Bozeman INC Meeting on August 13, 2026 – Zone Edge Transitions & Updates
Bozeman Inter-Neighborhood Council Meeting – August 13, 2026
The Inter-Neighborhood Council (INC) of Bozeman met on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. The meeting featured a detailed presentation on zone edge transitions, an update on the Integrated Water Resource Plan, and liaison reports from the City Commission and City staff. Public comments focused on concerns about building heights and inadequate transitions, while council members discussed potential improvements and next steps.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes from the July 7, 2026, meeting were approved unanimously without discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Daniel Cardi (Bozeman resident, Midtown) urged reducing the B3 height limit from 90 feet to 60 feet and strengthening zone edge transitions to protect neighborhood character. He described the North Central area as a "cancer" spreading to other parts of town.
- Noah Tenbrook (Midtown) noted that transitions often do not apply across rights-of-way wider than 60 feet, and many large buildings stand next to smaller ones without transition requirements because they share similar zones. He advocated for transitions based on actual built conditions rather than zoning maxima.
- Multiple council members shared observations from walking tours, citing issues with noise, privacy, and design in buildings like the Ives.
Discussion Items
Zone Edge Transitions (F.1)
- Kieran Filipovich gave a neighbor-to-neighbor presentation explaining the purpose and types of zone edge transitions (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B), which are intended to mitigate impacts of taller buildings on lower-intensity zones. She noted that transitions are required across Bozeman, but challenges arise from historic districts, HOAs, and existing built environments.
- Chris Saunders, City Planner, clarified that the Ives building was constructed under the old 2018 code with a 45-degree angle transition, while the new 2026 UDC uses a stepped-back approach, considered an improvement. He added that all current construction still uses old code, and projects under the new code will take years to appear.
- Council members debated the "underbuilt vs. overzoned" issue and suggested a neighborhood survey to gather feedback on height and transitions.
Integrated Water Resource Plan Update (F.2)
- Beth Boyson reported that the IWRP committee has developed tiered alternatives for water management. Tier 1 actions (including beaver dam analogs for aquifer recharge) are expected within 10 years; Tier 2 includes cloud seeding. A report will be prepared for City Commission adoption in November.
Commission Liaison Update (F.3)
- Deputy Mayor Douglas Fischer outlined upcoming City Commission items: August 18 (tax rates), August 25 (work session on height and zone edge transitions), September 15 (cash-in-lieu of water rights fee), October 6 (community ballot issues), and October 27 (UDC housekeeping). He invited the INC to forward guiding questions or policy recommendations for the August 25 work session.
City Liaison Update (F.4)
- Tommy Clark announced a block party on August 27 at Story Mansion (3–6 p.m.) and the final Urban Forest Management Plan engagement meeting on August 31 (4–6 p.m. at Bozeman Public Safety Center). He also noted that a draft engagement framework for INC is nearly complete.
Neighborhood Written Updates & Follow-Up Questions (F.5)
- The steering committee requested feedback on voting procedures (one vote per household vs. per adult) for neighborhood associations. Members shared diverse practices; no consensus was reached.
- Kath Crumrod advocated for dedicating more meeting time to neighborhood updates, emphasizing the value of connection among representatives.
Key Outcomes
- No formal decisions were made except approval of minutes.
- The INC discussed conducting a survey on zone edge transitions, with Filipovich offering assistance.
- The steering committee will use member feedback to refine voting procedures.
- The meeting was adjourned around 6:00 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
Oh please, okay. All right. Uh good evening, everyone. Thanks for joining us. Uh 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 join us in real time in several different ways. First, by attending in person in the city commission room. Second, streaming live on your computer by going to the meetings video page at Bozeman MT.gov and clicking the view live link, uh live event link. Third, you can watch the meeting on cable TV on channel one ninety. You can also join us through our video conference. You'll find the link to join us on the agenda. Click the link to register, enter the required information, and click submit and join now to enter the meeting. You can also listen to audio only via the phone number listed on the agenda. If you are joining us online and are having connectivity issues, try exiting out of the meeting and coming back in. If you continue to have issues, please remember you can also access via the phone information or on cable channel one ninety. If you would like to offer public comment, there are three ways you can do that. If you are attending the meeting in person when public comment is called, please form an orderly line at the podium and wait for your turn to comment. Second, if you are joining us through video conference, you can use the raise your hand feature at the bottom of the panel. Click that hand and when it is your turn to comment, staff will call you by name. Please remember to go back in and click the hand when you have finished making your comment. Lastly, as always, you can email your public comment to comments at Bozeman MT.gov. And if your comment is received by noon, the day of the meeting, your comment will be distributed prior to the meeting. With that, I would like to formally call this meeting to order. Let's start with some introductions. Who we want to begin? I'm Rick Kieran, uh Cooper Park. Alexandra Lewis and Reds uh Valley. Oh sorry. Alexander Lewis Lorenz uh Valley Unit whatever unit Mark Campanell Evil Group Park Neighborhood Association Alice and Todd Jant neighborhood. Noah Tenbrook, Midtown. Gay Bay Boseman Creek Neighborhood, Bridget Creeker neighborhoods. Emily Mason, Figgins Edition. Jim Webster South Central Association of Neighbors. Kath Crumrod and Marwin Lindley. Beth Boyson, New Highlight View. And Kathy Rich with the University Neighborhood Association. I'm Tommy Clark. I'm the communications and engagement manager with the City of Bozeman. All right. Disclosures. Any disclosures. My name is Beth Boyson. I'm married to Ryan Close. He is serving in the legislature. Changes to the agenda. Any changes to the agenda? There are no changes to the agenda. Okay. And then the approval of minutes. Does anybody want to move to approve the minutes?
openpublica.com