2019 Downtown
1,891 online survey responses
230+ participants at in-person workshops
Bozeman Improvement Plan
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The 2019 Downtown Bozeman Improvement Plan (the DBIP) revises the framework, principles, and ideas laid out in the 2009 DBIP. The DBIP is coordinated with the City’s other planning efforts, in particular the Community Plan update, NCOD process and Housing Needs Assessment. Over the course of the project, the Bozeman community shared thousands of ideas for Downtown. Above all, the 2019 DBIP was built through a collaborative community process.
Vision Looking forward, Downtown Bozeman will remain the heart of a thriving city, but will also emphasize connections to other parts of the community. A rich, vibrant pattern of walkable and accessible streets is more essential now than ever, so the experience of Downtown willl expand beyond the identifiable historic core to encompass much more than Main Street. And while Downtown changes, new investments will be targeted so that improvements are designed to benefit everyone and that Downtown’s identity celebrates what is special about Bozeman and remains forever connected to nature and culture.
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GUIDING PRINCIPLES (P. 26)
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• Reinforce Downtown as the city center, through new buildings of urban density, considerable height and a diverse mix of uses. • Protect the character of the Main Street Historic District and residential neighborhoods through context-sensitive development. • Design new buildings for sustainability, durability and design excellence. • Use streets, sidewalks and alleys as a safe and comfortable multi-modal network. • Expand transit and bicycle access and facilities to link Downtown to other employment, residential, and commercial districts. • Foster a welcoming and inclusive Downtown for all ages, incomes, abilities, and backgrounds with a mix of uses and accessible places. • Ensure Downtown open spaces foster gathering, recreation, flexibility, programming and local identity. • Highlight nature and the surrounding mountains whenever possible, strengthening the amenities unique to Bozeman.
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• Create connections within Downtown and among the surrounding districts. • Manage and regulate parking to ensure convenient access and balanced supply.
100+ stakeholders at focus groups
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300 comments left at public meetings
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Recent and Planned Projects
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Under Construction In Planning or Approvals Potential Capacity (hypothetical) P
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Key Projects & Ideas Guide Downtown Growth (pp. 33, 102) Through 2045, Downtown’s projected development includes 400-800 residential units and 250,000350,000 square feet of office space. While these are expected to include mixed use buildings, retail strategies focus on tenant retention and curation. Reduce Main Street to Three Lanes (p. 90) To reduce vehicle conflicts and increase front-door parking, the plan converts Main Street to three lanes: one lane in each direction, with a central turning lane and back-in angled parking. Improve Bikeability (p. 92) Downtown biking is improved through a twoway cycle track on Babcock, improvements to Mendenhall’s sharrows, and support facilities.
STORY DITCH
Reimagine Soroptomist Park & Bozeman Creek for Public Use (pp. 122, 128) Soroptomist Park is re-envisioned with simple changes that make it more vibrant and flexible for daily use and expandable for large events. Bozeman Creek is restored with healthier ecology and more access and visibility. Revise Parking Code & Expand Parking (p. 40) Downtown parking is unlocked and expanded through revision of current code requirements for office users and residential projects. The net effect is intended to make more parking broadly available, align code with market demand, and encourage a broader range of housing types and affordability. Reinforce Transition Requirements (p. 108) The plan clarifies and strengthens transitions between low density residential and new Downtown development with recommendations for revised code, provisions, height limits and design guidelines.