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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-25-24 Public Comment - K. Powell - Community Engagement Format to Revise Draft UDCFrom:KPowell & S Griswold To:Bozeman Public Comment; Takami Clark; Chuck Winn Subject:[EXTERNAL]Community Engagement Format to Revise Draft UDC Date:Wednesday, September 25, 2024 10:58:23 PM Attachments:Community Engagement ideas to City Commission &Takami Clark.docx CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Please send the attached letter to the CIty Commission for their Oct 1 meeting packet with mycomments/suggestions for Community Engagement to revise the Draft UDC. Please also send my letter to Takami Clark and Interim City Manager Chcuk Winn. Thank you. Kathy Powell406-600-1164 powellgriz@icloud.ccomBozeman Sept 25,2024 To: Takami Clark, Community Engagement Manager Mayor Terry Cunningham Deputy Mayor Joey Morrison Commissioners Jen Madgic, Douglas Fischer & Emma Bode Interim City Manager Chuck Winn From: Kathy Powell 406-600-1164 powellgriz@icloud.com Bozeman resident RE: Community Engagement Format to Revise Draft UDC Engaging people in the Bozeman Community is critical to revising the Draft Unified Development Code. The final revised UDC will affect the future of Bozeman for a LONG time. It will be a legacy from this City Commission. The first go around with the Draft UDC a year ago did not go well AT ALL! As you know, people were upset, angry, puzzled and distrustful. Let’s not repeat that chapter again. But how to truly engage the citizens of Bozeman? • Engagement needs to really connect with people not just “educate them” so their concerns and ideas are heard. • Engagement needs to be in-person in a more informal setting similar to the community engagement Chuck Winn facilitated for the initial Short-Term Rental (STR) meetings. However, the upcoming meetings on the revised draft UDC need to include City Commissioners. The STR gatherings had people on both sides of the issue at several meetings. People on both sides of issue were split up into tables for discussions and a summary from each group was shared and written down by Chuck on large sheets of paper and taped to the wall. Some format like this with the addition of Commissioners to discuss the summaries with residents. • Engagement by city wide mail is a very good idea in order to reach people unaware of meetings/gathering to revise the draft UDC . Engagement should NOT be: • Just Open Houses with posters and city staff. That has been tried before and frankly it is frustrating, confusing, fragmented and staff are not taking notes on what is asked or said by people coming to the Open House. The posters could, however, be combined with a presentation and group discussion. • A staff presentation alone. It needs to be combined with a two-way discussion between residents & City Commissioners. Two commissioners at a time would be good so as not to have a quorum or have all Commissioners with public meeting notice. • Just 1 meeting/gathering in each of the 4 quadrants of the city. This is not enough. Instead, engagement needs to also be with individual neighborhoods, City Neighborhood Associations community groups, & church groups. And these gatherings/meetings need to have some city Commissioners present so there can be a real discussion with constituents. • Video Kits created just by staff for groups or citizens unable to attend a neighborhood discussion. Kit creation instead needs to be by staff in collaboration with people in the community to include not only facts but also key questions residents are having about the draft UDC.. Bozeman is loved by many and definitely loved by City Commissioners and staff. Bozeman is changing but let’s not lose the spirit, history or charm of Bozeman in the name of growth.