HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-10-24 - Sustainability Board - Agendas & Packet MaterialsA. Call to Order - 6:00 PM
B. Disclosures
C. Changes to the Agenda
D. Public Service Announcements
E. Approval of Minutes
E.1 Approve the March 21, 2024 Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes.(Meyer)
F. Consent Items
G. Public Comments
THE SUSTAINABILITY BOARD OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA
SB AGENDA
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
General information about the Sustainability 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
comments@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 Jon Henderson, jon.henderson@bozeman.net
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
+1 346 248 7799
Access code: 934 9305 9514
Approve the March 21, 2024 Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes.
This is the time to comment on any matter falling within the scope of the Sustainability Board.
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H. Special Presentations
I. Action Items
I.1 2024 - 2025 Work Plan Approval (Henderson)
J. FYI/Discussion
J.1 Local Food System Preliminary Mapping Project (Meyer)
K. Adjournment
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.
This board generally meets on the second Wednesday of the month 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Citizen Advisory Board meetings are open to all members the public. If you have a disability that
requires assistance, please contact our Acting ADA Coordinator, Max Ziegler, at 406.582.2439 (TDD
406.582.2301).
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Memorandum
REPORT TO:Sustainability Board
FROM:Ali Chipouras, Sustainability Program Specialist
Natalie Meyer, Sustainability Program Manager
Jon Henderson, Strategic Services Director
SUBJECT:Approve the March 21, 2024 Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes.
MEETING DATE:April 10, 2024
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Citizen Advisory Board/Commission
RECOMMENDATION:Approve the March 21, 2024 Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes.
STRATEGIC PLAN:1.2 Community Engagement: Broaden and deepen engagement of the
community in city government, innovating methods for inviting input from
the community and stakeholders.
BACKGROUND:In accordance with Commission Resolution 5323 and the City of Bozeman's
Citizen Advisory Board Manual, all Boards must have minutes taken and
approved. Prepared minutes will be provided for approval by the board at
the next scheduled meeting. Staff will make any corrections identified to the
minutes before submitting them to the City Clerk's Office.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES:None.
ALTERNATIVES:As suggested by the Board.
FISCAL EFFECTS:None.
Attachments:
03-21-2024 Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes.pdf
Report compiled on: April 5, 2024
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Bozeman Sustainability Citizen Advisory Board Meeting Minutes, 3/21/2024
Page 1 of 2
THE SUSTAINABILITY CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARD MEETING OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA
MINUTES
3/21/2024
General information about the Sustainability Board can be found in our Laserfiche repository.
A) 00:38:11 Call Special Meeting to Order - 6:00 PM Present: Emma Bode, Rebecca Kurnick, Terry Cunningham, Nathan Gracey, Brooke Lahneman, Kalani
Goodhard
Absent: Isabel Shaida, Kristin Blackler
Excused: None
B) 00:40:20 Disclosures
C) 00:40:14 Changes to the Agenda
D) 00:40:35 Approval of Minutes
D.1 Approve the February 14, 2024 Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes.
02-14-2024 Sustainability Advisory Board Minutes.pdf
00:40:49 Motion to approve
Rebecca Kurnick: Motion
Nathan Gracey: 2nd 00:41:12 Vote on the Motion to approve The Motion carried 7 - 0.
Approve:
Emma Bode
Rebecca Kurnick
Nathan Gracey
Brooke Lahneman
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Bozeman Sustainability Citizen Advisory Board Meeting Minutes, 3/21/2024
Page 2 of 2
Kalani Goodhard
Disapprove:
None
E) Public Comments
F) 00:41:19 FYI/Discussion
• Sustainability Advisory Board Member Nathan Gracey shared an update about a recent lawsuit
that was won that allows citizens to create a ballot item to ban single use plastics.
• Sustainability Advisory Board Chair Emma Bode shared that on February 28th a group of over 40
Montana business and organizations filed a formal rule making petition to the Public Service
Commission requesting that the PSC consider climate impacts in its regulation of Montana gas
and electric utilities.
F.1 01:02:06 2024 - 2025 Work Plan Finalization
Sustainability Advisory Board Work Plan 2024-2025 Narrative.pdf
Sustainability Advisory Board Work Plan 2024-2025 Table.pdf
F.2 02:04:50 2024 CleanUp Week
2024 Gallatin Valley Earth Day Poster.pdf
CleanUp Week Presentation Slides
F.3 02:15:25 Local Food System Preliminary Mapping Project
Local Food Systems Project Overview.pdf
Presentation Slides
G) 02:42:02 Adjournment
This board generally meets on the second Wednesday of the month 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
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Memorandum
REPORT TO:Sustainability Board
FROM:Jon Henderson, Strategic Services Director
SUBJECT:2024 - 2025 Work Plan Approval
MEETING DATE:April 10, 2024
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Citizen Advisory Board/Commission
RECOMMENDATION:2024 - 2025 Work Plan Approval
STRATEGIC PLAN:6.3 Climate Action: Reduce community and municipal Greenhouse Gas
(GHG) emissions, increase the supply of clean and renewable energy; foster
related businesses.
BACKGROUND:On February 14, 2024 the Sustainability Citizen Advisory Board began
discussing the development of a Work Plan to help guide progress over the
next two years (2024-2025). On March 21, 2024 the Sustainability Board
continued their discussion and offered additional input.
Revisions made at the request of the Board during the March meeting
include:
Adding the consideration of e-bike rental programs and the use of
renewable diesel to Item 4
Including opportunities to increase awareness about C-PACE for
commercial property owners to Item 6
Expanding Climate Plan reference related to water quality and
watershed health to Item 7 and Item 8
Following a brief presentation by City staff, the Board will consider the
attached final draft for approval by vote.
It’s important to note that City Commission priorities have not been formally
adopted. Following the finalization of City Commission priorities, and any
amendments to the Sustainability Board's Work Plan as a result, the City
Commission will formally adopt the Board's Work Plan.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES:None.
ALTERNATIVES:As suggested by the Sustainability Board.
FISCAL EFFECTS:None.
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Attachments:
Sustainability Advisory Board Work Plan 2024-2025.pdf
Report compiled on: April 4, 2024
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Sustainability Advisory Board Work Plan 2024‐2025
Focus Area 1: Climate Planning
The Sustainability Board will provide advisory recommendations to the City Commission, and as requested
by the City Manager, to the City Manager, on policies related to the City of Bozeman’s Climate Plan. The
policies the board advises on must seek to ensure Bozeman is a leader in mitigating the impacts of climate
change.
Work Plan Item 1: Local Food System
a. On November 9, 2022, the Sustainability Board held a Work Session to review the proposed
approach for a community mapping project designed to enhance the City’s understanding of
current challenges and opportunities within the local food system. This was followed by a
Work Session on March 8, 2023, to confirm feedback received from the Board to be
included in a Request for Proposals published on April 29, 2023.
b. The Board will have an opportunity to comment on the process and preliminary findings
during a work session on March 21, 2024.
c. On April 10, 2024, the Board will again have an opportunity to comment on the
recommendations and final report, including any recommendations to staff on subsequent
next steps.
d. To foster and develop the connections made during the Local Food System Preliminary
Mapping Project, staff will work with the Sustainability Board and local food system
constituents to elevate local food and nutrition educational opportunities in the community.
e. The Board will advise staff on opportunities for the City to help bolster a more sustainable,
resilient, and equitable local food system through education, policy, and more.
*Bozeman Climate Plan Reference: 6.N.1‐4
Work Plan Item 2: Composting Services & Collection
a. On August 9, 2023, the Sustainability Board held a Work Session on the City’s Solid Waste
Rate Study and Compost Feasibility Study to receive input on future implementation and
outreach of the bundled plan as directed by the City Commission on July 18, 2023.
b. As a result of feedback received from the Sustainability Board, the City is in the process of
conducting a customer survey in early 2024 to inform a plan for successful implementation.
c. The Sustainability Board will be invited to provide additional input on community education
and outreach planning in 2024.
d. Management of human‐wildlife conflicts will be a facet of the discussion with the Board.
*Bozeman Climate Plan Reference: 5.M.2
Work Plan Item 3: Electric Mobility
a. The City of Bozeman will initiate an Electric Mobility Roadmap planning process starting in
the summer of 2024 to strategically plan for all forms of transportation electrification,
including electric vehicles, e‐bikes, micro mobility devices, EV rideshare, and electric transit.
Additional topics may include e‐bike rental programs, and the use of renewable diesel as a
component of an effective transition for fleet.
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b. The Sustainability Board will be asked to provide feedback on the project scope of work and
the constituent engagement strategy in the fall of 2024.
c. The draft Electric Mobility Roadmap will be shared with the Board in the winter of 2024, and
the Board will be provided with the opportunity to review the final draft and make a
recommendation to the City Commission.
*Bozeman Climate Plan Reference: 4.K.1‐3
Work Plan Item 4: Green Power Program
a. The Green Power Program partnership with the City and County of Missoula is a key
strategy to reach the City of Bozeman’s 100% net clean electricity goal.
b. The Sustainability Board held a 100% Net Clean Electricity Strategies Work Session on June
14, 2023.
c. On November 8, 2023, the draft Green Power Program Term Sheet was presented to the
Sustainability Board as the overarching program framework. The Board unanimously
recommended approval of the Green Power Program Term Sheet and requested staff to
forward their recommendation to the City Commission.
d. Following Commission adoption of the Term Sheet on November 28, 2023, the next step in
the process is the adoption of a lead community agreement with NorthWestern Energy to
further define the obligations of the parties. The Sustainability Board will be asked to make
a recommendation to the City Commission in the spring of 2024.
e. As the program advances through the approval process, the Board will be consulted on
messaging, education, and outreach to businesses, residents, and other constituents.
*Bozeman Climate Plan Reference: 2.E.1
Work Plan Item 5: Extreme Heat & Wildfire Smoke
a. On October 12, 2022, the Sustainability Board held a Work Session with a focus on
neighborhood resiliency programming related to wildfire smoke and heat outreach.
b. City staff incorporated feedback from the Board into outreach materials that were shared
with the public in the winter and summer of 2023.
c. On April 12, 2023, the Sustainability Board held another Work Session to receive feedback
on how the City might reach more residents, including any additional resources that would
be beneficial to the community.
d. As education and outreach continue, the Board will be asked to further consider ways the
City can deepen climate resilience communication and engagement, especially to aid
vulnerable community members disproportionately impacted by climate change and
extreme weather.
*Bozeman Climate Plan Reference: 3.I.1
Work Plan Item 6: Energy Efficiency and Electrification
a. On April 13, 2022, the Sustainability Board held a Work Session to provide input on a
building electrification campaign. After incorporating feedback received from the Board,
City staff presented a program outline during a Work Session on September 14, 2022.
b. Based on this input, City Staff hosted contractor training and developed residential
resources featuring case studies and incentives.
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c. As these efforts develop and evolve, the Board will be asked to advise staff on:
i. Collaborations with local and statewide organizations,
ii. Workforce development,
iii. Development of outreach strategies designed to increase awareness of building
electrification and energy efficiency best practices, as well as emerging incentives
available through the Inflation Reduction Act and the utility, and
iv. Building awareness of C‐PACE for commercial property owners
*Bozeman Climate Plan Reference: 1.C.1‐3, 1.A.3, 1.A.6
Work Plan Item 7: Urban Tree Equity
a. The Gallatin Watershed Council is partnering with the City of Bozeman and other
organizations to expand the urban forest throughout the community under the Branch Out
Bozeman initiative.
b. The goals of Branch Out Bozeman are to improve water quality, reduce the heat island
effect, and increase the equitable distribution of tree canopy.
c. One role of the City will be to lead the analysis to help inform ideal planting locations in the
community.
d. The Board will be asked to provide staff‐level recommendations on this analysis.
*Bozeman Climate Plan Reference: 6.P.1‐4
Work Plan Item 8: Engineering Design Standards
a. On February 14, 2024 the Sustainability Board received a Special Presentation from the
Transportation and Engineering Department on Engineering Design Standards focused on an
evaluation of compact development engineering standards.
b. Over the course of this work plan, the Sustainability Board will be provided with
opportunities to learn and comment on a range of topics, such as the Wetland Code Review
and the Stormwater Facility Plan engagement process.
*Bozeman Climate Plan Reference: 3.G.2, 6.0.1‐3
Focus Area 3: Beautification
Resolution 5327 establishes the Sustainability Board and assigns a focus area for beautification. The
Sustainability Board will assist the City in implementing the City’s annual Cleanup Week.
Work Plan Item 9: Cleanup Week
a. The Sustainability Board provided input to staff on outreach activities related to Cleanup
Week and Gallatin Valley Earth Day Festival events during a Work Session in 2022.
b. Through the partnership with the Gallatin Valley Earth Day Festival, participation in Cleanup
Week has increased.
c. The Sustainability Board will be invited to provide input on the City’s approach to
messaging, marketing, and promotion of the event.
d. Board members may choose to participate in Cleanup Week and the Gallatin Valley Earth
Day Festival.
*Bozeman Climate Plan Reference: 5.M.1, 6.P.4
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Work Plan Item
Description:
Strategic Priorities
Connection:
Board Time
Commitment:
Staff Time
Commitment:Schedule: Budget
Impact:
1. Local Food System Bozeman Climate Plan
Action Items 6.N.1‐4 2+ Meetings High Q1‐Q2 2024 $ 32,000
2. Composting Services &
Collection
Bozeman Climate Plan
Action Item 5.M.2 1‐2 Meetings Low 2024 $ ‐
3. Electric Mobility Bozeman Climate Plan
Action Items 4.K.1‐3 3+ Meetings High 2024‐2025 $ 30,000
4. Green Power Program Bozeman Climate Plan
Action Item 2.E.1 2+ Meetings High 2024‐2025 $ 38,000
5. Extreme Heat & Wildfire
Smoke
Bozeman Climate Plan
Action Item 3.I.1 1‐2 Meetings Medium 2024‐2025 $ 4,000
6. Energy Efficiency and
Electrification
Bozeman Climate Plan
Action Items 1.C.1‐3, 1.A.3,
1.A.6
1‐2 Meetings Medium 2024‐2025 $ 7,000
7. Urban Tree Equity
Bozeman Climate Plan
Action Item 6.P.1‐4 1‐2 Meetings Medium 2024 $ ‐
8. Engineering Design
Standards
Bozeman Climate Plan
Action Item 3.G.2, 6.O.1‐3 2+ Meetings Low 2024‐2025 $ ‐
Work Plan Item
Description:
Strategic Priorities
Connection:
Board Time
Commitment:
Staff Time
Commitment:Schedule: Budget
Impact:
9. Cleanup Week
Sustainability Board Focus
Area 3 (Resoution 5327) &
Bozeman Climate Plan
Action Items 5.M.1, 6.P.4
1 Meeting (per
year)Medium April '24/'25 $ 4,500
SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD WORK PLAN 2024‐2025
Focus Area 1: Climate Planning
Focus Area 2: Beautification
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Memorandum
REPORT TO:Sustainability Board
FROM:Ali Chipouras, Sustainability Program Specialist
Natalie Meyer, Sustainability Program Manager
Jon Henderson, Strategic Services Director
SUBJECT:Local Food System Preliminary Mapping Project
MEETING DATE:April 10, 2024
AGENDA ITEM TYPE:Citizen Advisory Board/Commission
RECOMMENDATION:Discuss and provide feedback on the Local Food System Preliminary
Mapping Project draft outline, takeaways, and recommendations.
STRATEGIC PLAN:1.2 Community Engagement: Broaden and deepen engagement of the
community in city government, innovating methods for inviting input from
the community and stakeholders.
BACKGROUND:Solution N. of the Bozeman Climate Plan highlights the critical importance of
a robust local food system to reduce emissions while supporting a more
equitable and resilient community. On November 9, 2022, the Sustainability
Citizen Advisory Board discussed strategies to more fully understand the
local food landscape and effectively implement Solution N. The Sustainability
Citizen Advisory Board and city staff identified the Local Food System
Preliminary Mapping Project as the first step. City staff developed a scope of
work for the project and identified three guiding goals:
Learn About the Local Food Landscape: Deepen the City of Bozeman’s
understanding of the current food system landscape and how City
activities intersect. Identify gaps, opportunities, and potential barriers
to food production, processing, distribution, access, and waste
recovery.
Cultivate Partnerships: Build relationships and identify potential
partnerships or collaborations with diverse constituents across the
local food system.
Identify Opportunities: Distill practitioner insights into
recommendations for potential next steps that the City could pursue,
establishing a basis for future projects and actions.
In July 2023, the City hired consultants Kate Burnaby Wright and Maclaren
Latta to lead the Local Food System Preliminary Mapping Project. An
external Steering Committee was established to guide this initiative. This
committee represents multiple facets of our local food system including
larger scale conventional farmers, small organic farmers, ranchers, meat
processors, business development support, food system specialists,
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nutritionists, and more.
The core of the Local Food System Preliminary Mapping Project is a series of
interviews with constituents representing many different facets of our local
food system. In September 2023, a collaborative project kick-off workshop
involving the project team, external Steering Committee members, and city
staff from various departments was held to identify focus areas for the
interviews. Six core topics were identified:
Food Access
Resilience in the Face of Disruption
Community Wellness, Education, and Culture Production
Food Pathways
Ecological Sustainability
Through this process and additional input from Steering Committee
members, the project team established an initial list of people to interview
in group sessions and one-on-one formats. The list of potential interviewees
evolved as practitioners identified additional individuals in the community
with experience and knowledge valuable to understanding the core topics
and key questions.
Since December 2023, the project team has been engaging in productive and
insightful conversations through a series of both group and individual
interviews. To capture diverse perspectives, more than 80 participants from
various sectors of the local food system have participated thus far.
On March 21, 2024, the Sustainability Advisory Board received a staff update
on the project approach, process, and preliminary findings from the
interviews. The Board asked questions and provided preliminary
recommendations for the final report, including methods of sharing the
findings. Since this work session, the project team has continued to
synthesize the key takeaways and recommendations from the interviews
and has initiated a review of the attached draft materials with the project
Steering Committee.
Ali Chipouras, City of Bozeman Sustainability Specialist, and project
consultants, Kate Burnaby Wright and Maclaren Latta, will present the Local
Food System Preliminary Mapping Project draft outline, takeaways, and
recommendations from the interviews. The Sustainability Board will be
asked to consider the following guiding questions regarding the draft
takeaways and recommendations:
Do you have any feedback, comments, or questions?
Is there anything critical you believe is missing?
Have you identified anything in the materials that appears to be
incorrect or misleading?
What aspects do you find most compelling? Was there anything that
surprised you? If so, what was it?
UNRESOLVED ISSUES:None.
ALTERNATIVES:As suggested by the Sustainability Board.
FISCAL EFFECTS:None.
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Attachments:
Report Outline (DRAFT)_04-04-2024.pdf
Takeaways-Recommendations (DRAFT)_04-04-2024.pdf
Report compiled on: April 5, 2024
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Draft 4/4/2024
City of Bozeman
Local Food System Preliminary Mapping Project
PROPOSED OUTLINE
I. Executive Summary
II. Background
III. Process
IV. Key Takeaways
V. Assets
a. Table: Highlights at a Glance
b. Map Resources: Community Gardens (etc.)
VI. Challenges + Opportunities
a. Table: Highlights at a Glance
VII. Role of the City
a. Table: Intersection of City Plans with Local Food Systems
VIII. Metrics
IX. Recommendations
a. Next Steps
b. Potential Goals
X. Appendices
a. Definitions/Key Terms
b. List of Participants
c. Takeaways by Topic
d. [lists, resources]
e. Parking Lot: Questions for Future Research
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City of Bozeman Local Food System Preliminary Mapping Project
Key Takeaways + Recommendations for the City of Bozeman
Key Takeaways
The Big Picture
• The Gallatin Valley's vibrant local food system is supported by an extensive and intricate network of individuals, businesses, non-profit organizations, institutions, and government entities. Years of
collective effort within the community have laid the groundwork for establishing a resilient local food system.
• Bozeman serves as a vibrant “hub” within a dynamic and changing local and regional food system. While the City of Bozeman is just one component of a complex system, there is a vital role that the City can play.
• There are significant opportunities and assets in and around Bozeman to support a robust local food system, yet barriers and vulnerabilities throughout the system are substantial. Challenges are amplified due to rapid growth, development, demographic shifts, climate change, and the high cost-of-living.
• Over decades, community members have discussed, researched, and worked to address challenges and pursue opportunities within the local food system. As the landscape of individuals, entities, and conditions continues to change, additional support for communication, learning, planning, and implementation is critical.
Core Takeaways
Be A Leader
The City can step forward as a leader by engaging as an active community partner to support the continued development of a robust local food system and demonstrating a commitment to local food within City operations.
• Integrating a place-based “resilient local food” identity into the overarching vision for the City of Bozeman will support community members by accelerating awareness, enhancing community wellness, improving nutrition security, and increasing the share of food dollars remaining within our local economy.
• By focusing on priorities informed by the needs and advice of farmers and food system practitioners, the City can drive meaningful change and avoid simplistic greenwashing or solutions that don’t address the most pertinent needs.
• While the City does not routinely purchase large quantities of food, opting for local options when purchasing food can demonstrate a commitment, support producers, and serve as a model for other organizations in the community.
• The network of individuals and organizations that interact as part of the food system is vast and
complex. This creates opportunities to learn from past lessons and build on existing work. However, navigating this complex network can be a challenge. As community members seek to build a more robust local food system, tools that streamline the learning curve and support the network of
relationships needed to address complex challenges will accelerate solutions.
• Strategic partnerships can help the City leverage resources available to municipalities that are
instrumental to the building of more resilient, equitable, and sustainable local food systems.
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Draft 4/4/23
2
Land Access + Collaboration
The challenge of accessing land for food production continues to intensify. There is expanding interest in establishing community farmland and expanding community spaces available to grow food, offer educational programs, and come together.
• Despite the mounting pressures of development, there is still farmland with available water and rich soil suitable for small- and mid-sized operations in and around Bozeman.
• New entry farmers cannot afford land without taking on significant risk or relying on pre-existing assets.
• Publicly owned lands in and around Bozeman could be made available for local food production. Urban
agriculture does not require large acreage and can take many forms, including community gardens, ancestral gardens, micro-farms, greenhouses, edible landscaping, native habitat for foraging, and aggregation and storage facilities.
• Access to community farmland, incubator farms1, and longer-term affordable farm leases can support new entry farmers.
• Numerous individuals and organizations within the community are actively engaged in and interested in collaborating on diversified agricultural production and supporting growers at various scales. However,
many face capacity constraints and facilitating communication between partners requires additional support. The community could benefit from an entity or collaborative that is dedicated to implementing a shared vision for diversified agriculture and leading initiatives to support growers.
o The City could play a role in bringing partners together to develop this vision and identify next steps.
o The City in collaboration with the MSU Sustainable Food Systems Bioenergy Capstone Course2 identified that the best path to expand the existing community garden program is to partner with a non-profit, or multiple non-profit, organization(s) to guide the development and management of community gardens.
o Key partners include Gallatin County, neighboring local governments, farmers, non-profits, agencies, MSU (e.g., Townes Harvest Garden), and relevant private sector entities.
Awareness + Outreach
There is strong interest in increasing the awareness of locally grown foods and expanding urban community members’ connection to the diverse agricultural heritage of this valley.
• City-supported education and outreach can help bridge ‘urban-rural’ divides, connect people to existing programming, and support the health of our land, water, people, and local economy.
• The City is well positioned to help institutions, residents, visitors, and other community members understand the significance of local foods and food systems to our local economy, community wellness,
and ecological sustainability.
• The City can actively support awareness of foods grown locally in the Gallatin Valley and how
individuals, institutions, and funders can support the local food system.
• As the City explores how to authentically recognize the heritage of the Indigenous peoples for whom this valley is ancestral territory, it is essential for Indigenous peoples living here today to guide the
1 An incubator farm provides new farmers with access to land, resources, and training to develop their skills and launch their businesses. There are varying formats and structures for incubator farms.
2 Community Garden Expansion in the City of Bozeman. Fall 2021. Report by MSU Sustainable Food & Bioenergy
System (SFBS) Capstone students.
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3
inclusion of their cultures, foods, and Indigenous food sovereignty3 into City initiatives and educational
programming. This requires an intentional and genuine approach to building relationships, listening, and putting input into action.
Housing + Resilience
The housing and affordability crisis is having significant impacts on local farms, food businesses, educators, resource providers, and community wellness.
• As the City seeks housing solutions and focuses on infill, there is an opportunity to get creative and ensure residents have access to green space, including access to native landscapes and urban
agriculture4. Natural assets within the City provide residents with a connection to wild and cultivated foods as part of our daily lives while also supporting health and wellbeing in multiple ways. For example:
o Mental health and child development are supported by natural environments.
o Community interaction (‘social cohesion’) is enhanced by shared spaces and meaningful, tangible activities.
o Wild and cultivated community-grown foods enhance food security.
• There is interest and potential to work with landowners and community partners to establish sites that provide space for both urban agriculture and affordable housing.
• The City can actively promote awareness of existing community resources that reduce barriers to accessing local, nutritious foods (e.g., SNAP, WIC, Gallatin Valley Food Bank, Senior Center programs, etc.).
Infrastructure + Pathways
Local food systems involve a wide range of individuals, businesses, organizations, and infrastructure to
facilitate the journey of food from production to consumption, and ultimately back into the waste stream. The food pathways that enable a functioning food system include production, processing, distribution, retail and marketing, waste management, and more. A resilient food system requires built-in redundancy across these
pathways to withstand consistent stressors and function amidst shocks to the system.
• Although strong distribution assets currently exist, as the community continues to grow there is an
opportunity to expand the capacity for food aggregation, storage, distribution, and value chain coordination in collaboration with existing ‘hubs’ (i.e., Root Cellar Foods and HRDC Market Place).
• A permanent farmers market location with adjacent storage, aggregation, and potentially other resources was identified as a potential asset to expand this capacity while providing additional benefits such as location consistency to increase attendance all year long, reducing labor costs for producers,
and more. There is a lack of affordable, licensed commercial kitchen space and navigating existing spaces can be challenging. This creates barriers for entrepreneurs that provide value-added services to local food.
• Local food businesses could benefit from comprehensive technical assistance and mentoring to help navigate product development details (packaging, licensing, storage, labeling, invoicing, etc.), financing
3 "Finding Our Roots: Indigenous Foods and the Food Sovereignty Movement in the United States" Montana Office of Public Instruction, Indian Education Division
4 Urban agriculture includes practices such as: micro-farms, community gardens, vertical and rooftop gardens, food forests, vertical or rooftop gardens, apiculture, backyard poultry, and other intensive small-scale
production practices.
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4
and funding opportunities, and regulatory processes. There are many resources available in the
community that the City could help elevate and share with aspiring entrepreneurs.
• A grower co-op was identified as a potential asset through participant discussions and by Sustainable Food Systems & Bioenergy Capstone students, fall 2023.5
Recommendations
1. Next Steps
Next steps are specific actions that the City of Bozeman can begin implementing in the near-term.
1.1 Develop and adopt a local food procurement policy for internal operations and city hosted events.
1.2 Provide educational opportunities for City staff and leadership to engage and learn about our local food system, such as:
• Tour HRDC’s new facility, Market Place.
• Tour the American Indian Hall, ancestral gardens, and MSU grounds (native plants as landscaping).
1.3 Host a working session with food system practitioners and interested MSU students to review Unified Development Code (UDC) updates from urban agriculture perspective before a final draft enters the process for adoption.
1.4 Work to develop meaningful relationships and partnerships with MSU Native American Studies/Buffalo Nations Food Sovereignty Initiative students and staff. Use appropriate channels and processes to set up a conversation with students and staff about Indigenous food sovereignty.
1.5 Continue to enhance natural resource education through existing outreach initiatives led by the following City divisions: Water Conservation, Stormwater, Sustainability, Forestry, and Parks and Recreation. Relevant topics may include water supply/demand, water quality, drought-tolerant and native planting, and tree maintenance.
1.6 Continue to prioritize developing and improving multimodal transportation options that facilitate access to local food sources such as HRDC’s Market Place facility, community gardens, etc.
1.7 Continue working to strengthen and expand the City of Bozeman’s community garden program.
1.8 Complete necessary maintenance and upgrades to City-managed gardens.
• Reach out to partners interested in helping the City add raised beds to existing garden sites, making these sites more accessible for seniors and individuals with mobility considerations.
• Host an initial facilitated conversation with nonprofits and agencies involved in garden programing and community garden management. Share findings from the 2021 SFBS Capstone Report6 and talk through each organization’s skills, capacity, mission statements, and plans. Brainstorm the pros, cons, barriers, and potential pathways to develop long-term solutions for the expansion and management of community gardens in Bozeman.
1.9 Continue communication with project participants and potential partners to discuss findings and pursue next steps. Transition “Local Food System Preliminary Mapping Project” webpage toward central City location for “Resilient Local Food System” information and resources.
1.10 Review “Potential Goals + Actions for the City of Bozeman”, below. Prioritize potential goals and actions to pursue using feedback from this project’s Steering Committee, project participants, public
5 Cultivating Community: Municipal Government Strategies for Nurturing a Robust Local Food System in Bozeman. Dec 2023. Report prepared by MSU Capstone students, SFBS 499.
6 Community Garden Expansion in the City of Bozeman. Fall 2021. Report by MSU SFBS Capstone students.
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input during the final presentations, and the Sustainability Advisory Board. Identify next steps and
develop a timeline for implementation.
Potential Goals + Actions for the City of Bozeman
Potential Goals and Actions are recommendations for the City to review, prioritize, and develop next steps for implementation.
2. Be A Leader
Insight: The City can step forward as a leader, engage as an active community partner to support the
continued development of a Robust Local Food System, and demonstrate a commitment to local food within city operations.
2.1 Consider how the City can increase its support for and work toward resilient food system development, recognizing that this is a cross-cutting role involving multiple City departments.
2.2 Study incentives and other financial mechanisms used by other similar municipalities and local governments to support food access, especially related to accessing local and nutritious food. Determine what creative mechanisms and incentives Bozeman could establish to support the purchase
and procurement of locally grown foods. Examples suggested during this project:
• Provide or help secure a match for Double SNAP Dollars and Food Rx programs.
• Offer incentives for local organizations to access, serve, and teach with locally produced foods (e.g., Child Care Connections, care facilities, schools, etc.).
• Underwrite farmers’ market vendor booth fees for local growers and added-value food businesses that use locally grown ingredients.
• Explore potential incentives for producers growing food for local markets.
2.3 Incorporate Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Incentives or “market bucks” for local farms and farmers markets into wellness and employee appreciation programming for City of Bozeman employees.
2.4 Continue to collaborate with key partners on topics related to resilient local food systems.
• Facilitate learning and dialog with key partners about Local Food Councils.
• Learn about different Local Food Council formats and the role these councils play in other communities. Connect with Missoula County for a discussion and/or a learning visit with multiple stakeholders who are involved in their City-County Food Policy Advisory Board that was established in 2020.
• Explore the potential development of a Local Food Council by identifying community needs that could be addressed through a Local Food Council. Consider different formats for Local
Food Councils and what scale, structure, and potential goals would be most effective at addressing community needs.
• Key partners to co-lead this exploration may include Gallatin County, the Open & Local Coalition, Human Resources Development Council (HRDC), Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT), MSU Extension, Buffalo Nations Food System Initiative, local farmers, and local food business leaders.
• Facilitate learning and dialog with key partners about food resiliency planning and resilience
assessment tools.
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• Identify key performance indicators that can contribute to evaluating the resilience of our local food systems. Identify how to track and share potential metrics. Build from potential metrics identified in Appendix [X]: Overview of Potential Metrics.
• Evaluate food resilience assessment tools and food resiliency plans. Consider which tool, at what scale, would provide the most useful and applicable guidance.
2.5 Facilitate ongoing local food system education and collaboration opportunities for City staff, City leadership, and community partners. Examples include:
• Tours of local food entities in the Gallatin Valley, such as local farms, HRDC Market Place, MSU Food Product Development Lab, and more.
• Tours of urban agriculture organizations and operations in other Montana cities. Such as: Garden City Harvest sites (Missoula), Corner Farm Village LLC (Missoula), CFAC headquarters at LaLonde Ranch (Missoula), and 6th Ward Garden Park (Helena).
2.6 Build relationships with members of the Indigenous people’s community living in Bozeman. Begin exploring the potential for partnerships related to resilient food system development and strengthening community members’ connection to the diverse agricultural heritage of this valley.
• Take an intentional approach to relationship building. As one project participant cautioned, “do not
reach out if you are not serious about putting in the time, offering space, giving those voices a seat at the table.”
3. Land Access + Collaboration
Insight: The challenge of accessing land for food production continues to intensify. There is expanding interest
in establishing community farmland and expanding community spaces available to grow food, teach, offer
programs, and come together.
3.1 Work with partners, including farmers, to identify City-owned or City-managed lands that would be appropriate for community gardens and other forms of urban agriculture.
3.2 Invite key partners such as Gallatin County and MSU to consider a broader evaluation of lands in or
near the city, including properties owned by other public entities and interested private landowners. Working with these partners, identify spaces that could be appropriate for:
• New entry farm incubation and small- to mid-scale long-term agricultural leasing.
• Urban agriculture and infrastructure, such as: micro-farms, community gardens, ancestral gardens, edible landscaping, native habitat/foraging, greenhouses, aggregation and storage. Work to make these lands available for local food production.
• Innovative partnerships for larger, creative projects that may include housing,
3.3 Support the initiation of an entity or ‘urban agriculture collaborative’ that can partner with the City to manage and expand the community garden program.
• Convene community organizations and knowledge holders to build upon the City’s effort to strengthen and expand its community garden program.
• Evaluate and share how Cash-in-Lieu of Parkland grants could support the expansion of the community garden program and help increase the capacity of leading organizations to guide this initiative.
• In addition to community gardens located on city parkland, an urban agriculture collaborative could also support:
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• Management and expansion of public growing spaces: community gardens, food forests/edible landscaping, lease-able micro-farm spaces, ancestral gardens, therapy/teaching gardens, tool library, gleaning, etc.
• A volunteer network, with the potential to “tag” individuals with specific skill sets (e.g., master gardener, native plants, youth at risk, trauma-informed mentoring/leadership).
• An education calendar making clear which constituents are served by whom, when, and where.
• Resources to help people connect with programs and navigate resources.
• A long-term shared vision for diversified agricultural production in and around Bozeman.
4. Awareness + Outreach
Insight: There is strong interest in increasing the awareness of locally grown foods and expanding urban
community members’ connection to the diverse agricultural heritage of this valley.
4.1 Evaluate and prioritize outreach strategies that encourage residents, visitors, and institutions to participate in Bozeman’s dynamic and authentic resilient foods culture.
4.2 Continue to expand the Local Food System Preliminary Mapping Project website into a long-term, comprehensive “Resilient Food System” resource, connecting residents, visitors and developers with critical information, resources, and opportunities to learn and engage.
4.3 Build connectivity between Bozeman’s Parks and Recreation webpages and the recommended “Resilient Local Food Systems” webpage (currently “Local Food”), specifically related to community gardens, Story Mill Learning Garden, urban agriculture, local food system links, planting guides and other evolving resources.
4.4 Utilize city communication channels to share information about local food such as advertising for farmers markets, sharing stories about local food happenings, etc.
4.5 Develop opportunities that can encourage and empower community members to grow their own food and support locally produced food.
• Partner with local educators and experts to develop a creative range of programs that can appeal to a multiple, diverse audiences.
• Establish programs that appeal to renters and community members who may not have access to gardening space (e.g., hosting a class on growing herbs inside and in smaller spaces).
• Incorporate a full range of the food process into programming including growing food, preparing nutritious food, canning and storing food, purchasing local food (e.g., what’s the difference between “local” and “organic”, composting, etc.).
• Incorporate local food systems and agricultural heritage into summer kids’ camps.
• Utilize the new kitchen space at the library to host educational events.
• Create multi-generational programs (e.g., parent and child gardening workshop).
4.6 Incorporate resources about edible plants, low water use gardening strategies, and climate resilient native plants into existing water conservation programs and outreach (e.g., drought tolerant plant guide, landscaping classes, demonstration gardens, turf replacement, etc.) Initiate vegetable starts program in
partnership with local produce growers.
4.7 Expand fruit and food-bearing species available through City planting programs. Work with partners and experts on how to address wildlife concerns.
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4.8 Once developed, actively share Bozeman’s local food procurement policy with businesses and
institutions as a reference for adopting their own policies.
4.9 As Bozeman expands its compost program, consider how incentives to reduce food waste could support successful implementation.
5. Housing + Resilience
Insight: The housing and affordability crisis is having significant impacts on local farms, food businesses, educators, resource providers, and community wellness.
5.1 Develop resources about urban agriculture to share with developers, neighborhood associations, property management companies, and residents.
• Develop a “Urban Agriculture for Homeowners and Developers” guide. This could include edible food forest “template”; edible native species for low water use landscaping, best practices for
developing community gardens, etc.
• Share the Model Homeowners Association (HOA) covenants.
5.2 Explore the potential to work with partners (e.g., Headwaters Community Housing Trust, Human Resources Development Council, etc.) and others to establish creatively financed affordable housing projects that incorporate urban agriculture assets (e.g., edible native landscaping, community gardens,
etc.).
5.3 Continue to support efforts to establish affordable workforce housing. Expand efforts to support creative projects that incorporate urban agriculture assets with affordable housing.
5.4 Continue to review and update city codes, policies, and plans using a resilient local food systems lens.
6. Infrastructure + Pathways
Insights: Local food systems involve a wide range of individuals, businesses, organizations, and infrastructure
to facilitate the journey of food from production to consumption, and ultimately back into the waste stream. The food pathways that enable a functioning food system include production, processing, distribution, retail and
marketing, waste management, and more. A resilient food system requires built-in redundancy across these
pathways to withstand consistent stressors and function amidst shocks to the system.
6.1 Work with food system practitioners interested in prioritizing infrastructure projects to convene, plan,
and potentially partner on grant applications. If a specific infrastructure project would benefit from the City of Bozeman engaging beyond this role, consider specific opportunities as they arise.
• Example: Project participants expressed consistent interest in a permanent farmers’ market location with adjacent storage, aggregation, and potentially other resources.
6.2 Continue to review and update code and zoning regulations to ensure there are no unnecessary
barriers to the development of resilient local food system infrastructure.
6.3 The City can help facilitate shared learning among food system practitioners from different areas of the food system to share their experiences and expertise with other business owners and entities.
• Facilitate opportunities for networking and collaboration.
• Share existing resources such as funding and financing opportunities, resources to navigate regulations and compliance, and mentorship programs.
• Use these shared learning opportunities as a channel for continuing to identify how the City can support local food systems.
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6.4 Work with partners to pursue grant opportunities related to local food system development that are
open for municipalities or strengthened by municipal partnership. Recent examples related to infrastructure development include USDA’s Urban Agriculture + Production Innovation Grants and Resilient Food System Infrastructure Program.
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