HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-02-26 Public Comment - A. Kociolek - Bozeman Creek Vision Plan public commentFrom:Angela Kociolek
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Bozeman Creek Vision Plan public comment
Date:Wednesday, January 28, 2026 10:35:46 AM
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Greetings,
Please add this transcript of my oral public comment provided at the Jan 27, 2026
City Commission meeting. My comment is about Action Item I.1 - professionalservices agreement for the Bozeman Creek Vision Plan. Thank you.
Angie Kociolek
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"Hi. Just a quick disclosure before I begin. I’m the NorthEast Neighborhood
Representative for Inter-Neighborhood Council but speaking for myself tonight. AngieKociolek, Bozeman resident and business owner.
I’m heartened PORT LLC and its partner Rio ASE seem like a good match for this
vision plan. From their proposal, “Bozeman Creek offers a unique opportunity to
restore a dynamic urban waterway and strengthen ecological function throughout its
corridor.” This tells me they understand that any future vision must first be groundedin the commitment to improve ecological function as part of a watershed and for all
living things along and downstream from it.
They echoed the City’s RFP stating the 2024 Commission priority, “to increase
ecological health – and so on.
But, as Jon acknowledged, ecological health is not listed as a project goal – despite
Mayor Cunningham’s Proclamation to work toward releasing Bozeman Creek tobecome a naturally functioning waterway.
But it’s not too late.
I believe if we are truly “listening to the creek,” (to quote the words of See BozemanCreek) that we can delay or make conditional tonight’s vote so an explicit andreasonable ecological goal is fleshed out. Architecture, engineering, hydrology andgeomorphology are well represented but, as yet, ecology is not.
I think it’s time we get a little more clear on who is guiding the Bozeman Creek VisionPlan, the relationships at play, and what the goals are BEFORE any otherengagement begins.
And with all due respect, I believe, a clear expectation should be set with SeeBozeman Creek moving forward. To their credit, according to their website they areseeking a naturally functioning and connected creek corridor with healthy riparianareas. We saw the graph but it’s unclear how they really function as a group or a
partnership.
Case in point, a public comment this past spring on See Bozeman Creek letterheadwas in support of an application to encroach into the Bozeman Creek watercoursesetback for a future hotel. The applicant for the deviation is a listed See BozemanCreek “partner” not tonight referred to as “member.” Conversely, other listed partnersrepresenting their respective organizations opposed granting the deviation and/orgave testimony torightly uphold the value of watercourse setbacks.
So while the code allows for watercourse deviation applications, I would hope you allagree that any officially recognized City partner on this project shall at the very leastuphold minimum watercourse setbacks in the future. Please.
I appreciate everyone’s collective work to date and am hopeful for a communicativeand transparent engagement process moving forward. Thank you."