Bozeman Landmark Program

The Historic Preservation Program began in the early 1980's when a comprehensive historic architecture survey of the "historic portion" of the city was conducted. Surveying over 3,000 properties provided the foundation to nominate ten National Historic Districts in subsequent years, adopt historic preservation regulations, and create the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District (NCOD) in 1991. Since then, the current regulations in Section 38.340 of the Bozeman Municipal Code have been applied to new development and alterations within the historic districts or the NCOD via the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) process. To learn more of the history about the program and the NCOD, check out the FAQS on the right of this page.

Our focus with the Bozeman Landmark Program centers on revising the existing preservation policy and crafting a local landmark program. This project will:

Evaluate Section 38.340 of the Unified Development Code - where all things historic preservation and standards for the NCOD reside;
Assess the review criteria and standards for certificate of appropriateness applications;
Reevaluate the NCOD - determine the effectiveness of the district and its boundary and how it relates to the historic preservation program as a whole since this project is looking at the entire city and not just the NCOD;
Create a Landmark Program and nomination process which can identify places of importance that may not be recognized as significant at the National level and can establish its own locally-specific standards and regulations. Learn more about landmark programs in the FAQ on the right.

This project is split up into two phases. The first phase focuses on research, data collection, and community engagement which will be developed into a policy recommendation document that will be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Advisory Board, Community Development Board, and the City Commission. The second phase will put the recommendations into action and develop the policy and amend code as needed.

This project page will serve as your go-to resource for updates on how to engage in person, virtually, or at your convenience. You can stay informed by subscribing to email updates specific to this project by subscribing on the right-hand side of this page. We appreciate your active participation and involvement in this important endeavor!

Our focus with the Bozeman Landmark Program centers on revising the existing preservation policy and crafting a local landmark program. This project will:

Evaluate Section 38.340 of the Unified Development Code - where all things historic preservation and standards for the NCOD reside;
Assess the review criteria and standards for certificate of appropriateness applications;
Reevaluate the NCOD - determine the effectiveness of the district and its boundary and how it relates to the historic preservation program as a whole since this project is looking at the entire city and not just the NCOD;
Create a Landmark Program and nomination process which can identify places of importance that may not be recognized as significant at the National level and can establish its own locally-specific standards and regulations. Learn more about landmark programs in the FAQ on the right.

Phase 1 Update

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The Project Team is excited to share that the Initial Guidance Report received positive feedback from the Historic Preservation Advisory Board, the Community Development Board, and the City Commission during recent work sessions. Recordings of these meetings are available under the key dates section.

We’re grateful to everyone who attended and provided public comments and input—it’s clear the community values strengthening the historic preservation program and code. Over the next few months, we’ll focus on finalizing the Phase One Report.

The draft report will be shared with the community for review and feedback before being presented to the HPAB, Community Development Board, and City Commission for review in winter 2025. Once adopted, this report will guide us into Phase Two, where we’ll begin developing policies and making necessary code amendments.

Thank you for your continued engagement and support!
Survey Results

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Along with the infographic below that gives high level information on the survey that we had this past summer, please see the links below for all responses in graph format and Excel. These responses are assisting us with the report that will come out winter 2025. In the meantime, take a look at the initial guidance report that we put out early October.
Excel Results
PDF Results
Map Results
Initial Guidance Report is here!

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The project team has released an Initial Guidance Report as part of the first phase of the Landmark Program project. This report outlines preliminary recommendations based on community input, research, and data collection. The recommendations are high-level, as the team is seeking feedback to shape the final report, which is expected in winter 2025. The final report will guide the project team into phase 2 and put the recommendations into action and develop policy and amend code as needed.
Work sessions with the Historic Preservation Advisory Board, Community Development Board, and City Commission are scheduled to review and provide feedback on the report. Check out the key dates to the right for meeting details!
Click here to access the Initial Guidance Report.
Summary of Survey Results

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Thanks again to those who participated in our survey. See the infographic below that summarizes some of the responses.
Presentation on Overlay Districts

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At the September meeting of the Historic Preservation Advisory Board (HPAB), city staff presented an overview of the history of the city’s historic preservation program, the creation and purpose of the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District (NCOD), and a general introduction to overlay districts. This presentation was intended to prepare HPAB for the October work session with the consultant team as part of Phase 1 of the Bozeman Landmark Program.
There has been significant discussion about the NCOD, its role in this project, and its future. Previous reports from 2015 and 2019 provided recommendations on the NCOD. This project includes evaluating the future of the NCOD and its relevance to the broader historic preservation efforts beyond its current boundaries.
Bozeman has changed considerably since 1991, and the use of overlay districts has evolved alongside it. Understanding the origins of the NCOD and the role of overlay districts in historic preservation, neighborhood character, and community growth is essential as we progress with this project.
What is an overlay district?
A land management tool that allows communities to tailor development regulations to specific areas based on local priorities. These districts often address concerns like historic preservation, environmental protection, contextual development, corridor design, amongst many others, and provide a more nuanced approach to zoning compared to traditional, uniform regulations. The specifics of an overlay district are detailed in zoning codes and can vary depending on the district's goals.
How does an overlay district differ from a historic district?
Bozeman's historic districts are part of the National Register of Historic Places, a federal program that recognizes sites of historic significance. This designation is voluntary and does not restrict changes or demolitions unless a local preservation program imposes such restrictions. In Bozeman, both overlay districts and historic districts exist, serving different purposes and functions.
How is Bozeman's NCOD enforced?
Bozeman's NCOD is enforced under section 38.340 of the Bozeman Municipal Code. Any changes, new construction, or demolitions within the NCOD require a certificate of appropriateness application. Part of this project involves making amendments to section 38.340 of the Bozeman Municipal Code. These amendments will be based on the outcomes of Phase 1, which includes community engagement, advisory board work sessions, and direction from the City Commission.
How are overlay districts created?
Creating an overlay district involves a zone map amendment to establish a boundary and specific regulations for that area. The City Commission ultimately adopts the overlay district.
For additional information about overlay districts and various models, you can watch the HPAB meeting video.
SURVEY CLOSES THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15!

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What a couple of months of community engagement we have had! We truly appreciate everyone who has participated. Just a reminder, the survey closes on Sunday, September 15. The more data and input we have, the better. Please take a moment to fill out the survey. https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/c3409cb6ecc14dccb2e7c426786ee1af
Come see us at our final in person engagement event

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We're wrapping up our community engagement to gather initial feedback on the historic preservation program. Join us for our final in-person event at the Lindley Park Farmers Market on Tuesday, September 3, from 5-8 PM. We’d love to hear your thoughts!
And don't forget, the survey is open until September 15. We have received over 200 responses so far so thanks to everyone who has taken it. Your input it extremely valuable for the future of this project. https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/c3409cb6ecc14dccb2e7c426786ee1af
Lunch on the Lawn

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City staff will be at Lunch on the Lawn at the Emerson again tomorrow, Wednesday, July 31 from 11:30am-1:30pm to talk about the project. Come listen to some local music, get some delicious food, and come chat with us about the project. Hope to see you there!
We hope to be around town throughout August so be on the lookout for more events!
Why Preserve Presentation Video

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CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

Back in May, the Historic Preservation Advisory Board took part in historic preservation board training from the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC). The Commission Assistance and Mentoring Program (CAMP) brought three qualified preservation professionals to lead an all day training on different topics related to historic preservation such as preservation planning, identifying historic resources, and why historic preservation is important.
As part of this training, NAPC has granted us access to the "Why Preserve" presentation hosted by Adrian Scott Fine. This recording is available until September 30 and is about an hour long. You can view the presentation here.
We appreciate your input so far! Please take our survey

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Wow! What a week of engagement! Thank you all who came out to one of our community engagement events this past week. We had some wonderful conversations and loved listening to your stories. The engagement doesn't stop here though. If Bozeman's culture, heritage, and history is important to you and you have 5-10 minutes between now and when the survey closes on September 15, we would really appreciate hearing from you! The survey available in English and Spanish.
We hope to solidify a few more engagement events in August and will post them on this page. However, don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions. We are working on having a couple of more engagement events in August and will post them on here once they are solidified.
Take a look at some of the photos from our events!