HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-20-26 Public Comment - A. Hoitsma - NURD Recommendations to TIF Advisory BoardFrom:Amy Kelley Hoitsma
To:Bozeman Public Comment; David Fine
Cc:info@seebozemancreek.org; Jon Henderson; Dave Chambers; Courtney Scott; delmue; Cathy Costakis; Suzanne
Held; Angie Kociolek
Subject:[EXTERNAL]NURD Recommendations to TIF Advisory Board
Date:Friday, February 20, 2026 11:58:28 AM
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Hello Bozeman City Commissioners and TIF Advisory Board members. Thank you forlistening to my comments yesterday at the TIF Advisory Board meeting.
I wanted to reiterate my recommendation in writing and share it with the Bozeman Creek
Vision Plan team as well.
David Fine’s presentation yesterday regarding the Northeast Urban Renewal District (NURD)proposed projects and programs for FY 27 and FY 28 included the item “ROW Enhancements
—Church Cottonwood–Aspen.” He was envisioning sidewalk and curb/gutter upgrades to N.Church Street from E. Peach to the trail leading north to E. Tamarack.
What the NE neighborhood is interested in, however, is improving the N. Church Avenue
ROW north of Tamarack in order to create a “pocket park” and trail along Bozeman Creek.This is timely for two reasons:
1. The consultants for the Bozeman Creek Vision Plan (PORT) were in town this week
holding initial stakeholder meetings to kick off the year-long planning process. I believethat revitalizing and naturalizing this portion of Bozeman Creek fits perfectly into this
plan.2. The proposed Light Conversion - USA improvements, should the project be
completed, includes improving the platted alley to the north of the property, paving itwithin the project boundary and creating a gravel surface from the eastern property
boundary to N. Church Avenue ROW. Their TIF request report states that the utilitycompanies will also be moving their respective utilities to help make the alley and North
Church Avenue functional.
If the Light Conversion - USA project goes forward, it will undertake part of what would needto be done to create this park and provide public access. I imagine there might be additional
funding and design assistance available from the Bozeman Creek Vision Plan team as well.
I also wanted to note that in reviewing the beginning of the video from yesterday’s meeting Irealized that Nolan Campbell shared a disclosure: he had spoken with the City attorney about
his relationship with Sanbell Engineering and confirmed that he does not have a conflict ofinterest with the Light Conversion - USA application for TIF funding. I appreciate that in light
of my comments about how the board might deal with potential conflicts of interest. Boarddisclosures—and potential recusals—are an already-established way of handling potential
conflicts of interest. My apologies to Mr. Campbell and the Board for missing that.
With my best,
Amy Kelley Hoitsma
Northeast Neighborhood Association (NENA) President
www.NENABozeman.org406-581-1513