HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-15-26 Public Comment - A. Harting - Comments on proposed Harvest Creek linear park changesFrom:Aaron Harting
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Cc:contact@harvestcreekmt.org
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Comments on proposed Harvest Creek linear park changes
Date:Tuesday, September 15, 2026 11:51:36 AM
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Hello Bozeman City Commission (and Harvest Creek Board)!
Thanks for the opportunity to share my thoughts re. the proposed changes to the
Harvest Creek linear park/Cattail Creek Corridor.
My family and I live on Hunters Way, with the corridor/park space right off of our back
yard. I support many of the proposals--benches, habitat improvements for wildlife,
better creek buffers, etc. But I'm puzzled by some of the proposals and strongly
opposed to those discussed below...
Paving any portions of this path will aggravate the recently-increasing problem with e-
bikers and people on mini-motorcycles flying by the pedestrians trying to use the path
peacefully. So many residents on the west side of town use this wonderful trail (and
all of the interconnected trail loops) with their small kids, strollers, leashed dogs, non-motorized bicycles, etc. People appreciate that the trail along this portion of the
corridor is smaller and a peaceful place to stroll--a respite from the proven-dangerous
traffic flow on Durston and Oak.
I'm all for creating safer and more usable bike lanes for e-bike riders on our actual
roads (Durston, Oak, Baxter, etc.), and it's obvious to me--from having had the
vantage to observe foot and other traffic on the Harvest Creek path over the years--
that paving it will divert motorized traffic toward this peaceful path, causing accidentsand completely changing the dynamic. Many unaccompanied kids also use the path
to get to Emily Dickinson Elementary, to ride their bikes with friends (in order to stay
away from the roads), and to just enjoy the park space. Those kids often don't have
the wherewithal to look out for fast e-bikes, etc.
Secondly, it's difficult to tell whether a pavilion or similar structure is actually being
considered near the small bridge in this corridor (...the mention of a "program
opportunity" in the proposal), but if so, the path along this stretch would be a terribleplace to put it, as it would be so close to the many houses adjacent to the park space
and have a direct line of sight into them, not to mention problems with noise, litter,
light pollution, etc. There are much better, wider places for a pavilion/structure to be
put in--perhaps somewhere north of Oak, for example.
Thirdly, I heartily support the city's efforts to reduce water consumption, but I feel that
converting the turf in the park space to natural grass would be an enormous detriment
to westside residents' usage and enjoyment of this space--Having grown up in Bozeman, I've seen how this has affected other areas in town,
which have become rampant with gophers, weeds, ticks, etc. This corridor is not the
space to convert!
It's also unclear whether this natural grass would be mowed or maintained in any
way?
I'd strongly support keeping the turf grass but dialing way back on the watering
frequency and amount in the summer, rather than just letting it go wild with natural
grass and weeds and the accompanying gophers/rodents--I'd be absolutely fine with
the turf grass turning an ugly brown in the summer in order to save water. But it will
become a guaranteed gopher and weed haven if converted, and families andwestside residents just won't be able to use it the same. People really enjoy and
utilize the open space and grass in its current form.
Similarly, there would need to be a much more concrete and communicated plan toprevent natural grass, weeds, gophers, etc. from infiltrating the yards of the many
Harvest Creek homes along the park space/corridor.
Thanks for reading. I very much appreciate your consideration!
Best Regards,
Aaron Harting
(1028 Hunters Way, Bozeman)