The Bozeman City Commission voted on September 15th to adopt the Cattail Creek Corridor and Anchor Route Park Master Plan, a comprehensive development strategy for a 3.25-mile trail corridor stretching from Cattail Lake in the northwest to Bozeman Ponds in the south. The resolution passed 5-0.
The plan, developed over two years with community input, will serve roughly 12,000 residents within a quarter mile. It calls for a unified trail system with wayfinding signage, improved street crossings, expanded playgrounds, picnic nodes, and landscaped gathering areas designed to increase park use among teen and tween girls. The corridor varies in width from 700 feet in the West Winds area to as narrow as 20 feet near the mall, requiring different surface treatments — paved paths where setbacks allow, gravel where space is constrained, and on-street bike boulevard treatments in some sections.
The first phase will be funded by $500,000 in cash-in-lieu-of-parkland payments collected from recent nearby development, representing roughly half of $900,000 accumulated in that area. Implementation is expected to unfold over three years, with phased improvements beginning in West Winds and Harvest Creek subdivisions.
Environmental and Engagement Concerns
Public comment reflected deep community interest. The Harvest Creek Owners Association, representing 525 homeowners, voiced concerns about the transition from irrigated turf to native grasses, asking where exactly the boundary would fall and whether unmowed tall grasses would pose fire hazards affecting homeowner insurance. Park Planning and Development Manager Addie Jaden clarified that work in Harvest Creek would be, in her words, "more surgical," with no current plan to remove existing turf or irrigation systems.
Commissioner Jennifer Madgic pressed staff on herbicide use, concerned about links between lawn chemicals and increased cancer in dogs. Director Mitch Overton said the city has an adopted integrated weed and pest control plan and uses herbicides as little as possible, leaving warning flags up longer than state law requires. Overton noted that in some areas, the city relies on twice-yearly mowing rather than chemical applications.
Commissioner Emma Bode raised a separate concern about engagement disparities, noting that the Harvest Creek HOA received invitation to a Zoom presentation only a day or two in advance, while other associations received more notice. She suggested the commission discuss a standard for proactive neighborhood outreach. Jaden agreed to provide opportunities for additional engagement during site-plan development phases before construction drawings are finalized.
Olympic Torch Relay Agreement
Earlier in the meeting, the commission authorized the city manager to sign an agreement with LA28 to host a leg of the 2028 Olympic torch relay, with the motion passing 5-0. Assistant City Manager John Henderson said the agreement is preliminary and does not bind the city to financial commitments. A committee involving community partners, likely including Montana State University, will determine the route and supporting services.
Commissioner Alison Sweeney expressed concern about fiscal exposure, particularly given upcoming commission discussion of a ballot measure to fund police and fire services. Henderson said he would provide a deadline for the city to exit, noting that law enforcement and fire services for events are typically absorbed into existing operations rather than billed separately. Other costs — solid waste, street closures, specialized services — would be determined as planning progresses.
Natsuki Nakamura, an Economic Vitality Board member, submitted public comment questioning the decision. He noted the contract specifically forbids the city from charging permitting or street closure fees that it normally waives for neighborhood associations' block parties. He asked what residents would gain from the relay.
Other Business
The commission also provisionally adopted an ordinance moving the city's water adequacy code from Chapter 38 (the Unified Development Code) to Chapter 40 (the Utilities Code), passing 5-0. Director Sean Coates said the change is housekeeping with no substantive alterations, made to place all utilities-related code in one section. The old language will be removed in a broader Chapter 38 cleanup planned for spring. Deputy Mayor Douglas Fischer asked why the text isn't deleted immediately; staff said zoning changes take longer to process.
The commission appointed Amara Reese-Hansell to the Library Board of Trustees for a term ending June 30th, 2026, and Emmy Chuck to a term ending June 30th, 2031, passing 5-0. Commissioner Emma Bode disclosed that Reese-Hansell was a former manager and campaign donor, noting they had no ongoing professional relationship.
In closing FYI, Morrison announced one remaining board vacancy on the Sustainability Board. Sweeney asked for a work session on the city's neighborhoods program, expressing interest in how the city engages HOAs versus neighborhood associations and distributes park resources across neighborhoods she said lack adequate parkland.
The commission heard a special presentation from Russia Chavez Cardenas of Civic Dialogues, reporting results of a two-stage community deliberation on housing policy. The open phase drew 193 ideas from over 500 residents; a second phase with lottery-selected participants found strong resident support for holding HOA covenants that block accessory dwelling units, developing pre-approved home design patterns, fast-tracking affordable housing permitting, and creating student housing partnerships with MSU. No vote was required; Morrison emphasized no policy changes would result without separate commission action in future meetings.