HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-09-26 Public Comment - S. Bretson - New Residential Parking Portal FeedbackFrom:Steve Bretson
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]New Residential Parking Portal Feedback
Date:Wednesday, September 9, 2026 11:42:43 AM
Attachments:New Residential Parking Portal Feedback.msg
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From:Steve Bretson
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:New Residential Parking Portal Feedback
Date:Wednesday, September 9, 2026 11:42:38 AM
Howdy,
I wanted to provide some feedback on the new citizen-facing portal for the parking permits
after a few weeks of use.
We appreciate the work you do (I grew up in a family where both parents retired from the cityI grew up in, so I get the perspective of constraints) and even though we’re all likely citizens
of Bozeman here, any constructive feedback is the only way to gauge effectiveness! Pleasereach out if I can provide any help or perspective along the way. I should also note for context
I’ve held positions on Bozeman citizen advisory boards while living here since 1998, andwe’ve owned our home at 120 N 10th Ave since 2008. Professionally, I direct and guide the
building businesses, primarily in developing clear communication through internal / externalsystems.
Specifically I want to address the frustrating awkwardness of managing the visitor parking
passes on the new system. We’re in the High School Parking District — and between friends,family, cleaners, often unbranded work vehicles… and mostly any of our 5 year old’s many
baby sitters driving parent-owned vehicles — the requirement of my wife and I navigating theportal to update (from scratch each time) requires too many personal workarounds, such as
having to develop and manage our own shared database of regular visitor’s vehiclesinformation. Not being able to have 3 activated vehicles applied to each permit and the list of
deactivated vehicle plate numbers saved for future use… really has sucked to put it bluntly.
I’ve had really nice conversations with parking officers and in calling into the parkingdepartment and I’ve had the current logic kindly explained on avoiding the exploitation of the
retired system’s loophole that was ‘allowing’ up to 6 vehicles to be actively parked at once ontwo visitor permits. I have to say, in all this time - and being a strategic systems-thinking
person: that explanation was weirdly the first time that occurred to me as a possibility and thatsurprises me I hadn’t thought of that, haha. Anyways, I have a curiosity around weighing the
unfortunate exploitation against the daily frustration as citizens who are required to pay intothis system and manage, and the taxpayer staff required to enforce the restrictions efficiently
and their personal workplace experience of being treated as stewards rather than with apotential cloud of passive contempt from the public. I’ll continue to navigate the system as it
exists for my household (my wife angrily refuses to try a third time) but in navigating andmanaging this, there will be an annoying amount of appeals I’ll undoubtedly be submitting for
visitors that take valuable time away from me and city staff - and I have to take on thecertainty that I expect them to be approved upon submittal. Otherwise we’re going to also
undoubtedly cause relationship friction between babysitter’s parents, contractors, guests, etc.
Some compromise within this new system has to be possible, and I fully respect theconstraints and considerations that are present - but this new way is very unfortunately
disappointing to the end user in this beta stage of rollout. I’m more than happy to providefurther constructive logic perspective, brainstorming, or whatever is helpful. Call me anytime
if you would like to have a level-headed chat regarding this feedback, again - I do sincerelyappreciate the hard work of each and every city employee (almost by default). You all don’t
have easy tasks and it’s seen by this guy.
Thank you for your valuable time and considerations, please take care.
Steve Bretson
120 North 10th Avenue (SE Corner of 10th & Lamme)
+1 406 579 7333