Bozeman board recommends rezoning triangular parcel near regional park after land swap; residents urge protection of park access

The Bozeman Community Development Board voted Monday to recommend that the City Commission approve the Vaquero Land Swap Zone Map Amendment (application 25035), a request to rezone a small triangular piece of property from PLI (Public Lands and Institutions) to R3 (residential), the board heard. The board’s recommendation was unanimous, and the item is scheduled for a City Commission public hearing on June 17, 2025.

The amendment affects a roughly 1.37‑acre portion of private land adjacent to the 100‑acre regional park near Vaquero Parkway and Baxter and Oak. Tom Rogers of the Community Development Department told the board that staff found the proposal meets state review criteria and that the parcel is currently part of a preliminary plat that has not yet received final plat approval.

The rezoning matter drew a string of public comments from adjacent homeowners who said the yellow triangle on staff maps functions as park access and thus should remain public land. Leslie Johnson, a Vaquero Parkway resident, told the board, “The Yellow Land is actually a very prime location for park access.” Several other nearby homeowners said they…