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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-13-26 Public Comment - K. VanDeWalle - Bozeman Creek Vision PlanFrom:Ken VanDeWalle To:Bozeman Public Comment Subject:[EXTERNAL]Bozeman Creek Vision Plan Date:Monday, July 13, 2026 2:08:40 PM Attachments:City Commission Meeting - Bozeman Creek Vision Plan 7.14.2026.pdf Bozeman Creek Vision Plan Recommendations.pdf 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. Hi, Please forward this email and documents to the Bozeman City Commissioners and JimHenderson prior to the City Commission Meeting Tuesday, July 14. Also, please forward the same email and documents to the Bozeman Downtown Improvement District Board Members prior to the meeting on Wednesday, July 15th. Thank you, Ken VanDeWalle 408 North Plum Avenue Bozeman, MT 59715 406.581.6149 July 13, 2026 Bozeman City Commission 121 North Rouse Avenue Bozeman, MT 59715 Re: Comments for the July 14, 2026 Work Session – Bozeman Creek Vision Plan Dear Mayor Morrison and Commissioners, Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Bozeman Creek Vision Plan. After reviewing the Vision Plan materials and the 2025 Bozeman Creek Flood Mitigation and Reclamation Preliminary Engineering Report, I support the City's goals of improving flood resilience, ecological health, public access, and community connectivity. The Preliminary Engineering Report concludes that Bozeman Creek is an interconnected system with multiple hydraulic constraints and recognizes that hybrid combinations of alternatives may provide the preferred long-term solution through phased implementation and continued public involvement. With that in mind, I respectfully offer the following comments in response to the Commission's discussion questions. 1. Feedback on the proposed recommendations My primary recommendation is: Use Existing Public Assets First. Before constructing new infrastructure or impacting additional private properties, I encourage the City to fully evaluate how existing public assets can help achieve the Vision Plan's goals. I also encourage the Commission to direct staff to evaluate a hybrid approach that combines the strongest elements of multiple alternatives rather than selecting a single concept. Projects worthy of additional evaluation include: ● Expanding the flood mitigation and ecological benefits of the Indreland Audubon Wetland Preserve and other existing wetlands identified in the engineering report. ● Creating additional pocket wetlands and green infrastructure on publicly owned property. ● Evaluating whether the existing historic railroad berm at the Indreland Preserve could provide a more efficient and less impactful location for a universally accessible crossing than constructing a new bridge and spur trail between Wallace and Rouse Streets. ● Evaluating opportunities for green infrastructure on City-owned properties, including portions of the City Hall parking lot. ● Managing invasive vegetation and underbrush while preserving mature trees, which provide habitat, bank stability, shade, and character. An example of this would be Mill Ditch; by leaving trees and removing underbrush, the ditch corridor would not be decimated. Before advancing the proposed railroad bridge and spur trail proposed at the Bozeman Creek between Wallace and Rouse, I encourage the City to evaluate construction costs, ADA requirements, long-term maintenance, redundancy with existing trail connections, and potential impacts on our urban wildlife habitat. 2. Target level of flood protection The Preliminary Engineering Report evaluates alternatives using a design flow of 1,250 cfs, above the FEMA 100-year flow, to account for future conditions. I support planning beyond today's minimum standards. However, flood resilience should be achieved through a balanced combination of strategic infrastructure improvements, distributed flood storage, wetland restoration, and green infrastructure. As the report notes, increasing conveyance at one location without addressing the larger system may simply move flooding downstream. 3. Balancing ecological health with community needs Ecological health and community needs should be complementary goals. Future projects should preserve mature trees where feasible, protect wetlands and riparian habitat, evaluate wildlife impacts before constructing new trail corridors, and make greater use of existing transportation infrastructure and trail connections before building redundant facilities. Finally, I respectfully encourage the Commission to adopt the following guiding principle: Before acquiring additional private property or constructing new infrastructure, the City should demonstrate that existing public assets, conservation lands, transportation corridors, and public infrastructure cannot reasonably achieve comparable public benefits. As a licensed architect and member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), I have had the privilege of working with engineers, landscape architects, artists, public agencies, and community organizations to design civic spaces, sculptural bridges, parks, memorials, and public spaces throughout Montana. If the City establishes an advisory committee or stakeholder group as this project advances, I would welcome the opportunity to contribute my experience in a constructive and collaborative manner. Thank you for your consideration. Respectfully, Kenneth J. VanDeWalle, Architect, AIA 408 N Plum Ave. Bozeman, MT 59715 archindetail1@gmail.com Bozeman Creek Vision Plan Guiding Principles & Recommendations Submitted by Kenneth J. VanDeWalle, Architect, AIA Guiding Principle Use Existing Public Assets First Before acquiring additional private property or constructing new infrastructure, the City should demonstrate that existing public assets, conservation lands, transportation corridors, and public infrastructure cannot reasonably achieve comparable public benefits. Key Recommendations 1. Evaluate a Hybrid Approach ● Direct staff to develop a preferred alternative that combines the strongest elements of multiple concepts, consistent with the Preliminary Engineering Report's recommendation that hybrid solutions be considered. 2. Expand Existing Public Investments ● Enhance the Indreland Audubon Wetland Preserve. ● Create additional pocket wetlands on public land. ● Incorporate green infrastructure into City-owned properties. ● Build upon existing trails and transportation infrastructure before creating redundant facilities. 3. Reevaluate the Proposed Railroad Bridge and Spur Trail ● Compare the proposed crossing between Wallace and Rouse Streets with the existing historic railroad berm at the Indreland Preserve that would allow access to the wetlands on the other side of the railroad tracks for citizen scientists to have access to monitor water quality and wetland habitat. ● Evaluate ADA requirements, costs, long-term maintenance, wildlife impacts, and whether the existing proposed crossing provides benefits beyond existing trail connections. 4. Protect the Creek's Ecological Character ● Preserve mature trees whenever feasible. ● Manage invasive vegetation and underbrush selectively. ● Protect wetlands and riparian habitat. ● Evaluate wildlife impacts before selecting new trail alignments. 5. Measure Success Using Multiple Criteria Evaluate alternatives using transparent criteria that include: ● Flood mitigation performance ● Ecological health ● Water quality ● Community connectivity ● Construction and maintenance costs ● Property impacts ● Opportunities to leverage existing public investments Vision Bozeman Creek should become a model for integrating flood resilience, ecological restoration, recreation, and thoughtful urban design through collaborative, watershed-scale planning that builds upon the public assets our community has already invested in.