Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Parking Environment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bridger View neighbors raise environmental and process concerns about planned Story Mill Park parking lot
Summary
Neighborhood residents asked the commission to pause a planned parking lot for Story Mill Park, citing concerns about wetland hydrology, wildlife habitat, heat-island effects and a lack of neighborhood engagement. They requested a neighborhood meeting and clearer plans for plantings and wetland compliance.
Residents of the Bridger View neighborhood urged the Bozeman City Commission to halt or better plan construction of a parking lot at the east edge of Story Mill Park, saying the site is wet, provides wildlife habitat and could violate the city’s recently adopted wetland regulations.
Barbara Conklin told commissioners that a planned lot—originally designed before the Bridger View subdivision—bisects parkland she described as habitat for moose and other animals. She said neighbors have received only second- or third-hand information and asked the city to meet with the neighborhood to explain plantings, stormwater treatment and whether the area qualifies as a wetland under the city’s rules.
Other nearby residents, including Hiram Toll, said the parking plan would fragment a wildlife corridor, and questioned whether additional parking could instead be sited near an existing boys-and-girls center. John Meyer raised safety concerns about a planned Rouse Avenue exit adjacent to a popular trail used by children.
City staff took the comments under advisement; no action was taken at the meeting. Residents asked for a neighborhood meeting and clearer information on hydrology, wetland determinations and landscaping plans before construction begins at the end of the month.
