TAKE ACTION: Weigh in on Livingston's Future Growth Areas (Plus results from our bike audit)

Comments on Livingston’s future growth survey are due tomorrow, Wednesday, July 8, at 7 p.m. If you haven’t already, please take the time to submit comments on how and where you think Livingston should grow.

This is an extremely important aspect of the Growth Policy Update process, as the growth policy will likely dictate the zoning of areas annexed into the city.

Take the Extra-Territorial Growth Survey

We at PCEC have put in hours of work to formulate comments we think will help benefit the community. Please visit our website to read some of our thoughts.

The survey has two main components:

Specific annexations: The city is asking for feedback on potential annexations near Green Acres, the North Hill, Fleshman Creek area, Printing For Less, Murdochs, View Vista and Moja Dog Park. 

Long-term growth: Are there areas around the city that shouldn’t be developed and deserve protection (Fleshman Creek, Yellowstone River)? Are there areas that could stand to grow more … through redevelopment opportunities or infill?

Just say no to residential sprawl: Automobile-dependent neighborhoods composed solely of single-family homes are a thing of the past. We’ve learned about the high costs associated with such development: the inefficiency of extending services like road networks, water and sewer lines, the high cost of expanding jurisdictions of our local police and fire departments and; the negative public health consequences of living in an area that requires driving a car to day-to-day activities.

We believe new neighborhoods need to reflect the diversity that makes up our community. New neighborhoods need to include a mix of housing types (duplexes, apartments, condominiums, small homes as well as some larger homes on different sized lots) located next to activities we engage in daily. Things like coffee shops, schools, churches, parks, grocery stores, etc. Our neighborhoods should be walkable and bikeable. 

We also recommend adoption of creek and river setbacks that prevent development in the sensitive floodplains and riparian areas of the Yellowstone River and Fleshman Creek.

Last week, we also completed a bike audit of some areas of the survey. With seven (socially distant) riders, aged between 23-63, we cycled 11.5 miles. Discussing areas A,B and C (see photo), we noted our riding experience with the perspective of safety, access, comfort, and convenience, and referred to the city's Master Parks and Trails Plan. To read our full comments from the bike audit, check out our bike audit review and recommendations.

Please take the survey by tomorrow, Wednesday, July 8 at 7 p.m.