Community Development Board recommends annexation and R-4 zoning for 1519 Alder Court Lane

The Bozeman City Community Development Board, sitting as the zoning commission, voted 6-1 on March 3, 2025, to recommend approval of annexation and an initial zoning designation of R-4 for the property commonly referred to as 1519 Alder Court Lane (application 24428). The board’s recommendation will go to the Bozeman City Commission, which is scheduled to consider the annexation and zoning on March 25, 2025.

Tom Rogers of the Community Development Department told the board the request would annex the parcel into the city and establish an initial R-4 (high-density residential) zoning. Staff described the site as a single lot with an existing dwelling and said the applicant intends to demolish the house and build attached or multiunit housing. Rogers presented the staff report and draft findings tied to state-mandated review criteria; staff recommended approval conditioned on completing standard application processing steps.

Applicant representative Bayless Ward, identified as the project architect and owner’s representative, said the owner bought the parcel to pursue development similar to the adjacent condominium project. Ward said his initial design for the lot would provide six dwelling units; he said he did not yet know whether those units would be condominiums or rentals. Ward said the owner is not proposing a through-drive connection to the neighboring property and that access would continue from Alder Court Lane.

Board discussion focused on consistency with the community plan, public-service and environmental considerations, and incremental annexation. Board members noted the site is in an area identified for increased density and said annexation would bring the lot under city regulation and utility oversight. Several members said annexation would allow removal of a septic system that now serves county lots, which they described as an environmental benefit. Other members expressed concern about piecemeal annexation and said a larger, coordinated annexation of the surrounding small county lots would be preferable.

Board member Nicole Olmstead cast the lone no vote. Mark Agee moved the motion to adopt the staff findings and recommend approval; Jason Delmue seconded. Sam Sexton, city staff, recorded the roll-call vote as: Mark Agee — yes; Jason Delmue — yes; Chris Egnats — yes; Jen Madge — yes; Ben Lloyd — yes; Nicole Olmstead — no; Henry Happel (chair) — yes. The motion passed 6-1.

Staff said notices were completed and that no public comments had been received on the application by the time of the meeting. Rogers told the board the city commission will review the annexation and zoning on March 25, 2025.

Clarifying details recorded in the meeting include differing area descriptions in staff remarks: at one point the application was described as “0.44 acres including the adjacent right-of-way” and later as “0.3 acres.” Rogers also stated that the nearby county lots are served by individual wells and septic systems. The applicant described an initial scheme for six units and said adjacent newer development to the north is condominiumized.