Bozeman Downtown Partnership Board Meeting - January 20, 2026

The Bozeman Downtown Partnership Board met on January 20, 2026, to discuss parking strategies, future projects, and the fiscal year 2027 work plan. The meeting began with routine updates and a lengthy discussion on the potential federal building site for a parking garage, a blight study, and the status of the parking RFP. No public comments were received. The board deferred ethics training to February.

Consent Calendar

• No consent calendar items were presented. The board deferred approval of previous minutes (not formally approved since July) to a later batch.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were offered in person or online.

Discussion Items

• Parking RFP and Federal Building Site: Executive Director Ellie reported that the parking RFP, initially drafted with $5 million allocated, was put on hold pending the UDC approval. Recently, discussions revived about the federal building as a potential site. The GSA had a full staff changeover and considered selling the property; now Senator Danes is exploring a congressional appropriation, with a decision expected by June 1, 2026. Board members discussed whether to wait for the federal site or proceed with an open-ended RFP. Concerns included blight requirements (the federal building is not in the Downtown URD), the need for a private partner due to insufficient funds, and timeline uncertainties. The consensus was to: (1) conduct a 90-day blight study to determine if the site can be added to the URD, (2) finalize the RFP language with city legal, considering an open-ended or renewable format, and (3) wait for the June 1 decision before releasing the RFP. The board also noted the possibility of using the 1.7 million from the fire station project (currently expected to have a certificate of occupancy by October 2027) if that project fails. The paid parking pilot on College Street was mentioned as a potential future management tool.
• Future Projects and Finance Report: Ellie outlined upcoming projects: Babcock curb and pedestrian safety improvements (city seeking partnership, estimated $100,000 per intersection), Fifth and Main lighting phase two, infrastructure grants for downtown developments (e.g., Bozeman Hotel, Empire site), and a shared use parking program requiring external help. The board acknowledged the need for a SILD (Special Improvement Lighting District) to cover rising utility costs for pedestrian lights. The parking vision plan is progressing with audience insights and a new dashboard collecting Monday-Friday data.
• Ethics Training: Deferred to the February board meeting to allow more time for other discussions.
• Other Updates: Executive Director’s report covered staff changes (Susan Seibert retired, Casey Miller hired), reminder to shuffle walkways, upcoming city commission meeting on January 27, and UDC outreach. New liaison Mayor Joey is expected to join in February or March.

Key Outcomes

• Blight Study: Directed staff to initiate a 90-day blight study for the federal building site to evaluate feasibility of expanding the Downtown URD.
• Parking RFP: Staff will work with city legal to finalize the RFP, exploring an open-ended or renewable format, and will consult with stakeholders. The RFP will not be released until after the June 1 decision on the federal building.
• Deferred Decisions: The board will revisit the parking RFP and budget priorities after the blight study and June 1 date. Ethics training postponed to February.
• Project Updates: Staff will continue to develop cost estimates for Babcock curb extensions, Fifth and Main lighting phase two, and the shared use parking program. The board expressed support for partnering with the city on infrastructure projects when feasible.