Urban Parks and Forestry Board Meeting - August 27, 2026
Urban Parks and Forestry Board Meeting - August 27, 2026
The Bozeman Urban Parks and Forestry Board met on August 27, 2026, at 6:00 PM. The board considered a resolution recommending adoption of the Cattail Creek Corridor and Anchor Route Park Master Plan and approved a modification to the Park Land Trust 2025 Community Grant Program. Public testimony highlighted concerns about outreach and specific park features such as pickleball courts. The board also received a director's update on staffing, facility projects, and upcoming public meetings.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Heather Higgs (representing Harvest Creek Owners Association, 525 homeowners) requested a delay in the recommendation to the City Commission, arguing that Harvest Creek was not effectively included in the planning process. She raised concerns about conversion of mowed lawn to native grasses, potential weed encroachment into adjacent properties, tick-related health risks, and the need for a buffer zone. She requested the board involve the HOA in future decisions.
- Peter Norreen (Cattail Creek resident) asked the board to postpone the recommendation to allow more public awareness. He opposed proposed pickleball courts near his home and preferred maintaining the existing park as is.
- Darren Stro Snyder (Cattail Creek resident) said he supports the corridor concept but strongly opposed a pickleball court within 50 feet of his home, citing expected noise, traffic, and loss of flexible grassy space. He also noted a perceived decline in park maintenance since city takeover.
- Jamie Neesmith (manager, Cattail Creek Community Owners Association) requested that the board and homeowners be involved in future changes to the neighborhood.
Discussion Items
F.1 - Resolution Recommending Adoption of the Cattail Creek Corridor and Anchor Route Park Master Plan
Staff presented a plan developed over two years for a 3.5-mile corridor connecting Davis Pond to Bozeman Pond Park. The plan emphasizes active transportation, water conservation, and neighborhood-level recreational amenities such as playgrounds, gardens, and placemaking features. Staff clarified that the plan is a conceptual guide; detailed design and additional public engagement will occur before construction. Public comment focused on opposition to pickleball courts; staff confirmed that no pickleball courts are included in the final document. The board discussed the importance of neighborhood engagement, especially for renters and groups not reached by HOA channels. A motion to adopt the resolution with an added directive for "alternative and additional communication to neighborhood organizations" passed unanimously.
F.2 - Approve Park Land Trust 2025 Community Grant Program Funding Recommendation
The item modified the grant for Bridgeski Foundation to allow $10,000 for trail preparation work done during the previous winter despite lack of snow for Nordic grooming. Staff specified the funding would support trail work on public land within the city, not for capital equipment. The board approved the modification and authorized the Parks and Recreation Director to initiate grant agreements.
Key Outcomes
- F.1: The board unanimously (5-0) adopted the resolution recommending the Cattail Creek Corridor and Anchor Route Park Master Plan, with an added requirement for enhanced communication to neighborhood organizations during future engagement.
- F.2: The board unanimously (5-0) approved the amended Park Land Trust 2025 Community Grant Program funding recommendation for Bridgeski Foundation, authorizing the Director to proceed with grant agreements.
- Director's Update: The board noted the selection of Doug Isonman as Parks and Cemetery Superintendent; the seasonal closure of Bogert Pool for major renovations (shelves, plaster, gutters, deck, restrooms, pump house); and upcoming projects including a ribbon cutting for Westlake BMX Park and an Urban Forest Management Plan public meeting on August 31. Commissioner Alison reported that the City Commission recommended requiring landscaping and trees in all zone edge transitions during downtown height discussions.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everybody, and thanks for joining us. Um my name is Terry, sorry. Um, and before we get started with the meeting, I'd like to remind folks of a few things just to make this easier for you and us to follow along and make public comment. Um, you can watch us real time in several different ways. You can either attend in person in the city commission room, you can stream us live on your computer by going to the meetings video page at Bozeman.net and clicking the live view live event link. You can watch the meeting on cable TV channel one ninety. You can also join us via video conference. You'll find the link to join us by clicking on the calendar event for the meeting on the City of Bozeman's main webpage. Look for the urban parks and forestry board agenda and click the link to register and follow the prompts to enter the meeting. Finally, you can call in to listen. You'll find the phone number for the video conference and access code on the agenda. Please know this is for listening only, and you will be unable to get verbal public comment using this method. If you are joining us through video conference 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 listen via the phone information streaming live on the website or on cable on channel one ninety. 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, you can use the raise your hand feature. When it is your turn to comment, staff will call you by name. Please remember to go back in and lower your hand when you are finished making your comment. The final option is you can always provide written public comment before the meeting by sending an email to comments at Bozeman.net or by visiting our public comments web page. Any public comment received by noon today will have been distributed and read by the board. Oh, and you're getting sound effects tonight. Sorry. I do actually. Awesome. Good to know why I saw you at the library the other day. Okay, I myself do have a disclosure. Um my primary home is in the West Winds subdivision, which is along the cattail corridor. With that, do we have any changes to the agenda tonight? No changes? Okay. Um next we are to our approval of minutes. Um I make a motion for us to approve the minutes from the July 2023, or sorry, July 23, 2026 Urban Parks and Forestry Meeting. I second. Carrie Lumston. You were not audible. Carrie Lumpston. Um, yes. Brant Baruby? Yes. Steve Aury. Yes. Matthew Cortan? Yes. Sally Shrink? Yes. Minutes approved. Thank you. Awesome. And I should let the um members of the public that are in the room with us in online know that we do not have any of our board members tonight joining us via video conference.
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