HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-16-24 Public Comment - Bozeman Tree Coalition - Fowler Connection - (07_16_2024) Comments for tonight's meetingFrom:Ellen-T Lamm
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Fowler Connection - (07/16/2024) Comments for tonight"s meeting
Date:Tuesday, July 16, 2024 11:28:06 AM
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Dear City Commission,
I strongly support prioritizing maximum protection of the
diverse and ecologically important natural corridor along
the Fowler Avenue Connection as outlined below in the
detailed message from the Bozeman Tree Coalition.
Thank You,
Ellen-T Lamm
Bozeman Resident since 1989
July 14, 2024
Re: Fowler Avenue Connection
Dear Mayor Cunningham, Deputy Mayor Morrison,
Commissioners Madgic, Fischer, and Bode, and fellow city
officials and advisory boards: Transportation and Engineering
Director Ross, Transportation Advisory Board (TAB), Parks
and Recreation Director Overton, and Urban Parks and
Forestry Advisory Board (UPF):
The Bozeman Tree Coalition (BTC) originated as a group of
concerned citizens coming together over the loss of native
trees and forests within Bozeman city limits. The six founding
members have extensive backgrounds in natural resource
management and related fields. In addition, there are over 200
additional members of the public who are interested in these
issues. It is our belief that housing and trees can co-exist, and
this extends to transportation corridors. The BTC works to
protect the ecological functioning of Bozeman’s urban forest
and the ecosystem services it provides to the Bozeman
community as a whole.
We appreciate the opportunity to comment on the Fowler
Avenue Connection (FAC) road project (Oak St. to Huffine
Lane), now in its 30 % design phase. The FAC corridor of
primarily native willows and cottonwoods is perhaps unique in
our quickly growing city. Its native trees provide ecological
benefits and ecosystem services for people and the wildlife
that inhabit it (e.g., 38 species of birds documented in 2022).
The FAC corridor presents the City of Bozeman with a rare
opportunity to keep the connectivity that remains and improve
on fragmented islands of habitat.
First and foremost, the BTC suggests the FAC may not be
necessary at this time. However, we understand the City may
decide to move forward with it. If the City does move forward,
we concur with the Gallatin Wildlife Association’s July 2,
2024, letter and other concerned residents that the following
design features are some of the most important to include in
the design plan:
1. Commit to disturbing the absolute minimum number of trees
as possible for this project, recognizing that a small but
ecologically functioning linear forest (especially the riparian
area along the irrigation ditch) is much more valuable than
planted trees on the boulevard.
2. Commit to a native vegetation buffer/setback from the road
and shared use path to protect the root zone of existing trees
and current ecological function and habitat.
3. Limit the width of the proposed two lanes of vehicle travel
to the minimum required.
4. Locate a shared use path on the west side and a
boulevard/sidewalk on the east side from Babcock to Oak to
retain as much existing native vegetation as possible.
5. Allow the existing trees to remain in an unimproved natural
state to maintain their ecological functioning. Retain a largely
unmowed buffer as habitat for birds and pollinators. To deter
birds from the right of way, mow a narrow portion on a
schedule that avoids ground nesting bird breeding season.
6. Formalize a zoning designation that will protect this habitat
corridor area into the future.
7. Incorporate ecology professionals early in the design
process and through project completion.
8. Install one shared pathway to eliminate the need for an
additional bike path/lane.
9. Eliminate additional east-west connectors because they are
not warranted by the current transportation design, which
currently calls for connectors to be located every half mile.
10. Eliminate medians from Oak St to Durston Rd, which is an
efficient use of space and is supported by the lack of existing
medians on the other two sections of the FAC (Durston Rd to
Babcock St and Babcock St to Huffine Ln).
We greatly appreciate Deputy Mayor Morrison and
Transportation and Engineering Director Nick Ross meeting
with engaged citizens who are also members of the BTC on
Wednesday, July 11, and Thursday, July 12, respectively. Joey
and Nick were both engaging and seemed to understand our
concerns.
The FAC could be an excellent pilot project for engaging
diverse stakeholders and placing the emphasis on the
protection of the urban forest and adjoining ecosystem while
also meeting the perceived transportation needs of the city.
Protecting the existing ecosystems in the FAC corridor also
meets many of the stated goals of the City of Bozeman,
including those listed in the Bozeman Climate Plan; Parks,
Recreation, and Active Transportation Plan; and Gallatin
Valley Sensitive Lands Protection Plan.
Thank you for your consideration of our comments.
Sincerely,
Bozeman Tree Coalition