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Billings council votes to list 802 Yellowstone for sale after debate over garden versus housing
Summary
After months of cleanup and a neighborhood survey, Billings City Council directed staff to put the city‑owned 802 Yellowstone parcel on the market, after debate over whether to pursue a community garden, housing or a targeted RFP to secure public‑benefit development.
Billings — The Billings City Council on Dec. 1 directed staff to list the city‑owned lot at 802 Yellowstone for sale after months of abatement and community outreach, following divided council debate over whether the best use is a small open space/community garden or housing.
Wyeth, a city staff member who briefed the council, said the city acquired the narrow, roughly 5,000‑square‑foot parcel in late 2024 after code‑enforcement actions and court proceedings. Demolition and hazardous‑material abatement were completed this year; staff reported recycling roughly 21,400 pounds of metal before demolition and removing asbestos and lead paint during the cleanup.
Staff told the council they used Big Sky Economic Development and the U.S. EPA Brownfields program to assess and help fund cleanup. That work was financed in part through a revolving loan connected to the Brownfields program; staff said the loan balance tied to the project is about $80,000. Wyeth said proceeds from any sale would first be applied to repay the revolving loan per program rules.
The city conducted a neighborhood survey this summer with 130 responses — about 70% of respondents lived within 10 blocks — and presented several concepts to neighbors, including a small community garden/open space, a single‑family or modular home and a commercial or small retail concept. Staff recommended, as the near‑term option, a small open‑space community garden because Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds are currently available to fund design, utilities and modest infrastructure for that kind of use.
Multiple council members questioned whether the neighborhood has an organized group able to maintain a community garden and raised maintenance‑cost concerns for parks operations. Several other council members argued the property should be used to expand housing supply, citing examples of very narrow residential lots nearby that support single‑family or duplex units.
Council member Tom Boyette moved to direct staff to put the property up for sale, beginning with an open market offer to the highest bidder and to return with a plan B (an RFP or housing‑focused approach) if the lot does not sell within a reasonable time. The motion carried after debate; the presiding officer reported seven councilors in favor and four opposed.
Council members asked staff to clarify financial implications of different sale scenarios — particularly how sale proceeds would interact with the Brownfields revolving loan — and staff committed to returning with additional detail and options if the marketplace produces limited or no interest.
What’s next: Staff will list 802 Yellowstone for sale per the council’s direction and return with results and proposed next steps if the property does not sell within the timeframe set by staff.
