for young children with slides, swings, spring toys and the like. Temporary amenities like movable tables and chairs support social activities and gatherings that tie into the daily activities of move active parts of the city. Environmental Benefits Design grading to direct stormwater into planted areas and mitigate the need for regular irrigation. It is important to evaluate the quality of the soils on site in more dense, urban pocket parks to ensure the soil can support increased stormwater volumes. Plant native, hardier plants that can serve as windbreaks that break up wind tunnel effects and to support sensitive low lying plants. Limit paved surfaces and cluster plantings throughout the site to reduce urban heat island effect. Siting & Access Accessibility by way of interconnecting trails, sidewalks, or low-volume residential streets increases use opportunities. Recognizable public access should be provided with at least 50 feet of frontage on a public or approved private street. In terms of size, they are generally between 2,500 square feet and one acre in size. Connections and relationships to the surrounding context are also key to providing an accessible and visually cohesive connection to surrounding buildings, paths, and streets. Connections within and to the park from nearby bike lanes and greenways should be prioritized, especially those that connect into city anchor routes. Curb cuts at street crossings and wayfinding to direct visitors to surrounding amenities, especially downtown, will help orient visitors to various destinations. 147 Neighborhood parks are the basic unit of the park system, and serve as the recreational and social focus of the neighborhood. Focus is on informal recreation for all age groups and geared towards those living within the service area. Neighborhood parks should be centrally located within their service area, with access uninterrupted by non-residential roads and other physical barriers. The service area of a neighborhood park has a ¼- to ½-mile radius. Neighborhood Parks 223 Acres | 34 Parks Alder Creek Centennial Park Cooper Park Creekwood Subdivision Park Diamond Park Enterprise Park Flanders Creek Subdivision Park Four Points Minor Subd. Park Gran Cielo Headlands Park HRDC (West Babcock Park) Icon Park Jarrett Park Legends At Bridger Creek Park M Anderson Park Matthew Matsen Park Meadow Creek Park NE Corner & N Laurel Pkwy New Hyalite View Park Sandan Park South University Distict Southside Park The Lakes At Valley West Park Traditions Subdivision Park Valley Unit Park Valley West Park Walton Homestead Park West Winds Park Westbrook Westfield Park Relevant Parks Centennial Park Valley West Park Tree Canopy Goal Final design manual will include tree canopy goals as percentage per park type. These goals are currently still in progress Placeholder148 Typical Assets and Design Considerations Program & Use Facilities include playgrounds; informal playfields or open space; basketball, tennis and volleyball courts; ice skating; trails; and picnic and sitting areas. Environmental Benefits Similar to the pocket parks and plazas typology, it is imperative to design grading to direct stormwater into planted areas and mitigate the need for regular irrigation. In these active, neighborhood serving parks, investments in low maintenance plantings and shade trees will support community use on hot days and reduce urban heat island effect from surrounding areas. Siting/Access The site should be accessible from throughout its service area by way of interconnecting trails, sidewalks, or low-volume residential streets. Ease of access and walking distance are critical factors in locating a neighborhood park. A neighborhood park should have a minimum of 50 percent frontage on a public or approved private street. Neighborhood parks are generally 3 to 10 acres in size. Leftover parcels of land that are undesirable for development are also generally undesirable for neighborhood parks and should be avoided. It is more cost-effective to select a site with inherent aesthetic qualities, rather than trying to recreate them through extensive development. Connections and relationships within the neighborhood will help to provide accessible and visually cohesive relationships to surrounding community destinations. Connections within and to the park from nearby bike lanes and greenways should be prioritized, especially those that connect into city anchor routes. Curb cuts at street crossings and wayfinding to direct visitors to surrounding amenities, especially downtown, will help orient visitors to various destinations. City Goal of 100% Frontage on Public Roads Central location in residential neighborhoods Flexible Multi-Use Open Spaces Connection to sidewalks, community trails and greenways 149 Community parks are larger in size and serve a broader purpose than neighborhood parks. Their focus is on meeting the recreational needs of the entire community. They allow for group activities and offer other recreational opportunities not feasible – nor perhaps desirable – in a neighborhood park. Community Parks Story Mill Community Park BozemanPond Glen LakeRotary Park Kirk Park 199 Acres | 8 Parks Beall Park Bogert Pond Bozeman Pond Glen Lake Rotary Park Kirk Park Lindley Park Story Mansion Park Story Mill Community Park Relevant Parks Tree Canopy Goal Final design manual will include tree canopy goals as percentage per park type. These goals are currently still in progress Placeholder150 Program & Use Potential recreation facilities include playgrounds; basketball, tennis and volleyball courts; informal ballfields for youth play; ice skating rinks (temporary); swimming pools or swimming beaches; trails, including cross-country ski trails; individual and group picnic/sitting areas; general open space; unique landscapes and features; nature study areas; and ornamental or native plant gardens. Environmental Benefits Similar to the pocket parks and plazas typology, it is imperative to design grading to direct stormwater into planted areas and mitigate the need for regular irrigation. These larger parks can also direct runoff towards designed bioretention systems (e.g., swales and rain gardens). Wherever possible, these parks should increase planting areas that can capture stormwater and support water conservation measures citywide, through low irrigation, native plantings. Siting/Access Optimally, the site should be between 20 and 50 acres in size; however the actual size should be based on the land area needed to accommodate desired uses. The site should be serviced by arterial and collector streets, as well as the community trail system. Parking lots should be provided as necessary to accommodate user access. The site’s natural character should play a very significant role in site selection, with emphasis on sites that preserve unique landscapes within the community and/or provide recreational opportunities not otherwise available. Typical Assets and Design Considerations Recreational Facilities Connection to community trail system Native Planting Areas Arterial / Connector Streets + Parking Access 151 The Special Use classification covers a broad range of parks and recreation facilities oriented toward single-purpose or specialized use. Special uses generally fall into three categories: • Historic/Cultural/Social Sites – Unique local resources offering historical, educational, and cultural opportunities. Examples include historic downtown areas, performing arts facilities, arboretums, ornamental/native plant gardens, sculpture gardens, indoor theaters, public buildings, and amphitheaters. • Indoor Recreation Facilities – Examples include community centers, senior centers, sports stadiums, community theaters, indoor hockey arenas, and indoor swimming pools. • Outdoor Recreation Facilities – Examples include tennis centers, sports complexes, golf courses, disc golf courses, hockey arenas, BMX parks and skate parks. Special Use Parks 201 Acres | 9 Parks Bozeman Sports Park Bronken Park - Soccer Complex Christie Fields North Grand Field Rose Park Snowfill Softball Complex West Babcock Park Westlake BMX Park Relevant Parks Tree Canopy Goal Final design manual will include tree canopy goals as percentage per park type. These goals are currently still in progress Placeholder152 Typical Assets and Design Considerations Program & Use Among the most active recreation places within the City’s park system, these parks and facilities support a range of activities and should be designed to address the desires of community members, national and local recreation trends, and the need for flexibility. Opportunities for active recreation should be expanded to support intended audiences as well as their caregivers, spouses, and spectators. To support extended use of the facilities, these places should support the comfort of all visitors through water fountains, bathrooms, shade trees, benches and accommodations for persons who ave physical disabilities or are neurologically diverse. Siting/Access Recreation need, community interests, the type of facility, and land availability are the primary factors influencing location and size. Special use facilities should be viewed as strategically located community-wide facilities rather than as serving well-defined neighborhoods or areas. The site should be accessible from arterial and collector streets where feasible. Indoor / Outdoor Recreation Facilities Native Plant Gardens Environmental Stewardship Cultural Sites Arterial Road Connections Specific Athletic Asset (for example pump track) Large Athletic Facilities Recreational Facilities 153 Natural resource areas are lands set aside for the preservation of natural resources, remnant landscapes, open space, and visual aesthetics or buffering. Oftentimes, these areas are contained within existing parks, and require a different management approach from more isolated natural areas. For example, Mcleod Park is a neighborhood park with natural areas that have to be well designed and integrated into the park to work alongside existing recreational uses. There are similar examples in West Winds Park and Bronken Park. These lands typically consist of: • Individual sites exhibiting natural resources; • Lands that are unsuitable for development but offer natural resource potential. Examples include parcels with steep slopes and natural vegetation, drainage ways and ravines; and • Protected lands, such as wetlands, riparian areas and ponds. Natural Areas (including those within parks) 184 Acres | 27 Areas Alder Creek Natural Space Allison Park Bridger Creek Park Bronken Park - Natural Space Burke Park Cattail Lake Subdivision Public Park Flanders Creek Subdivision Park Natural Space Grafs East Park Hauser Park Ice House Park Josephine Park Laurel Glen Park Loyal Gardens Subdivision Park Mcleod Park Meadow Creek Subd Public Park Norton East Ranch Sub Park Natural Space Oak Springs Park Access Corridor Peets Hill Shady Lane Public Park Traditions Subdivision Park Natural Space Tuckerman Park Valley West Park Natural Space West Winds Park Natural Space Willow Park Relevant Parks with Natural Areas Baxter Meadows Natural Space Baxter Square Natural Space Cattail Creek Natural Space Ferguson Meadows Natural Space Relevant Standalone Natural Areas Tree Canopy Goal Final design manual will include tree canopy goals as percentage per park type. These goals are currently still in progress Placeholder154 Typical Assets and Design Considerations Program & Use Although natural areas are resource rather than user based, they can provide some recreation opportunities such as trails, and nature viewing and study. They can also function as greenways. Development should be kept to a level that preserves the integrity of the resource. Environmental Benefits Restoration areas should be protected and maintained or expanded. To do this, clear communication and barriers to prevent dumping, walking, or vehicle access to the site should be incorporated into the design of these spaces. Minimize development of hard surfaces, including bike trails and boardwalks, and strategically place them to avoid dissecting, diminishing, or disturbing natural areas within parks. Use the existing types of vegetation community present in natural areas, whether forest, shrubland, meadow, stream, tidal marsh, or wetland to guide the restoration design for adjacent sites and for site expansion within existing parks. These places should include educational information (e.g. signage) that will help visitors understand natural system functions and increase aware of ecosystem benefits. Siting/Access Resource availability and opportunity are the primary factors determining location and size. Typically, when siting a natural area, underutilized areas of parks and areas with vegetation or animal species of concern are ideal places for natural area investment. Access points should be limited and well-signed, and should connect into existing trail networks. Access to greenways, trails and nature viewing opportunities Protection of natural resource areas 155 Linear parks contain pathways that serve a number of important functions: • They tie park components together to form a cohesive park, trail, recreation, and open space system; • They allow for uninterrupted and safe pedestrian and bicycle movement between parks and throughout the community • They contain clear signage that visually connects park components and trails to better wayfinding • They provide an opportunity for resource-based outdoor recreation. Linear Parks Gallagator Linear Park Harvest Creek Park 62 Acres | 24 Parks Babcock Meadows Brookside Park Diamond Estates Public Park Gallagator Linear Park Greenway/Westgate Harvest Creek Langohr Gardens Park North 9th Northern Pacific Addition To Bozeman Oak Meadows Subdivision Park Sourdough Trail Park Spring Meadows Park Sundance Springs Park The Knolls At Hillcrest Park The Knolls At Hillcrest Park Valley Creek Park Village Downtown Park West Meadows Park Westridge East Park Westridge North Park Westridge South Park Relevant Parks Tree Canopy Goal Final design manual will include tree canopy goals as percentage per park type. These goals are currently still in progress Placeholder156 Typical Assets and Design Considerations Program & Use Linear parks can be developed for a variety of different recreational activities. Most notable are hiking, walking, jogging, bicycling and cross- country skiing. Environmental Benefits Linear parks provide connectivity for healthy plant animal species to travel along habitat “corridors”. To support appropriate plant and animal species along these linear parks, the city should encourage native species to migrate to new areas by recreating the conditions of previously established habitat close to the area where expansion is desired. Since these habitat corridors will also naturally support non-native species expansion, it is important to create barriers for the spread of those species. Many linear parks exist along water courses, which presents an opportunity to sensitively invest in riparian edges. Plantings and naturalized landscapes along the water’s edge will support increased fish and other amphibious species habitat. Education signage regarding “rewilding” of these riparian edges should also be considered to raise awareness of these investments. Siting/Access Land availability and opportunity are the primary factors determining location. Many linear parks will follow natural features such as watercourses, while others will follow man-made features such as abandoned railways. Linear parks should be at least 25 feet wide for general trail use, with additional width required for parks used for cross- country skiing. In addition to this minimum width, which linear parks can extend beyond, linear parks should also have requirements to provide specific amenities. Parcels with steep slopes and natural vegetationProtection of natural wetland and ponds Connection to further trail systems 157 Design + Maintenance Guidance For Active Transportation Establishing clear dimensional specifications and construction standards for each path and trail typology is fundamental to building out a highly functioning active transportation network. Below is a basic summary of the key standards for each network typology. The ‘Implementation’ section below provides a detailed breakdown of the recommended dimensional and construction standards. This section of the Design Manual will identify and describe design and maintenance considerations for the following three Active Transportation route types: System-wide Standards Anchor Routes & Shared Use Paths Bike Boulevards Connector Paths Neighborhood Trails 158 Proposed Anchor Route Proposed Shared Use Paths Proposed Commuter Paths Proposed Neighborhood Trails Proposed Bike Boulevards Existing Shared Use Paths Existing Trails City Boundary Proposed Active Transportation Network N1 mile00.5 Growth Boundary Roads Railroad Streams Lakes & Reservoirs Future Parks Parks 159 Standards for the design and construction of all active transportation typologies is critical to successful implementation of the PRAT Plan. The City has existing paved path standards within the Public Work and the PROST Plan contains some standards for natural trails. The existing standards should be reviewed against best practices and guidelines referenced below, revised to create comprehensive standards for each path and trail type, and collocated within a single source such as the Public Works Standards. The recommended standards for construction are divided into three classes based on location, intended use, and preferred maintenance. As uses or intensity change, a route may be upgraded in classification. The standards align with those in the Triangle Trails Plan and reflect similar parameters previous outlined in the Bozeman PROST Plan and the Gallatin County Trails Report and Plan. Paths and trails consist of a central walkable/ridable surface, known as a tread. They have a shoulder located on each side. The tread plus the shoulder is known as the clear width. The height above the route with no obstacles like tree branches is known as the clear height. The following standards are applicable to all city path and trail classifications: • Adequate visibility must be provided for safety. • The minimum acceptable path and trail easement width is 25 feet. • Path and trail entrances will be signed describing the degree of ADA access. • A minimum of 5-foot separation between edge of path to top of slope that is greater than 1V:3H, if not met, a railing must be implemented System-wide AT Standards 160 Required Elements These associated elements, adjacent to physical path networks, are essential for the success of a functional and safe active transportation network. Wayfinding The most critical adjacent network facility is wayfinding. Wayfinding is essential to a robust, highly functioning community active transportation network. A comprehensive wayfinding plan should be adopted and implemented by the City of Bozeman. One, unified wayfinding plan for the entire City of Bozeman will standardize and integrate consistent signage and information across the entire network to allow for intuitive and streamlined user navigation. Lighting on Shared Use Paths For shared use paths to be viable and reliable transportation and recreation corridors throughout the year, proper lighting must be present on all shared use paths. Adequate lighting increases safety for users and allows the paths to be functional throughout the entire day, including commuting hours, during Montana’s dark winter months. Benches Benches are a highly desired facility in public spaces and in corridors along pathways. They give path users a place to rest, socialize, and enjoy the many beautiful environments Bozeman has to offer. Benches should be prioritized along highly trafficked paths and in natural spaces. Bike Racks Bike racks provide reliable bike storage options at network hubs for commuting and recreational bikers alike to securely leave their bike for period of time. Providing ample bike racks reduces potential issues of bikes being locked inappropriately to trees, park furniture, and private property. Bike Repair Stations Bike repair stations can be helpful for bicyclists if they are caught with an unexpected flat tire or need to make an adjustment to their bike during a ride. Bike repair stations should be located along major bike corridors and at major network intersections. Dog Waste Stations Dog stations provide pet waste bags and a trash receptacle for dog owners that use the network. Installing dog stations along popular dog walking areas can be beneficial in maintaining a clean path and trail environment. Trash & Recycling Placing trash and recycling receptacles along major network paths helps keep pathways, corridors, and their surroundings clean and more enjoyable for their users. Enhancing Elements These amenities are not critical for a functional active transportation network but enhance the user experience, safety, and cleanliness, and are often greatly desired by the community. Lighting on other Facilities As described above, lighting should be required along all shared use paths. However, some connector paths and trails may benefit from lighting installations as well if they are highly trafficked, are used as a frequent commuter route, or need added visibility. The need for lighting on these facilities will be addressed on a situational basis. Water Fountains Outdoor public water fountains along pathways are often desired by active users. However, upkeep of these amenities is extensive which reduces their practicality in many situations. Providing public water fountains will be deliberate decisions that will hinge on specific locations and circumstances. Picnic Tables Picnic tables can be appropriate along pathways near community hubs. They provide opportunities for a variety of social activities that can be enjoyed outdoors such as picnics, games, and conversations. 161 These paved pathways connect larger community nodes. They are heavily used with full access and are typically constructed along major transportation corridors but can also be located outside of rights-of-way. These routes are designed to permit two-way traffic using an impervious surface material such as asphalt or concrete. Width and Clearance The preferred tread minimum width is 12 feet wide but can be decreased to 10 feet in interior subdivision settings. All paths should have a 1-foot gravel shoulder and 2-foot minimum total shoulder graded away from tread at a 2% maximum slope. A minimum vertical clearance of 10 feet should be provided. Branches that could reduce clearance when weighted with snow or rain should also be removed. Grade The maximum tread cross slope shall be 2%, sloping one direction, not crowned. The cross slopes on corners and curves shall be towards the inside where drainage permits. The maximum tread cross slope should be 5%, the cross slopes on corners and curves shall be towards the inside where drainage permits. If there is a segment that has a cross slope of more than 5%, the segment should be as short as possible. Maximum grade segments: • 8.3% for a maximum of 15.24m (50ft) • 10% for a maximum of 9.14m (30ft) • 12.5% for a maximum of 3.05m (10ft) Near the top and bottom of the maximum grade segments, the grade should transition to less than 5%. Rest intervals should be provided within 7.6m (25ft) of the max grade segment. There can be no abrupt change in surface level greater than ½ inch. Anchor Routes & Shared Use Paths 162 Typical Assets and Design Considerations Cross Section Concrete - The tread base shall consist of a minimum of 3 inches of crushed gravel compacted to 95 percent of maximum density as determined by AASHTO T99. Concrete shall be a minimum of 6 inches of M4000. Asphalt -Excavate 11.5 inches of material. Install a minimum of 9 inches of crushed gravel compacted to 95 percent of maximum density as determined by AASHTO T99, unless otherwise dictated by sub-soil type materials being compacted to road standard. The overlay shall consist of 2.5 inches of asphalt compacted to 93 percent of maximum density, as determined by ASTMD 2041. Construction seal shall be applied at 0.08 gallon/square yard after installation. Material To decrease long term maintenance, tread surface must predominately be impervious material such as asphalt, concrete, pavers set on concrete, or wood decking. Porous surfaces (permeable pavers, porous asphalt, porous rubber) should be a priority in sensitive areas. The tread material including any base course will have a total minimum thickness of 6 inches. Wood deck planks must be run perpendicular to the direction of travel and joints must not exceed 36 inches. Planks must be securely fastened so they do not warp. VARIESSHARED ROAD VARIESSHARED ROAD5’LANDSCAPEAREA 5’LANDSCAPEAREA 5’SIDEWALK 5’SIDEWALK2’2’ CURB &GUTTER CURB &GUTTER BIKE BOULEVARD 12’PATHWAY Anchor Route VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA VARIESLANDSCAPE AREAVARIESWATER 4’-6’TRAIL Neighborhood Trail VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA 6’-8’TRAIL Connector Path10’CLEAR BUFFER 2’VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA VARIESLANDSCAPEAREA BUFFER 2’ Shared Use Pathway 10’PAVED TRAIL VARIESTRAIL BUFFER2’2’10’ DRIVE LANE 12’CLEAR BUFFERBUFFER CURB &GUTTER VARIES SHARED ROAD VARIES SHARED ROAD 5’ LANDSCAPEAREA 5’ LANDSCAPEAREA 5’ SIDEWALK 5’ SIDEWALK 2’2’ CURB &GUTTER CURB &GUTTER BIKE BOULEVARD 12’PATHWAY Anchor Route VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA VARIESLANDSCAPE AREAVARIESWATER 4’-6’TRAIL Neighborhood Trail VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA 6’-8’ TRAIL Connector Path 10’CLEAR BUFFER 2’VARIESLANDSCAPEAREA VARIESLANDSCAPEAREA BUFFER 2’ Shared Use Pathway 10’ PAVED TRAIL VARIES TRAIL BUFFER 2’2’10’DRIVE LANE 12’CLEAR BUFFERBUFFER CURB &GUTTER 163 Bike Boulevards Bike boulevards are an integrated part of the street network. Streets designated as bike boulevards should adhere to standards within the Transportation Master Plan and other adopted documents. In addition to those standards, bike boulevards should include at least one element from each of the following categories: Signs and Pavement Markings Identification signage Sharrow pavement markings Wayfinding signage Speed management tools: Speed humps, bumps, tables and cushions Chicanes Neighborhood traffic circles Median islands curb bulb outs pinch points Volume management tools: Regulatory signage Partial physical closure Full physical closure Channelized right in/right out Diagonal or median diverter Crossings: Crossing signage Pedestrian signals (Rapid flash beacons, HAWK signals) Median refuge islands curb bulb outs 164 Typical Assets and Design Considerations VARIES SHARED ROAD VARIES SHARED ROAD 5’ LANDSCAPEAREA 5’ LANDSCAPEAREA 5’ SIDEWALK 5’ SIDEWALK 2’2’ CURB &GUTTER CURB &GUTTER BIKE BOULEVARD 4’-6’TRAILNeighborhood TrailVARIESLANDSCAPE AREA VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA6’-8’TRAILConnector Path10’CLEAR BUFFER 2’VARIESLANDSCAPEAREAVARIESLANDSCAPEAREA BUFFER 2’Shared Use Pathway10’PAVED TRAILVARIESTRAIL BUFFER2’2’10’DRIVE LANE12’CLEAR BUFFERBUFFERCURB &GUTTER 165 Connector Paths These paths receive moderate use intended for a variety non-motorized, recreational, and commuter users. These paths connect meaningful destinations, such as neighborhoods, schools, and hubs of commercial activity. Connector paths are constructed with an ADA accessible surface of natural fines, or pontentially pavement, and are 6 to 8 feet in width. For paved connector paths the Class 1 standards shall be utilized. Even if paved, connector paths are not expected to be maintained during the winter. However, if the route provides important community connections, year round maintenance should be provided. For natural surface connector paths apply the standards below. Width and Clearance Single surfaced tread with a minimum width of six feet. Tread width may be reduced to 36 inches for a maximum distance of 30 feet to pass or preserve significant features such as rock formations, important vegetation, or cross watercourses. Signs should be used to warn about such constrictions. The minimum cleared zone will be the tread width plus 2 feet to either side of the tread and 10 feet vertical. In no instance may the overhead clear height be less than 8 feet. Grade A cross-slope of no less than 2 percent and no more than 5 percent to provide for water drainage is allowed. Maximum sustained running grade is 8%. A 10% maximum grade is allowed for a maximum distance of 30 feet, and a 14% maximum grade is allowed when resting intervals are provided every 5 feet. Tread will be raised above the adjacent surfaces and have a 4-inch crown. Where this requirement is not possible the tread will have a 1:20 cross slope and/or side ditches outside the cleared zone. Changes in level: • Should not exceed 51mm (2 in) • May be up to a maximum of 76mm (3 in) in areas where 51mm cannot be attained and the slope of the trail is less than 5% in any direction. • Obstacles over 51mm (2 in) in height should be removed Stream crossings will be over culverts or bridges. Only dips or slot-entrance drainpipe will be used for cross tread water stops for natural surface treads. 166 Typical Assets and Design Considerations Cross Section The path bed must be excavated 6 inches deep, prior to installation of tread mix. Tread mix shall be installed in two parts. The first 3-inch lift shall be of ¾ inch Road mix, compacted to 95%, and then 3/8th inch minus gravel (natural fines) compacted to 95%. If moisture content is not adequate for compaction, water should be added prior to rolling and compacting. Natural fines used for these paths shall consist of 80 percent sand, 10 percent silt and 10 percent clay. If the natural fines tread mix does not contain enough clay or soil binder, additional binder must be mixed in. Geo-textile material will be placed beneath and gravel or particulate tread material in poorly drained, boggy, or marshy areas, or wet meadows and on any of the following soil types: clays, clayey loams, silts, silty. The preferred material is non- woven needle-punched engineering geo-fabric, but woven is acceptable. Fabric should be selected for use and durability. Material Commuter paths shall be designed for ADA access and year-round maintenance. Those that are not paved will be surfaced with a minimum of wood decking, natural fines, or with a well maintained compacted crushed gravel. VARIES SHARED ROAD VARIES SHARED ROAD 5’ LANDSCAPE AREA 5’ LANDSCAPE AREA 5’ SIDEWALK 5’ SIDEWALK 2’2’ CURB &GUTTER CURB &GUTTER BIKE BOULEVARD 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 BUFFERBUFFERCURB &GUTTER 167 Neighborhood Trails Neighborhood trails are narrower soft surface trails that connect locally to parks and open space These trails receive moderate to low use and are typically 3-5 feet in width. They are either natural trails developed by use over time or constructed with natural fines. ADA accessibility may be limited as trails typically follow the natural contours, however nearby sidewalk spurs can provide ADA connections to areas along the corridor. Width and Clearance Tread width minimum is three feet. The minimum clear zone will be the tread width horizontally and seven feet vertically. Grade Grades typically follow the natural topography therefore ADA access is extremely limited. Blending the trail into the setting is emphasized in trail routing. Provide positive drainage for the tread utilizing grade dips, cross sloping, and water bars to minimize erosion. Cross Section No trail bed excavation is required except to eliminate extreme cross grades. Material Preparation varies from machine-worked surfaces to those worn only by usage. No surfacing is required except in erosion prone poorly drained, marshy areas, or wet meadows. Wood chip tread materials are acceptable when traffic is limited to pedestrian traffic in sensitive locations such as in wetland nature education areas. 168 Typical Assets and Design Considerations VARIES SHARED ROAD VARIES SHARED ROAD 5’ LANDSCAPE AREA 5’ LANDSCAPE AREA 5’ SIDEWALK 5’ SIDEWALK 2’2’ CURB &GUTTER CURB &GUTTER BIKE BOULEVARD 4’-6’TRAIL Neighborhood Trail VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA VARIESLANDSCAPE AREA 6’-8’TRAIL Connector Path 10’CLEAR BUFFER 2’VARIESLANDSCAPEAREA VARIESLANDSCAPEAREA BUFFER 2’ Shared Use Pathway 10’PAVED TRAILVARIESTRAIL BUFFER2’2’10’DRIVE LANE 12’CLEAR BUFFERBUFFERCURB &GUTTER 169 Maintaining active transportation routes that are safe and accessible for users of all ages and abilities is a high priority. In addition, adequate maintenance is critical to maximizing year-round utilization. The City needs to establish annual and long-term maintenance plans that includes a deferred maintenance analysis. There are three essential elements to properly maintaining an active transportation network. First, establish minimum standards for maintenance. Next, determine maintenance responsibility for each segment of the network. Lastly, identify the various sources to finance the necessary maintenance. Methods Developing a comprehensive maintenance strategy will require considering various surface types, locations, responsible parties, and available funding. Anchor Routes and Shared Use Paths Share use paths located within street rights-of-way are typically maintained by the corresponding jurisdiction. One challenge is achieving consistent maintenance expectations and standards between the City, County, and State. Connector Paths The maintenance of Connectors not only depends on the responsible party but also on the surface type each route. Neighborhood Trails Despite being smaller, trails require a considerable amount of maintenance depending on location, the quality of construction, and the amount of use. Neighborhood trails are typically maintained by neighborhood associations, HOAs, the City, or GVLT. AT Maintenance 170 Regulations The ability of the City to regulate maintenance of active transportation routes is limited. The City should consider ways to require routes owned or managed by private parties to be maintained according to established standards. The following actions are recommended. • Strengthen requirements for residential subdivisions, commercial developments, and other privately held routes to be adequately maintained according to standards adopted by the City. Policies Maintenance of active transportation routes in Bozeman is currently managed through a variety of resources, including private property owners, homeowner associations, community groups, non-profit partners, the City, and the Montana Department of Transportation. Clarifying responsibilities for maintenance and establishing standards will help ensure the financial investment developing a complete network is protected and enhanced in future years. The following actions are recommended. • Establish a comprehensive maintenance plan that includes minimum standards for upkeep, repairs, and replacement • Conduct a comprehensive deferred maintenance analysis of each route identifying the current condition, upkeep and repair needs, and sections needing to be rebuilt • Establish a maintenance template for the City, property owners, and partners to develop schedule tasks and estimate costs • Review and clarify how the Bozeman Parks Maintenance District can support the maintenance of the network Maintenance Standards General maintenance standards for evaluating needs for surface care, repairs, safety precautions, and managing adjacent landscaping should be developed for and consistently applied to all network typologies. In addition to annual and long- term tasks, seasonal maintenance of shared use paths is essential to accommodating year-round active transportation. Paved paths must have the snow removed frequently during the winter and be swept of grit and debris each spring. Maintenance Actions The following actions are recommended. • Develop a comprehensive maintenance plan including detailed standards by typology that ensure a high-level of safety, accessibility, and utilization. Below are recommended routine and periodic maintenance tasks based on surface type. Paved Surfaces—Routine maintenance activities: • Regular sweeping to remove debris, gravel, and other hazardous items • Regular snow removal during winter months • Inspect and repair pavement surface problems (seal cracks, grind down ridges, cut back tree roots, repair pavement) • Prune adjacent and overhanging vegetation to reduce encroachment or cause sight distance problems • Treating noxious weeds along corridor • Mowing trail edges if applicable (keep vegetation height low along trail) • Clearing drainage features to ensure proper function Paved Surfaces—Periodic maintenance activities: • Coordinate and schedule pavement overlays as part of adjacent road maintenance • Addition of surfacing material depending on condition (2-3 years) 171 • Re-grading to improve cross-slope or out-slope for improved drainage • Improvement of transitions with sidewalks or streets, restripe crosswalks and other markers • Repair or replace wayfinding, stop control signs and other elements • Restripe crosswalks and other markers Natural Surfaces—Routine maintenance activities: • Removing encroaching vegetation from trail tread (grading, chemical treatment) • Prune adjacent and overhanging vegetation to reduce encroachment or cause sight distance problems • Treating noxious weeds along corridor • Mowing trail edges if applicable (keep vegetation height low along trail) • Clearing drainage features to ensure proper function • Flood or rain damage repair: silt clean up, culvert clean out, etc. • Bridge/culvert inspection, clearing and repair • Map/signage post condition inspection, and vandalism repair • Assessing need for sign/map updates or replacement Natural Surfaces—Periodic maintenance activities: • Yearly trail evaluation to determine the need for minor repairs, identification of erosion damage, need for improved drainage • Addition of surfacing material depending on condition (2-3 years) • Re-grading to improve cross-slope or out-slope for improved drainage • Improvement of transitions with sidewalks or streets, restripe crosswalks and other markers • Repair or replace wayfinding, stop control signs and other elements • Restripe crosswalks and other markers Funding Like construction, the maintenance of Bozeman’s active transportation is funded by a variety of entities including the City, Montana Department of Transportation, non-profit partners, and private property owners. There are more maintenance needs than committed funding which leads to a backlog of repairs and overall degradation of accessibility and utilization. According to the Rails to Trail Conservancy, annual maintenance costs on average range from $1,000 to $2,000 per trail mile, depending upon the surface. Therefore, average annual funding required to maintain Bozeman’s 178 miles of paths and trails is approximately $267,000. The funding needed to adequately maintain the network will only increase as new extensions and routes are constructed. To meet this financial commitment, the City and its partners must proactively account for the necessary funding to execute the annual and long-term maintenance plans and aggressively commit the dollars. The following actions are recommended. • Ensure that a significant portion of the Parks and Trails Maintenance District funds are dedicated to path and trail maintenance • Allocate an annual portion of the City’s street maintenance budget to repair shared use paths and paved connector paths • Include Bozeman’s active transportation network and plan into the future Metropolitan Planning Organization budget Prioritization Addressing the maintenance backlog of existing active transportation network will take years and considerable funding. Therefore, it is important to develop and utilize a method to prioritize the needed upkeep and repair projects. This plan includes a weighted prioritization matrix template utilizing the criteria listed below. The following actions are recommended. Develop a methodology for prioritizing potential 172 maintenance projects based on the following criteria: • Area of deferred maintenance that poses a public safety risk • Area of deferred maintenance that restricts equitable access • Area of deferred maintenance that reduces utilization • Highly utilized routes • Ability to partner and/or leverage creative funding opportunities 173 GALLATIN WATERSHED ■COUNCIL ■ 174 GALLATIN WATERSHED ■COUNCIL ■ 175 GALLATIN WATERSHED ■COUNCIL ■ 176 GALLATIN WATERSHED ■COUNCIL ■ 177 GALLATIN WATERSHED ■COUNCIL ■ 178 GALLATIN WATERSHED ■COUNCIL ■ 179