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City manager reports staff working on majority of growth policy strategies; zoning and parks remain active workstreams
Summary
City Manager Mister Gager told the commission staff has implemented or is actively working on roughly 79% of the 219 strategies in Livingston’s growth policy. Major ongoing efforts include the zoning code update, subdivision regulation review, parks master plan, tree inventory and solid waste changes.
City Manager Mister Gager presented a comprehensive update on the City of Livingston’s growth policy implementation, telling the commission that staff has either implemented or is actively working on most of the plan’s 219 strategies.
“Staff is working on 79% of the strategies identified in growth policy,” Gager said, summarizing a multi‑year implementation effort that covers topics from land use and housing to transportation and natural resources.
Gager said the work falls into three broad categories: ongoing city operations, cooperative projects with partners, and formal policy updates that require commission action. He highlighted several workstreams as active or complete:
- Zoning code update and subdivision regulation review (major land‑use efforts now underway; zoning review will address multiple growth‑policy strategies and go to the Consolidated Land Use Board for additional public review). - Parks and trails master plan (public outreach ongoing; staff emphasized the plan has not yet reached commission for adoption and additional public input will be solicited). - Tree inventory completed earlier in the year and next steps on a tree maintenance plan and integrated pest management are being planned. - An energy action plan adopted earlier this year supports climate and efficiency strategies; the city has begun purchasing alternative‑fuel vehicles for some departments. - Solid waste operations: the city shifted self‑hauling to the Logan facility, reducing hauling and disposal costs; staff is piloting community composting and evaluating construction waste diversion and recycling options.
On transportation, Gager said staff has coordinated with the Montana Department of Transportation on Park Street improvements and rapid‑flashing beacons and is exploring bicycle and pedestrian connectivity, ADA accessibility in parks and sidewalk strategies. He also recapped an earlier vote approving the gateway overlay zone and noted future updates to the future land use map will accompany the growth policy review scheduled for 2026.
Commissioners and members of the public asked questions about outreach and implementation sequencing. Gager said many items are already being advanced in administrative practice (for example, systematic review of historic preservation requirements prior to subdivision approvals) and that some steps do not rise to formal ordinance changes but are important “small‑p” administrative practices.
Ending: Gager said staff would continue to return to the commission with department‑level updates and to bring formal policy or regulatory changes — including the zoning and subdivision updates — back through the public hearing process. Commissioners praised progress and urged continued public outreach and clarity around specific proposals such as parks, parking and sidewalk work.
