INC Meeting Summary – March 12, 2026

The Inter-Neighborhood Council (INC) of Bozeman held its regular meeting on March 12, 2026, at 11:15 AM. Key actions included delaying a bylaws update presentation due to text errors, approving the Valley West and Lakes Neighborhood Association as a city-recognized association, and voting to recommend that the City Commission adopt an interim zoning ordinance to temporarily pause projects in the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District (NCOD) for one year while guidelines are updated. The meeting also featured public comments, liaison updates, and discussion of a communication tool.

Consent Calendar

• (No consent calendar items were noted; the meeting proceeded directly to agenda changes and action items.)

Public Comments & Testimony

• Amy Hoitzla (president, Northeast Neighborhood Association) expressed excitement about the upcoming NCOD update and the Lakota Group consultants, stressed the importance of preserving neighborhood character, and thanked INC members for their volunteer work.
• Ann Vince Guerra (Valley West and Lakes Neighborhood Association) presented the application for recognition, noting 36 members on the email list and 12 attendees at the first meeting. She highlighted common goals of enjoying the outdoors and safe neighborhoods.
• Ken Sinai (NCOD resident) commended INC for its work, urged protection of the historic core, and suggested expanding the core laterally rather than allowing 90-foot buildings. He questioned why Lakota Group is based outside Montana.
• Daniel Cardi (Bozeman resident, midtown NCOD) supported an interim zoning ordinance, arguing that existing HOAs are protected by covenants, new developments require commission approval, and that B3 zoning already extends beyond Mendenhall. He stated a pause is “desperately needed.”
• Linda Simonis (Bozeman resident) thanked Jim for bringing the item and for conducting a civil, multi-demographic survey. She expressed confidence that the NCOD issue can unite the city.
• Natsuki Nakamura (Bozeman resident, Economic Vitality Board member speaking individually) supported the pause, citing the Guthrie project and the city’s current lack of enforceable NCOD guidelines. He emphasized the need to also halt demolitions and protect historic assets.
• Amy Hoitzma (Northeast neighborhood, NCOD) fully supported the letter, stating the NCOD is out of date and the commission would appreciate the discussion. She saw no downside.
• Jason Delmew (speaking individually, Community Development Board member) questioned the survey’s neutrality, noting it lacked educational context on development benefits and used large square-footage figures without examples. He asked what INC sees as its role.

Discussion Items

• Bylaws Update Delay – Paul Burns (subcommittee member) requested postponing the bylaws presentation due to erroneous text formatting in the circulated version. He explained that a final accurate version would be prepared, and noted that a bylaws amendment requires a two-thirds vote of all INC delegates (currently 10 out of 15 delegates). The request was accepted, and the update was moved to the next meeting.
• Valley West and Lakes Neighborhood Association Approval – The association was approved by a unanimous representational vote (with Michelle and Zara online voting yes). This brought the total number of recognized neighborhood associations to 15.
• Interim Zoning Discussion – Jim Webster presented survey results based on 428 responses (collected over less than a week). Key findings: 83% supported a one-year pause on large projects (most defined as over 20,000 sq ft); similar support for the INC writing a letter. He connected the urgency to the recent resignation of the city’s historic preservation officer and the ongoing NCOD update. Discussion included clarifying that the recommendation applies only to the NCOD, not the entire city. Some members expressed concern about lawsuits, but Commissioner Fisher noted that projects with approved permits would be grandfathered. The motion to write a letter was amended to recommend a one-year interim zoning ordinance within the NCOD, including survey data, and was passed.
• City Liaison Update – Emily Kiley announced surveys on IWERP, MSU’s strategic plan, and downtown parking. She reminded members to submit summer update requests and noted that Takami will cover for her during maternity leave.
• Commission Liaison Update – Deputy Mayor Douglas Fisher reported that the City Commission approved adding a non-voting MSU student to advisory boards (except INC, which is not appointed by the commission). He offered to facilitate an MSU student representative for INC if desired. He also noted that final community priorities were adopted. Zara Osman suggested adding this as an agenda item for next meeting.
• Other Business – Beth Boyson (New Highlight View) raised concerns about misleading AI-generated surveys on Nextdoor and requested a future agenda item on neighborhood communication tools.

Key Outcomes

• Bylaws Update: Delayed until next month; subcommittee to provide correct version.
• Valley West and Lakes Neighborhood Association: Approved unanimously, bringing total recognized associations to 15.
• Interim Zoning Recommendation: Motion passed to send a recommendation (with survey data) to the City Commission asking them to adopt a one-year interim zoning ordinance for the NCOD while guidelines are updated. A formal letter will be drafted by Jim Webster and another member.
• Next Meeting: Agenda will include discussion of an MSU student representative for INC and neighborhood communication systems.