Bozeman Urban Parks and Forestry Board Meeting – February 26, 2026

This meeting of the Bozeman Urban Parks and Forestry Board covered three main discussion items: an update on the Bike Fill Community Park (including public engagement results), the schedule for updating the Urban Forest Management Plan, and a review of the board’s two-year work plan. Public comments focused on environmental protections for the proposed Bike Fill park and on renaming the forest management plan. The meeting was held both in person and virtually, with no agenda or minutes provided.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the January 22, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously. The board members voting in favor: Terry Lumsden, Brant Baruby, Steve Lowry, Paige Lizowski, Joe Cartwright, Matthew Cortan, and Sally Schrank.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Annie Sheets (Bozeman Tree Coalition, retired city arborist) thanked the city and board for community engagement on the Urban Forest Management Plan. She suggested renaming the document to a “Community Forest Management Plan” to be more inclusive and to cover the entire ecosystem (public, private, and naturalized areas).
• Marcia Caveney (Bozeman Tree Coalition co-founder) spoke about Bike Fill park. She urged incorporation of independent wildlife experts (e.g., from Sacajawea Audubon) to inventory birds and other wildlife before construction, postpone construction near nesting areas until late July to comply with state law, and use a wildlife monitor on site. She noted that grasslands are the fastest disappearing ecosystem and grassland birds are experiencing steep declines.
• Ken Sinai (resident, board member of Sacajawea Audubon, speaking for himself) expressed support for the Bike Fill park goals but emphasized environmental considerations. He recommended: conducting wildlife habitat and use assessments; mapping wetlands and streams; designing trails to achieve science-based 100–150 foot setbacks from watercourses; placing trails on only one side of Chern Creek; creating a long-term vegetative rehabilitation plan including trees and shrubs. He noted that the site has potential for habitat improvement.
• Additional written public comments were received: one regarding the Urban Forest Management Plan and four regarding Bike Fill, all forwarded to the board.

Discussion Items

• Bike Fill Community Park Update: Addy (Development Manager) and Matt Parsons (GVLT Trails Director) presented an update on the project, which is a community bike park with about five miles of trails. They reviewed the public engagement process led by CRO Planning and Design (Jeanine Esleck, Brett Rano). Key findings from a survey (1,016 responses, 770 completed) and focus groups included: strong support for cross-country and flow trails, shade structures, toilets, parking, and trash/recycling bins; emphasis on natural areas, viewpoints, and wayfinding; over 70% of respondents prioritized water drainage/erosion control; nearly half prioritized planting native grasses and trees; 90–95% supported seasonal and maintenance closures; and strong interest in stewardship activities. Focus groups with youth cycling, cyclocross, and adaptive riders requested shade structures, pump tracks, staging areas, accessible design, and wide turnarounds. The park master plan will be available on Engage Bozeman by mid-March and will be presented to the board on March 26, 2026. The city commission is expected to approve the master plan on April 7, 2026. Construction is slated for June/July 2027, with Mackelhattan Road reconstruction also starting July 1, 2027. The board discussed trail setbacks from creeks, noting that city code requires 50-foot setbacks for buildings but gravel trails are allowed closer; the design aims to exceed requirements. Dogs will be banned from the bike trail area to reduce user conflict, with a connection to Snowfill Park for dog walking. Shade structures and tree planting are being considered. The board expressed interest in a site visit before the next meeting.

• Urban Forest Management Plan Update: Mitch Overton (Parks and Recreation Director) presented the proposed schedule for updating the 2016 Urban Forest Management Plan. The plan has four components: Infrastructure and Management (tree inventory, canopy cover goals, staffing, budget); Planning and Development (code guidance, tree protection, heritage tree program, integration with other departments); Community Engagement (volunteer initiatives, education); and Insect/Disease/Disaster Preparedness (emerald ash borer, climate adaptation). Key milestones: March 26, 2026 – community engagement plan to board; April – outline of management plan; June – feedback from public engagement; July – preliminary draft review; final plan by end of calendar year 2026. The board will have four work sessions with contractors. The plan will also address tree canopy assessment, which will set measurable goals.

• Advisory Board Work Plan Review: Mitch Overton reviewed the board’s 2024-25 work plan and previewed the 2026-27 plan aligned with city commission priorities (to be adopted March 3, 2026). Current work plan items included Arbor Day program, updating the urban forest management plan, street tree guide (completed), historic preservation policy for trees (ongoing), Pratt Plan implementation (10-minute walk analysis, anchor route for Cattail Creek corridor), and Cash and Lou Grant Program (first round completed). Future items will incorporate code updates from the Pratt Plan and possibly revisions to parkland dedication fees. The board discussed the importance of aligning with commission priorities, such as “Strengthening Advisory Board Efficacy” and “Protecting Bozeman’s Heritage and Neighborhood Environment.” Commissioner feedback emphasized the need for a clear pathway for board recommendations to the commission.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes Approved: Unanimously approved (8-0).
• Next Steps for Bike Fill: Park master plan to be posted on Engage Bozeman by mid-March; board to review at March 26 meeting; city commission to act April 7; site visit for board members to be arranged.
• Urban Forest Management Plan: Schedule adopted; board will receive community engagement plan at March 26 meeting.
• Work Plan: Board to finalize 2026-27 work plan at next meeting after reviewing commission priorities adopted March 3.