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Home My WebLink About05-08-26 Public Comment - C. Johnson - Re_ Request for Action_ Parking Controls and Process Transparency for Flanders Mill Neighborhood From: Courtney Johnson To: Bozeman Public Comment;Douglas Fischer;Greg Sullivan;Chuck Winn;Jennifer Madgic;Mike Maas Cc: tinytim02(@amail.com;matzickmartin(algmail.com;Kim Fauls;William Baker;rachael(uldomaineinteriors.com; steveteschlOgmail.com;man ningkathryn(abg mail.corn;erichshore(�bgmail.com;willmortonir(a�omail.com;Megan Melief; albeewillett(ftmail.com;brvaningle(algmail.com;iohni(albrgroducts.com;oattialbertaallen780(algmail.com;billsenecal(ftmail.com; soitzer.ioshua(alg mail.corn;Isedivymt(algmail.com;them iddlemt(algmail.com;gclem(alcomcast.net;ioarsley(alfsbfamily.com; theandvwang8ftmail.com;cta82(abvahoo.com;ronsoltau414(a)gmail.com;hogekagsner(aImac.com;ndnewbury(agmail.com; lilyliuwana(algmail.com;Scott Courtney Johnson Subject: [EXTERNAL]Re:Request for Action:Parking Controls and Process Transparency for Flanders Mill Neighborhood Date: Friday,May 8,2026 2:30:12 PM Attachments: image.ong imaaexna Driveway 2-May 4.2026,03 26 02 PM.rn 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. Dear City Staff, Commission and Residents of Auger Lane, My 1 st grade daughter who many of you have seen,and who spoke at Commission last month was nearly hit on the sidewalk by an 18-year-old Gallatin High School student riding a dirt bike this week. The"sit and wait and see"approach is no longer acceptable. Dear City Staff, This is now our third formal request for a response from the City of Bozeman regarding the procedural path forward for establishing a Residential Parking Permit District for the Gallatin High School/Flanders Mill neighborhood. This request has been raised through multiple formal channels: • July 22,2024: Residents submitted the original Resolution of Intent/request to evaluate a Residential Parking Permit District for the Gallatin High School area to the City Clerk,both in person and by email. • September 25,2024: The Transportation Board held a work session regarding a Gallatin High School parking district. • May 14,2025: I submitted the written request below asking for procedural clarity and action under Bozeman Municipal Code Section 36.04.330.No formal response has been received to date. • April 14,2026: I requested action in person during public comment at the City Commission meeting.No formal response has been received to date. • Current status: Residents now have signed petitions in hand in support of the Residential Parking Permit District. We are respectfully requesting that the City provide a formal written response confirming the next procedural step. Specifically,we ask the City to confirm whether the signed petitions will be accepted and whether this item can be scheduled for review by the appropriate City body, including placement on the May 19 City Commission agenda,which currently appears to be canceled due to no agenda items. This is a life-safety concern.Daily student parking from Gallatin High School continues to be pushed into an unsupervised residential neighborhood where residents and young children live,walk,bike,access parks, and travel to and from school.Local residential streets are being used as unmanaged overflow parking areas,while the parking infrastructure created along Flanders Mill is not being fully utilized. Based on our daily counts,the Flanders Mill parking area averages approximately 35% utilization. Based on BMC Section 36.04.330,the proposed district meets the designation criteria and intent because: • The area is residential in character. • Daily non-resident parking is occurring due to Gallatin High School. • Residential streets are being used for long-duration student parking during school hours. • Residents and guests are experiencing reduced access to on-street parking. • The parking pattern is creating life-safety concerns near crosswalks,intersections,driveways, school routes,parks,homes, and sidewalks. • A district would help redirect daily student parking toward intended parking areas and reduce unmanaged parking on residential streets. We respectfully ask that the Commission not cancel the May 19 meeting if this item can be placed on the agenda.Please allow this issue to move forward for consideration and decision through the process already available under City code. The next month has historically been one of the most dangerous periods for this neighborhood,with school traffic, student parking, spring sports,park activity,and more younger children walking and biking all overlapping. I do not know how else to collaborate or how many more steps residents can reasonably be expected to take. We have worked with SROs,the Principal,the School Superintendent,City staff,adjacent businesses,neighbors,and community members.We have gathered data,attended meetings, submitted formal requests, organized feedback, and now have signed petitions in hand. Parking Deficit—Even After the New Lot • Gallatin High School: approximately 1,500 students,plus faculty, staff,visitors,athletics,and events. • Current on-site parking: 613 spaces • New parking lot underway: +113 spaces • Future Gallatin on-site total: 726 spaces By comparison: • Bozeman High School: 855 on-site spaces for a similar student population. • Bozeman High neighborhood: already protected by a Residential Parking Permit District. Even after the new 113-space lot is built,Gallatin High will still have approximately 129 fewer on- site parking spaces than Bozeman High School,while the surrounding neighborhood remains without the same residential parking protections.For these reasons,we are asking the City to move this request forward now.Please confirm receipt of this request and advise on the next formal step, including whether the signed petitions can be submitted and whether this item can be placed on the May 19 City Commission agenda. Thank you, Courtney Johnson 991 Auger Lane courtney,j ohnson.mtC&,,email.com 406-579-0582 On Wed,May 14,2025 at 10:59 AM Courtney Johnson<courtney.johnson.mt(a gmail.com>wrote: Date: May 14th,2025 City of Bozeman 121 N Rouse Ave,Bozeman,MT 59715 commentsAbozeman.net RE: Request for Action: Parking Controls and Process Transparency for Flanders Mill Neighborhood Dear City Commission,City Manager Winn,and City Staff, I'm writing as a resident of the Flanders Mill neighborhood to formally request clarity on the procedural process for establishing residential parking controls and to ask the City to initiate the steps outlined in Bozeman Municipal Code Section 36.04.330 to create a Residential Parking Permit Area. On July 22,2024, a Resolution of Intent was submitted to the City Clerk to address ongoing congestion and growing safety concerns due to overflow parking from Gallatin High School.I attended and spoke during the September 25,2024 Transportation Board meeting, introducing these concerns on behalf of the neighborhood,particularly following the closure of the Oak and Flanders Mill intersection,which significantly increased cut-through traffic from a principal arterial onto our local residential streets. Since then,I've partnered with neighbors to document access issues,track occupancy trends,and engage directly with City staff.While those efforts were initially met with constructive dialogue,the process now appears stalled,with no formal response in weeks,no occupancy inventory completed,and continued uncertainty around next steps. Request for Procedural Clarity: I respectfully ask the City to confirm: 1. Whether a parking occupancy study is procedurally required by ordinance before proceeding to a public hearing or Commission action; 2. Whether the Resolution of Intent is sufficient to initiate a formal hearing under Sec. 36.04.330; 3. What specific steps residents must take to formally move this request forward under current policy If parking inventory is required,I am happy to share the resident-collected data gathered throughout the school year—particularly during the winter and spring months,when student parking increases as more sophomores(who are not eligible for on-campus parking)obtain their driver's licenses. Neighborhood Alignment with Ordinance Criteria: Per Section 36.04.330(A)of the Bozeman Municipal Code,the City Commission may create residential parking permit areas after a public hearing if the following conditions are met: 1. The area is predominantly residential; 2. Streets are regularly congested with non-resident vehicles; 3. Parking limits would better serve residents' needs. Our neighborhood clearly meets all three criteria.Additionally,the ordinance supports implementation when a parking district would further any of the following objectives: 1. Reducing traffic hazards 2. Promoting tranquility among residents 3. Reducing noise and litter We are experiencing: • Obstructed emergency access routes • Blocked fire hydrants and driveways • Delayed garbage and delivery services • Unsafe pedestrian conditions near Diamond Park and Safe Routes to School for Meadowlark Elementary students • Vandalism at Diamond Park and to private property These conditions are public safety issues and directly support the need for parking controls,consistent with the intent of the ordinance. Need for Timely Action: We understand the City anticipates completing the new student parking lot at Oak and Cottonwood next fall. However,we request that this infrastructure investment be concurrently implemented with a residential parking program in Flanders Mill to ensure both are effective. Choosing to"wait and see"whether the new lot resolves these issues will only extend life safety risks and service disruptions.Without restrictions in place, students will understandably continue choosing the most convenient option—which is street parking in residential neighborhoods rather than using the new lot and crossing the proposed bridge. Bozeman High School and MSU already benefit from established parking districts.We respectfully request equal protection and a transparent,timely process to address this issue before the 2025-2026 school year begins. I respectfully request the City Staff and Commission: 1. Clarify the formal process and requirements under Sec. 36.04.330 2. Consider initiating the public hearing process to establish a Residential Parking Permit Area for the affected streets 3. Act before the start of the 2025-2026 school year to ensure safety,access, and the effectiveness of public infrastructure investments at the Sports Park. This request is not simply about neighborhood convenience, it's about establishing necessary traffic protections to support the health, safety, and welfare of students,parents, and residents in this impactful area. With young children walking to school,public park access, and increased daily traffic from Gallatin High,we must treat this as a matter of responsible planning. The tools already exist in the City's ordinance to proactively address these issues. Let's use them now to implement an effective and safer solution. Thank you for your time,your service,and your commitment to thoughtful city planning. I remain available to share neighborhood data,photos,and community feedback to support this effort. Sincerely, Courtney Johnson 991 Auger Lane courtney,johnson.mtC&,gmail.com 406-579-0582 Attachments: 240722 Resolution of Intent submitted to City Clerk Mike Mass 240925 Bozeman Transportation Board Meeting Minutes.pdf Reference Ordinance: Sec. 36.04.330. -Procedure for the establishment of a residential on-street parking permit regulation program. Cc: Public Comment—City Commission: comments(obozeman.net City Attorney Greg Sullivan—gsullivan&bozeman.net Parking Manager Nicholas Focken—nfockennbozeman.net Transportation&Engineering Director Nicholas Ross—nross ebozeman.net City Manager Chuck Winn—cwinn&bozeman.net h . Oft- IIIIEL ,¢ I . .r r•� -ar��s�r---•�r-ram.•---- -� -- --- r - � , 1 1 �4y i 4 t i1 � 1• Courtney Johnson,AIA,NCARB 406.579.0582 courtney�ohnsonmt(a,gmail.c om