The City and the North Seventh Avenue Urban Revitalization Board (NSURB) are working together to move quickly in the creation and adoption of new zoning provisions for the Midtown corridor. These new zoning provisions will implement the North 7^th Avenue Plan and are intended to be ready for public review by March, 2016.

The City and its consultant are committed to involving the public as much as possible, and plan to host several public meetings and workshops, maintain a project website, distribute periodic updates via email, conduct informal questionnaires, and more. Take part in any or all of the events and activities, follow the work on-line, sign up for e-mail notices, and be sure to share your thoughts, ideas and concerns!

The UDC update process, including public meetings and the development of draft materials is expected to be complete by Fall of 2016. Public review and consideration by the City Commission, including eventual adoption, will begin at that time.  The anticipated adoption of the code updated is early 2017.

Community plans (sometimes referred to as “long-range” or “general” plans) are essentially policy documents – intended to guide decisions by staff and elected officials. What are commonly referred to as “zoning” regulations are just that – specific, legal regulations governing building, land use, and division of land. The zoning map is a graphical representation of which areas of the city are subject to which regulations. The UDC (zoning text) and map are intended to implement community plan, so they are related, but separate - and can only be revised through public process and adoption by Council action.

The Bozeman Code Update is a public process to update the City’s Unified Development Code (UDC). The UDC covers a diverse range of topics, including, zoning, design standards, subdivisions, wetland, and permit review procedures. The key feature of the update is to translate the community's expectations for development as expressed in the Community Plan into a concise and useable set of regulations. Specifically, the purposes of the update are to: encourage the creation of vibrant mixed-use districts, achieve high-quality infill and redevelopment, integrate thoughtful greenfield development, generate North 7th Corridor Plan (Midtown) implementation and design provisions, develop traditional neighborhood development zoning provisions for the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District (NCOD), include provisions to promote and support sustainability including best management practices (BMPs) for storm water, water use, and lighting, and linking land use and transportation (auto, transit, biking and pedestrian), comply with changes to State Law, and make the Development Code a more concise and useable document.

Bozeman’s City Commission authorized the UDC update in the summer of 2015. With the adoption of the City’s Community Plan in 2009, the existence of numerous adopted neighborhood and special area plans, and rapid growth (infill and edge), the City recognized the need to update its land development regulations and standards. Bozeman initially adopted zoning in 1934. Bozeman’s current UDC was established in 2004. Many older elements and standards were carried forward into the 2004 update. The present text therefore does not always reflect best zoning, planning and infrastructure practices. Incremental modifications and updates have resulted in a less efficient code to administer, unnecessary complexity, and questionable effectiveness in implementing recommendations in Bozeman’s adopted plans.

The Community Development Department is currently in the process of updating Bozeman's Development Code. The intent is that the Development Code clearly communicate the community's expectations for development as expressed in the Community Plan. The purposes of the 2015 Development Code Update are to:

1. Implement the recommendations of the City's adopted Comprehensive Plan (2009) and its detailed neighborhood and special area plans by:

• Encouraging the creation of vibrant mixed-use districts,
• Achieving high-quality infill and redevelopment,
• Integrating thoughtful greenfield development,

2. Generate North 7th Corridor Plan (Midtown) implementation and design provisions.
3. Include traditional neighborhood development zoning districts for the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District (NCOD)
4. Include additional provisions to promote and support sustainability including best management practices (BMPs) for storm water, water use, and lighting, and linking land use and transportation (auto, transit, biking and pedestrian).
5. Support the Comprehensive Plan to promote and support a safe, diverse, healthy, and affordable housing stock.
6. Comply with changes to State Law.
7. Make the Development Code a more concise and use-able document.

The Development Code Update is a comprehensive update that covers many topics, diverse geographic area, and complex development-related issues. Please note that the calendar and news will be updated on an ongoing basis to reflect community interest as well as Planning Board, Zoning Commission and City Commission direction. All public meetings of proposed Development Code Amendments will be posted when available.

Please Contact Tom Rogers at 406-582-2260 for more information.

The City is also reviewing the Design Objectives Plan. Please visit this project's page to learn more.