Bozeman City Commission authorizes Bozeman Creek Vision Plan contract after public calls to add 'ecological health' to goals

The Bozeman City Commission on Jan. 27 authorized the city manager to sign a professional services agreement with Port Architecture and Urbanism LLC to develop the Bozeman Creek Vision Plan, after public comment and commissioners pressed staff to explicitly include ecological health among the project’s stated goals.

Assistant City Manager John Henderson told the Commission the $150,000 project — procured after seven proposals and a selection process that included staff and community representatives — is intended as a one-year visioning roadmap that will prioritize flood mitigation, water quality, access and connectivity to parks and trails, and community connection to the creek. Henderson emphasized the plan is a strategic vision rather than a full watershed study and noted some technical constraints (for example, the conveyance tunnels under Main Street cannot be solved within this contract and will require additional partners). He said the city expects to kickoff the consultant team immediately if the contract is approved, with a draft vision emerging in the June–August…