Board provides extensive feedback on Urban Forest Management Plan preliminary draft, focuses on canopy goals and implementation details
The Urban Parks and Forestry Board spent much of its July 23 meeting reviewing a 100-plus-page preliminary draft of the city's 10-year Urban Forest Management Plan, pressing consultants and staff on how aggressive canopy coverage goals would be funded and implemented, and whether the plan adequately addresses tree protection in new development.
Commission settles on 10 percent population threshold for ward redistricting, pushes implementation to 2029
The Bozeman City Study Commission spent most of its July 23 meeting refining proposed Section 7.04 of the charter, which would govern how voting wards are drawn and adjusted if voters approve a ward system. The commission removed partisan language from the ward advisory board, clarified the redistricting process, and set a 10 percent population change threshold to trigger boundary reviews between census cycles.
Sustainability Board
4 articles
City proposes streamlining wetland code by removing two requirements
The Sustainability Advisory Board heard a proposal to remove submittal requirements for Army Corps of Engineers jurisdictional determinations and Gallatin Conservation District watercourse status assessments, saying the processes are unworkable in practice while environmental protections remain intact. The changes address conflicts discovered since the city's wetland code overhaul last October.
Sustainability Board hears Green Power Program update after seven-year development
The proposed utility-scale renewable energy program would let Bozeman customers subscribe to wind or solar power through a special rate on their bills, with an initial 50-megawatt phase potentially launching in three to five years. Staff said the program would cost non-participating customers nothing and adhere to three guiding principles ensuring fairness and genuine renewable additions.
Sustainability Board approves two-year work plan focused on solar and EV charging
The advisory board unanimously endorsed a plan prioritizing municipal solar projects, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and high-performance building standards for city facilities. The plan aligns with City Commission priorities and encompasses ongoing initiatives including the Urban Forest Management Plan and Bozeman Creek Vision Plan.
City launches student seats on advisory boards, expands urban forestry plan
The Sustainability Advisory Board heard that the City Commission approved non-voting student positions on all major advisory boards, with terms aligned to the academic calendar. The board also received updates on the Branch Out Bozeman program, which has planted 783 trees since 2021, and learned about a new Urban Forest Management Plan shifting focus to citywide canopy cover goals.