Building our Future Together - Development Code Update

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The City Commission has restarted engagement and work on this project. See the News Feed for updates.

Updated draft text as of Oct 29, 2024

Updated Draft zoning map reflecting updated text draft


This project is all about implementing the vision and goals established in our city’s guiding documents such as the 2020 Community Plan (aka Growth Policy), the Climate Plan, and strategic priorities like affordable housing.

These broad visions, goals, and priorities are implemented through the Unified Development Code or “UDC” or “the code.” The UDC sets forth regulations around what kinds of development can occur in which areas through development standards and zoning districts.

The goal for this engagement effort is to consult the community on how to improve usability of the UDC and how the regulations in the UDC can help us accommodate growth while meeting community goals in our Community Plan, Climate Plan and others.

Throughout the project residents, developers, builders, and the community at large will be consulted on specific topics relevant to how different people interact with the code. Specific focus areas will be:

  • Formatting, organization of the UDC

  • Zoning Districts

  • Sustainability

  • Parking

  • Transportation

This project page will be the place to go for updates on how to engage in person, virtually, or on your own time. You can subscribe to email updates specific to this project by clicking “Follow Project” on the right hand side of this page. We're glad you're here!

The City Commission has restarted engagement and work on this project. See the News Feed for updates.

Updated draft text as of Oct 29, 2024

Updated Draft zoning map reflecting updated text draft


This project is all about implementing the vision and goals established in our city’s guiding documents such as the 2020 Community Plan (aka Growth Policy), the Climate Plan, and strategic priorities like affordable housing.

These broad visions, goals, and priorities are implemented through the Unified Development Code or “UDC” or “the code.” The UDC sets forth regulations around what kinds of development can occur in which areas through development standards and zoning districts.

The goal for this engagement effort is to consult the community on how to improve usability of the UDC and how the regulations in the UDC can help us accommodate growth while meeting community goals in our Community Plan, Climate Plan and others.

Throughout the project residents, developers, builders, and the community at large will be consulted on specific topics relevant to how different people interact with the code. Specific focus areas will be:

  • Formatting, organization of the UDC

  • Zoning Districts

  • Sustainability

  • Parking

  • Transportation

This project page will be the place to go for updates on how to engage in person, virtually, or on your own time. You can subscribe to email updates specific to this project by clicking “Follow Project” on the right hand side of this page. We're glad you're here!

  • Upcoming Engagement Opportunities

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    There are plenty of opportunities to get involved and engage with the project next month both virtually and in-person. Keep an eye out for the following events and engagement opportunities:

    • Ongoing: Online engagement surveys (click here to learn more and participate)
    • City Commission Work Session #4 – Commercial Zoning – February 14th
    • Community Development Board UDC Work Session – February 27th
    • City Commission Work Session #5 – Parking – February 28th
    • Code Connect Webinar #3 – Zoning Districts and Parking – March 8th

    We will also be scheduling more in-person engagement station events on a regular basis, so be sure to check back on this page often. We look forward to hearing your thoughts!

  • Reminder: Online Engagement Surveys

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    Over the last several months, the project team has conducted in-person activities with informational pamphlets and surveys about topics related to the UDC update. These materials are now available online for you to review, interact with, and provide feedback on! The responses we gather both online and in-person will be used to inform our revisions to the UDC. We will continue to update this page with new topics throughout the project, so check back often.


    Follow the link below to go to our virtual library, available in English and Spanish, and provide your input. We look forward to hearing what you have to say!


    UDC Engagement Library: (link)

  • Engagement Update

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    We’ve been busy meeting with high school and university students, community members, city staff, advisory boards, and City Commission. Midway through our engagement efforts, here’s what we’ve done and who we’ve heard from so far. The stats below provide a high-level summary of where we've been, who we've talked to, and what we've heard so far.


    • 7 mobile engagement station events
    • More than 250 people spoken with
    • 157 completed engagement surveys (click here to learn more and participate)
      • Most popular topics include Height Limits, Housing Diversity, Solar Power Generation and Urban Agriculture
    • 2 neighborhood group meetings
    • 2 development and design professionals focus groups
    • Over 40 high school and college students during class visits and focus group conversations
    • Major takeaways:
      • Interest in creating more connected neighborhoods where pedestrian and biker safety is prioritized
      • Increasing the amount of mixed-use land throughout the city was popular, tempered by concern about encroachment into existing neighborhoods
      • Widespread interest in creating a greater variety of housing types throughout Bozeman


    Continue to stay involved as we continue our outreach efforts throughout the course of this project, and remember to come back to this site for the latest updates!

  • Community Development Board Work Session Debrief

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    Last week the project team participated in a virtual work session with the Community Development Board. They discussed progress on the project so far, including some of the draft regulations for residential zoning districts and a summary of community engagement efforts conducted through the end of 2022. Check out the presentation and meeting recording at the links below to learn more!


    Link to meeting video

    Link to presentation

  • Engagement Update

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    Happy New Year, Bozeman!


    The MSU “Street Team” has been out and about the last semester with a mobile engagement station to gather input for the city’s development code update. You might have seen them at city parks, the Winter Farmer’s Market, HandMADE Fair, or most recently at the Christmas Stroll. Architecture students Rebecca Hennings and Krista Hunton have been leading the outreach efforts for the MSU Street Team and were joined by Daisy Parnell, Jenavieve Lynch, and City Planner Tom Rogers.

    Your input on things like housing diversity, height limits, and sustainable design will help the consultant team, Community Development Board, and City Commission improve regulations around new development to help our community meet climate goals, achieve the vision in our Community Plan, and address housing supply and affordability in Bozeman.

  • Online Project Surveys

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    Over the last few months, we’ve conducted in-person activities with informational pamphlets and surveys about topics related to the UDC update. These materials are now available online for you to review, interact with, and provide feedback on! The responses we gather both online and in-person will be used to inform the direction of our revisions to the UDC.


    Follow the link below to go to our virtual library, available in English and Spanish, and provide your input. We look forward to hearing what you have to say!


    UDC Engagement Library (link)

  • Upcoming Engagement Opportunities

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    There are plenty of opportunities to get involved and engage with the project over the next few weeks both virtually and in-person. Keep an eye out for the following events and engagement opportunities, with even more to come after the holidays:


  • City Commission Work Session #3 Debrief - Sustainability

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    The project team had a third UDC-focused work session with the City Commission this week, focused on sustainability. Here's what we discussed:


    • The city's approach to regulating urban agriculture (both residential and larger-scale commercial operations)
    • Requirements for EV charging in new developments
    • The sale of home-grown and home-produced agricultural products


    The City Commission provided the following guidance to the project team:


    • Aim high for EV-charging requirements - pursue options that encourage more "EV-ready" and installed solutions, as opposed to "EV-capable"
    • Allow for height encroachments for rooftop greenhouses
    • Allow the development of context-sensitive urban agriculture in commercial zones
    • Consider more thoroughly the impacts of allowing sales of home-based agricultural goods in residential zones


    Visit the City Commission page here to view the meeting recording and minutes (link). The consultant team's presentation is available in the Presentation Materials section of this website (link).

  • Reminder - Sustainability Work Session Tomorrow, 11/15

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    The project team has their next work session with the City Commission tomorrow, Tuesday, November 15. The discussion will focus on how the new UDC will address issues related to sustainability. You can find the materials, an agenda, and the link to join the meeting online or in person on the city’s website.


    We will post a summary of the meeting as well as presentation slides to this site shortly after the session.

  • 11/15 City Commission Work Session - Sustainability

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    The project team has their next work session with the City Commission on Tuesday, November 15. The discussion will focus on how the new UDC will address issues related to sustainability. You can find the materials, an agenda, and the link to join the meeting online or in person on the city’s website.


    We will post a summary of the meeting as well as presentation slides to this site shortly after the session.


Page last updated: 10 Dec 2024, 08:16 AM