The Bozeman Community Development Board held its May 4th meeting with Vice Chair Jason Delmue presiding. The board spent the majority of the session on a work session with City Forester Alex Chaffee regarding an update to the Urban Forest Master Plan, which will guide city forestry operations through 2036. The current plan dates to 2016 and is being updated with help from consultant DG&A and subcontractor PlanetGeo, selected through a fall 2025 request for proposals process.
Chaffee described his five-person division as responsible for approximately 28,500 city-maintained trees across parks, boulevards, and city properties. The updated plan will address community engagement, tree infrastructure and data tracking, staffing and equipment, insect and disease preparedness, and planning and development integration. Public engagement runs through fall, with plan adoption targeted for November or December. Staff member Chris Saunders clarified that issue plans like this are not regulatory under state law—they set policy—and any regulatory changes would require separate formal processes. The board will hold a formal public hearing and make a recommendation before the plan moves to the City Commission.
Board discussion centered heavily on the city's authority over trees on private property. Members questioned whether the city could require or incentivize preservation of existing groves during development. Saunders explained legal constraints, citing the U.S. Supreme Court's Sheets decision on exactions and proportionality. Board Member Erik Bonnett suggested the application process could require developers to justify why removing existing trees is preferable to preserving them. The board also voted 6-0 to approve its 2026-2027 work plan and 6-0 to cancel the May 18th meeting due to an empty agenda. The next meeting is scheduled for June 1st.