Bozeman board recommends city commission adopt 2025 stormwater facilities plan

The Bozeman Community Development Board voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend that the City Commission adopt the draft 2025 Stormwater Facilities Plan, a 20-year blueprint that updates stormwater design standards, prioritizes MS4 permit compliance, and outlines capital and funding recommendations.

The plan, presented by City of Bozeman staff including Adam Oliver and Sean Coats, aims “to improve waterway health, protect public safety, and comply with our MS4 permit,” Coats said, summarizing the plan’s primary drivers.

Board members and staff discussed key technical findings from the plan, including widespread stretches of undersized clay pipe in the downtown basin, options to line versus replace pipes, and alternatives that emphasize infiltration or bypass piping. Staff said prior work has included replacing roughly 5 miles of pipe and installing 29 water-quality capital projects; the draft plan recommends finalizing inspection and maintenance frequencies for post-construction facilities and conducting a needs-based funding assessment before setting new utility rates.

Why it matters: the plan guides how the city will address recurrent flooding, protect Bozeman Creek and other receiving waters, and implement a program to inspect and maintain roughly 1,300 mapped detention or retention features citywide. The board’s recommendation moves the document to the City Commission for final action, currently scheduled for the May 6 meeting.

Ke…