Residents press commission over parks master plan proposals for McGee Drive, Miles Park Road and a proposed parking layout

Residents raised multiple concerns at the start of the Livingston City Commission meeting about proposals in the city’s parks master plan, focusing on a suggested closure of McGee Drive through a park, removal of green space for a large parking pad, the proposed closure of Miles Park Road between athletic fields and the high school, and a relocation of a flag display.

Barbara Britt, speaking during public comment, said she has lived in Livingston most of her 80 years and opposed closing the McGee Drive access through the park, arguing the road contributes to the park’s natural character and daily access for neighbors. Britt also said a proposed parking layout would hold 51 cars and remove a large amount of green space; she compared it to another parking lot she counted in Town and Country that holds fewer cars. She expressed concern that closing Miles Park Road would leave only one exit from the large athletic parking area during school events. Britt said she had talked with local fire department personnel, who told her they believed emergency vehicles could access the area but that they had not been broadly consulted.

City Manager James Gager and staff answered those remarks during the meeting. Gager said the parks master plan is a preliminary plan and had been developed from public input; nothing in the draft is final and staff expects further public comment and revisions. The staff presentation confirmed the online survey will remain open through September and that a draft master plan is expected to be presented to the commission in October for formal review and the approval process.

On the specific concerns: staff said department heads, including public works and fire, have reviewed the proposed recommendations. The proposed closure of Miles Park Road described in staff materials is limited to the portion after the entrances to the high‑school property and would in part restore a historical configuration that once included removable bollards. Staff said removable bollards are a likely tool to preserve emergency and maintenance vehicle access while restricting general through traffic. Gager said staff will confirm that the survey includes questions about the McGee Drive closure and the flagpole relocation; if the questions are missing, staff will correct the survey and re‑engage the public.

Staff encouraged neighbors who feel they cannot fully express their views in the survey to email the city manager (citymanager@livingstonmontana.org) or submit comments via the website contact form. The commission did not take action on the park proposals at the meeting and characterized the draft as open for revision based on public input.

Residents and commissioners asked staff to continue outreach and to publish the draft plan and any revisions for public review before formal adoption.