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Bridger View residents say Story Mill parking, splash-pad work proceeded without adequate neighborhood notice; city says master plan guided project
Summary
Residents of the Bridger View neighborhood told the Bozeman City Commission on June 3 that they felt excluded from decisions about a new parking lot and access road at Story Mill Park, while the city said the work follows an adopted park master plan and that staff met with neighbors and modified landscaping.
Residents of the Bridger View neighborhood told the Bozeman City Commission on June 3 that they felt “cut out” of planning for a parking lot and access road near Story Mill Park’s new splash pad, saying notice and neighborhood input were insufficient.
“I live in the Bridger View neighborhood … We asked the city to hold some pretty hearings, allow us to talk about what it's gonna look like and we've been ignored is what it feels like,” resident John Meyer told the commission during the public-comment period.
Meyer said neighborhood requests to appear on agendas, to receive information and to participate in planning had gone unanswered, and he questioned the location of the parking lot relative to the splash pad. Barbara Conklin, another Bridger View resident, said neighbors had raised wetland, wildlife and noise concerns and that a sign was put up “the day before they started construction.” She asked the city to “engage the adjacent community of Bridger View.”
City Manager Wynne replied during the meeting that the Story Mill Park master plan — adopted by the commission in 2016 and readopted in 2023 — called for the splash pad and the new parking, and that staff met with neighborhood representatives in January 2024. Wynne said staff modified landscaping to address separation and viewshed concerns and that “we did listen and we did take action.” He also described the parking as a public-safety measure to reduce unsafe on-street parking during events.
Deputy Mayor Morrison acknowledged a delay in outreach and apologized for not responding sooner to residents’ inquiries, saying he would follow up personally in the next few days to provide additional context and address concerns.
The exchange ended without a formal vote; staff outlined that they would continue to meet with the neighborhood and provide additional information at follow-up contacts and at future meetings. No new permitting action or ordinance was proposed or approved during the June 3 meeting.
Why it matters: Residents said they were surprised by immediate construction and worry about the project’s effects on wetlands, wildlife, noise and views from private yards. City officials said the improvements are part of an adopted park master plan and were modified after resident input, and they committed to additional outreach and follow-up.
