HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-25-26 Public Comment - S. Bieluch - Official Request for Creation of Parking Permit Zone at the 800 Block of W Lamme StFrom:Scott Bieluch
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Official Request for Creation of Parking Permit Zone at the 800 Block of W Lamme St
Date:Wednesday, February 25, 2026 11:15:46 PM
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Public Comment – Request for Residential Permit Parking on the 800 Block of W Lamme
Street
My name is Scott Bieluch and I am a resident/property owner on the 800 block of W LammeStreet in Bozeman, Montana. I respectfully submit this public comment requesting that the
City consider establishing a Residential Permit Parking District (or similar permit parkingrestriction) for the 800 block of W Lamme Street.
1. Existing Parking Conflicts and Neighborhood Context
The 800 block of W Lamme Street is uniquely positioned amid significant parking restrictions
immediately adjacent or within one block in all directions:
To the east, N 7th Avenue currently has no on-street parking due to posted restrictions.
To the west, there is an existing High School permit parking zone associated with schoolfunctions and associated traffic.
To the north, our street dead-ends, leaving limited circulation and turnover.
To the south, W Mendenhall has active parking controls and high traffic flows.
These restrictions immediately around W Lamme800 block reduce available parking options
and concentrate demand directly onto our street, leaving virtually no room for residents’vehicles during peak hours and evenings.
2. Impact of Nearby Commercial Activity
Within a block of the 800 block of W Lamme, multiple commercial businesses — including
Domino’s Pizza, Cash For Clothes, and Basically Pottery — draw customers withoutdedicated public parking or sufficient on-site spaces. Customers of these businesses routinely
park on W Lamme Street, displacing resident parking. In the case of Domino’s, delivery/pick-up traffic regularly blocks the fire hydrant in front of my home multiple times per week,
creating a clear public safety concern for emergency access.
This pattern is not occasional — it is a daily occurrence during peak dinner hours andweekends. Residents are frequently unable to park near their homes, and on-street parking is
regularly filled by non-residents’ vehicles.
3. Parking Demand Pressures Amplified by Nearby Development
The upcoming proposed 95-unit luxury apartment project at 811 W Mendenhall will further
increase pressure on on-street parking. With additional residents and visitors coming into thearea — and given that many multi-unit developments do not adequately provide or enforce
sufficient on-site parking — the result will be greater competition for already limited streetparking availability on adjacent residential blocks.
This is consistent with broader community concerns about reduced on-site parking minimums
and overflow parking in adjacent streets when high-density, multi-family developments areconstructed with reduced parking · a topic residents have raised repeatedly in public forums
and online discussions.
4. What the City Currently Allows: Residential Parking Permits
The City of Bozeman does have mechanisms in place for residential permit parking districts(RPPD). Currently, the City has residential permit programs near areas like Bozeman High
School and Montana State University, where permit requirements are enforced on weekdaysand are designed to prioritize on-street parking for area residents and their guests.
Within these permit districts:
Residents may each purchase parking permits.
Visitor permits are available.
Enforcement ensures that only permitted vehicles occupy on-street spaces during restricted
periods.
Although the existing RPPDs are in other parts of the city, the policy framework to manageon-street parking through permits already exists — and the same type of program could be
applied to the 800 block of W Lamme Street given similar conditions and demand pressures.
5. Why Permit Parking Is Appropriate for the 800 Block of W Lamme
Given current conditions and typical criteria for permit parking areas — such as regularoccupancy of on-street parking exceeding capacity due to non-resident parking and a clear
impact on resident parking availability — the 800 block of W Lamme clearly fits theoperational need for permit parking.
Parking management professionals often apply the “85 % rule” — i.e., when street spaces are
routinely occupied above ~85 % capacity, permit or time-limited controls are recommended toprioritize local residents. While Bozeman’s formal residential permit program is established in
certain areas, extending similar controls to other neighborhoods with demonstrated demand isconsistent with parking management best practices.
6. Safety and Quality-of-Life Considerations
Permit parking on W Lamme Street would:
Protect safe access to fire hydrants and emergency vehicles, addressing the frequent hydrant
blockage in front of my home.
Ensure residents can park near their homes, rather than competing with customers parking foradjacent businesses or commuters.
Reduce congestion and circulation issues caused by vehicles cruising or circling for open
spaces.
Encourage turnover and compliance, with enforcement aimed at keeping only residents andtheir guests in the designated zone.
Permit parking is not punitive — it is a targeted tool used widely in neighborhoods
everywhere that face spillover parking from nearby commercial activity and high-demanddestinations.
Requested Action
I respectfully request that the City of Bozeman initiate a process to study, evaluate, and
establish a residential permit parking zone for the 800 block of W Lamme Street. This shouldinclude:
Data collection on existing parking occupancy patterns throughout the day.
Public engagement with residents and stakeholders in the surrounding blocks.
Evaluation of appropriate permit regulations and enforcement times that balance resident
needs while still allowing reasonable access for local visitors.
A path toward formal adoption of permit parking signage and enforcement similar to existingprograms in other parts of Bozeman.
Closing
Thank you for your consideration of this request. Residents of the 800 block of W Lamme
Street are committed to working with City staff and the Commission to address this issuefairly and effectively. Establishing permit parking will help preserve the quality of life in our
neighborhood, enhance safety, and ensure that public right-of-way parking serves residentsfirst.
-Scott Bieluch