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Record of Proceedings

Urban Parks and Forestry Board Meeting - April 23, 2026

City Commission — Thursday, April 23, 2026
BodyBozeman, Montana
SessionCity Commission
DateThursday, April 23, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:38:32

Original source
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3:19

Good evening.

3:21

Thanks for joining us tonight at the April twenty-third Urban Parks and Forestry Board meeting.

3:31

Thanks for joining us.

3:32

If you are, before we start the meeting, I'd like to remind folks of a couple of things to make it easier for you to follow along and make public comment.

3:42

You can watch us in real time in several different ways.

5:00

If you would like to offer public comment this evening, there are three ways you can do that.

5:04

You can make your public comment in person here in the commission room.

5:08

If you are joining us through the video conference method, you can use the raise your hand feature when it is your turn to comment.

5:15

Staff will call you by name.

5:17

Remember to go back in and lower your hand when you have finished, please.

5:21

You can always provide written public comment before the meeting by sending an email to comments at Bozeman.net or by visiting our public comment page.

5:33

Any public comment received by noon today will be distributed and read by the commission by the board.

5:40

We will hear in-person public comments first, followed by those joining via video conference to allow time for remote attendees to queue up for comments.

5:51

And so thank you.

5:52

With that, I would love to start look over the agenda.

6:02

First off, well, second off, um, are there any disclosures tonight?

6:12

Awesome.

6:13

Um are there any changes to the agenda?

6:18

No changes already.

6:21

Um next up is the approval of the minutes from the March 26th meeting.

6:28

Um is there any discussion or I make a motion to then approve the meetings, the minutes from our March 26th meeting?

6:41

Second.

6:46

Okay.

6:47

Um I can't see your name.

6:54

If you could turn it to where I can actually see it.

7:00

All right, Mr.

7:02

Broom.

7:03

Yes.

7:03

Mr.

7:04

Lowry.

7:06

Yes, Mr.

7:06

Carrright.

7:08

Yes.

7:09

Mr.

7:09

Gordon.

7:11

Yes.

7:11

Ms.

7:12

Shrek.

7:13

Yes.

7:14

Ms.

7:14

Loveliston.

7:15

Yes.

7:17

So the uh minutes have been approved for March 26th of 2026.

7:24

Um I will mention that on the minutes, um, we are missing a two there.

7:29

Sorry.

7:30

It's we are 206 for the year right there.

7:38

Oh, I know.

7:40

Anyway, um, sorry, I deal with numbers all day long.

7:45

Um are there any public comments on non-agenda items falling within the purview and jurisdiction of the board tonight.

8:01

All righty.

8:02

Um, how about um anybody online, Alex?

8:10

I see no request for public comment online, Chair.

8:14

Awesome.

8:15

So um then we are in to our first and only action item of the night, the adoption of the 2026-27 Urban Parks and Forestry Board Work Plan.

8:41

Okay.

8:45

So for the record, my name is Mitch Overton.

8:48

I'm the director of the Bozeman Parks and Recreation Department.

8:51

So it is time for us to do our two-year work plan.

8:56

Um 26 and 27.

8:59

And what I've set up for us tonight is a review of our uh focus areas that are uh lie within resolution 5328.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation█████████████████████████████████████████████91%
Community Engagement██4%
Procedural█1%
Land Use Planning█1%
Environmental Protection█1%
Engineering And Infrastructure█1%
Water And Wastewater Management█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Urban Parks and Forestry Board Meeting - April 23, 2026

The Bozeman Urban Parks and Forestry Board met on April 23, 2026, to approve the meeting minutes, adopt the 2026-2027 work plan, and hold a work session on the Urban Forest Management Plan update. The meeting also included director updates on parks and recreation projects.

Consent Calendar

  • The board unanimously approved the minutes from the March 26, 2026 meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were made on non-agenda items or the work plan.

Discussion Items

  • Adoption of the 2026-2027 Work Plan: Parks and Recreation Director Mitch Overton presented a proposed work plan aligned with the board's five focus areas: Arbor Day program, urban forest reports, equity distribution of parks/trails, evaluation of the Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trails (PROST/Pratt) plan, and recommendations for Sunset Hills Cemetery. Board members asked for clarification on the Unified Development Code (UDC) updates and the Cash and Lou grant program. The board discussed incorporating community gardens and the Story Mill garden model under equity distribution. After discussion, the board voted unanimously to adopt the work plan.
  • Work Session on Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) Update: Consultants from DJ&A and PlanIT Geo presented the outline for the 2026 UFMP. Key sections include introduction, goals, value of urban trees, inventory analysis, management challenges, and a 10-year implementation roadmap. Preliminary inventory data showed ash tree percentage reduced from 47% to 22% since 2016. The board discussed capacity constraints, catastrophic risks, heritage tree program, canopy monitoring, and partnerships. No formal vote was taken; the outline was accepted as presented.
  • Director Updates: Mitch Overton provided updates on the Parks and Recreation Foundation (new board members, 501c3 status), construction of synthetic turf fields at Bozeman Sports Park (field 7 and field 13), potential ball diamond complex and community center through public-private partnerships, retirement of Park Superintendent Tom White, and upcoming public meetings for the UFMP and Arbor Day event.

Key Outcomes

  • The 2026-2027 Urban Parks and Forestry Board Work Plan was adopted unanimously.
  • The UFMP outline was approved as a working structure; the next work session is scheduled for June 25, 2026.
  • Several director updates were noted for information.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. Thanks for joining us tonight at the April twenty-third Urban Parks and Forestry Board meeting. Thanks for joining us. If you are, before we start the meeting, I'd like to remind folks of a couple of things to make it easier for you to follow along and make public comment. You can watch us in real time in several different ways. If you would like to offer public comment this evening, there are three ways you can do that. You can make your public comment in person here in the commission room. If you are joining us through the video conference method, you can use the raise your hand feature when it is your turn to comment. Staff will call you by name. Remember to go back in and lower your hand when you have finished, please. You can always provide written public comment before the meeting by sending an email to comments at Bozeman.net or by visiting our public comment page. Any public comment received by noon today will be distributed and read by the commission by the board. We will hear in-person public comments first, followed by those joining via video conference to allow time for remote attendees to queue up for comments. And so thank you. With that, I would love to start look over the agenda. First off, well, second off, um, are there any disclosures tonight? Awesome. Um are there any changes to the agenda? No changes already. Um next up is the approval of the minutes from the March 26th meeting. Um is there any discussion or I make a motion to then approve the meetings, the minutes from our March 26th meeting? Second. Okay. Um I can't see your name. If you could turn it to where I can actually see it. All right, Mr. Broom. Yes. Mr. Lowry. Yes, Mr. Carrright. Yes. Mr. Gordon. Yes. Ms. Shrek. Yes. Ms. Loveliston. Yes. So the uh minutes have been approved for March 26th of 2026. Um I will mention that on the minutes, um, we are missing a two there. Sorry. It's we are 206 for the year right there. Oh, I know. Anyway, um, sorry, I deal with numbers all day long. Um are there any public comments on non-agenda items falling within the purview and jurisdiction of the board tonight. All righty.

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