Introducing crossroads, our monthly planning newsletter
Introducing our new monthly community planning newsletter: Crossroads!
With so much happening in the community planning world these days, we decided to provide a monthly recap and look-ahead in one newsy, virtual bulletin.
Growth and change are coming to our community in unprecedented ways. At PCEC, we’ve embraced the notion that we need to work together to shape the community we want to be. In the past, we’ve spent a lot of time battling bad ideas like gold mines, tire dumps and gravel pits. But as we move forward, we’re creating a vision for an equitable community, where people can afford to live and work in Park County and enjoy the paradise we are all so fortunate to live in.
Crossroads starts with two categories: City Planning and County Planning, simply because there are a variety of things happening in these jurisdictions. We think it generally makes sense to divide our thoughts accordingly, because the rules are sometime different from city to county. But there are many elements of our urban and rural environments that don’t know boundaries: the Yellowstone River, wildlife, bird life, the breeze and wind, wildfires and floods and of course, people.
Community planning is just as it sounds, a community planning together to figure out solutions to the tough issues we face in our neighborhoods, our county, our city, and our urban and rural landscapes.
It goes without saying, that to plan for a successful future, we need to work together.
PCEC’s Michelle Uberuaga downtown with Livingston Deputy Planner, Mathieu Menard (far right), and from Montana State University, Shannon Paynee, Brian Brush, and Caitlyn Ekberg.
City finalizing draft Growth Policy after incredible input
The almost-adopted Livingston Growth Policy is one of the bright spots in recent planning news. Livingston City Commissioners will be holding a public meeting on June 15 to consider final adoption of the document.
When passed, the Livingston Growth Policy will help inform future growth as the city considers new subdivisions, and in future updates to the city’s zoning and subdivision regulations.
Thank the planning board for all their good work on this effort by sending an email to planning@livingstonmontana.org. You can also send your specific comments to the city commissioners: citycommission@livingstonmontana.org.
In other city planning news, we are excited to announce that PCEC has hired two interns from Montana State University’s Community Design Center to help conduct an inventory of Livingston’s downtown. Livingston joined the Montana Main Street Program two years ago, and we’re eager to start exploring ways to strengthen our amazing downtown. We will keep you posted as plans move forward.
Conflict Mitigation Zoning is a tool that will give locals more control over decisions involving change to our community.
Photo by Jon Catton
County moves ahead with Conflict Mitigation Zoning
Park County Commissioners and Park County Planning Board members met jointly on May 20 and agreed to move forward on the proposed Conflict Mitigation Regulation. The board and planning staff are working hard to teach us more about the document and to hear our comments/concerns.
We think Conflict Mitigation is a good tool that can help us structure a system where locals have more control over decisions involving change to our community. We’ll be working to submit comments and make this as effective a regulatory tool as possible.
Write planning members here: planning@parkcounty.org. Join the next board meeting at 4 p.m., June 17.
Community Conversation Schedule
Our summer Community Conversations will feature county planning and discussions that will help us all better understand the proposed Conflict Mitigation Regulation. These virtual planning discussions are scheduled.
June 23, 12:30 p.m.: Conflict Mitigation: Understanding Conditional Use Permits - Register Today
July 7, noon: A Community Effort: Bozeman Pass Planning History
Aug. 4, noon: Neighborhood Plans: Grassroots Planning at its Best
Sept. 1, noon: Predictability and Property Rights
Livingston Trails and Active Transportation Plan
The City of Livingston is currently working to create a Trails and Active Transportation Plan that will commit our city to a vision for future trails, pathways, and walking, rolling, and biking infrastructure in our community.
So far, we have had really great community involvement in the plan! The consultants have praised the community’s passion and willingness to get involved in planning for our future. The consultants said our community has once again had more involvement than many other larger communities. We keep doing this, and it’s something we should keep celebrating!
There are a few ways for you to get involved:
Take the Active Transportation Survey by Friday, June 4!
Mark your calendars for a Saturday, July 31, community bike ride with the consultants.