The Bozeman Brief — Bozeman News & City Government Podcast

Advisory Board Roundup

Study Commission Nears Charter Vote; Development Board Backs 90-Foot Heights; Housing Plan Approved

The Bozeman City Study Commission refined ballot language ahead of an August 6 adoption meeting and appointed a campaign treasurer to begin voter education for the November charter measure. The Community Development Board recommended retaining the 90-foot height limit in downtown's B-3 zone with additional setbacks, while the Economic Vitality Board approved a $355,712 federal housing plan focused on transitional units and eviction prevention.

August 7, 2026·Listen · 6:52

Commission directs staff to explore local sales tax advocacy, pre-approved building plans, and new revenue mechanisms to address $350,000 per-unit affordability gap

City Commission

Commission directs staff to explore local sales tax advocacy, pre-approved building plans, and new revenue mechanisms to address $350,000 per-unit affordability gap

After a two-and-a-half-hour housing work session, commissioners outlined priorities ranging from state legislative advocacy for a local option sales tax to exploring pre-approved building plans and potential revenue bonds. Staff also presented data showing 394 people experiencing homelessness in Gallatin County—down from 523 the prior year—attributed to expanded shelter capacity, new affordable units, and coordinated services.

August 4, 2026·Listen · 11:29

Advisory Board Roundup

Parks Board Grapples With Tree Canopy Goals, Budget Questions for Urban Forest Plan

The Urban Parks and Forestry Board spent its July 23 meeting reviewing a draft Urban Forest Management Plan that aims to guide the city's forest strategy over the next decade. Board members raised concerns about whether proposed canopy coverage targets are achievable without significant budget increases and questioned whether the plan adequately addresses tree protection in new developments.

July 31, 2026·Listen · 3:20

Latest articles

Every public meeting, written up

Earlier in July

City Commission

Commission signals skepticism of overlay district approach to controlling building size, seeks landmark-based alternativeJuly 28, 2026

Listen · 11:43 Bozeman City Study Commission

Commission settles on 10 percent population threshold for ward redistricting, pushes implementation to 2029July 23, 2026

Listen · 6:31 Urban Parks and Forestry Board

Board provides extensive feedback on Urban Forest Management Plan preliminary draft, focuses on canopy goals and implementation detailsJuly 23, 2026

Transportation Board

Board unanimously recommends residential parking permit district near Gallatin High SchoolJuly 22, 2026

Listen · 8:05 City Commission

Commission tackles five-year advisory board review, advances green tariff with NorthWestern EnergyJuly 21, 2026

Listen · 12:06 Community Development Board

Bozeman Creek Vision Plan outlines flood diversion and restoration conceptsJuly 20, 2026

Listen · 5:53 Tax Increment Finance Advisory Board

Tax Increment Finance Board meeting canceled due to lack of quorumJuly 16, 2026

Listen · 0:50 Bozeman Downtown Business Improvement District Board

Downtown board reviews Bozeman Creek Vision Plan with flood concernsJuly 15, 2026

Listen · 5:41 Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board

Historic Preservation Board seeks simpler design standards for neighborhoodsJuly 15, 2026

Listen · 7:28 Bozeman City Study Commission

Study Commission revises charter sections on compensation and mayoral successionJuly 15, 2026

Listen · 5:38 City Commission

Commission approves code fixes, renames two city streetsJuly 14, 2026

Listen · 11:42 Downtown Area Urban Renewal District Board Meeting

Downtown board approves parking study, expands membership to nineJuly 14, 2026

Listen · 5:35 GVMPO Transportation Technical Advisory Committee

Gallatin Valley MPO approves $600,000 work program, advances transportation planJuly 8, 2026

Listen · 6:05 Sustainability Board

City proposes streamlining wetland code by removing two requirementsJuly 8, 2026

Earlier in June

Urban Parks and Forestry Board

Cemetery expands cremation options as ash burial project progressesJune 25, 2026

Listen · 6:12 GVMPO Transportation Policy Advisory Committee

GVMPO approves $20,800 amendment to planning work programJune 24, 2026

Listen · 3:36 Transportation Board

Transportation Board recommends trimming high school parking permit districtJune 24, 2026

Listen · 6:20 City Commission

Commission approves $689M budget, narrowly backs Opportunity ZoneJune 23, 2026

Listen · 11:27 Tax Increment Finance Advisory Board

Tax board reviews Poolyard scoring criteria, affordable housing loan programJune 18, 2026

Listen · 3:30 Bozeman City Study Commission

Bozeman Study Commission advances charter overhaul ahead of November voteJune 18, 2026

Listen · 5:04 Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board

Historic Preservation Board approves landmark program criteria, reviews demolition rulesJune 17, 2026

Listen · 8:07 City Commission

Commission updates wireless regulations for first time since 1998June 16, 2026

Listen · 6:15 Community Development Board

Community Development Board approves code amendments for downtown parking and short-term rentalsJune 15, 2026

Listen · 5:43 Sustainability Board

Sustainability Board hears Green Power Program update after seven-year developmentJune 10, 2026

Listen · 3:50 GVMPO Transportation Technical Advisory Committee

GVMPO approves $53,159 budget amendment for transportation plan completionJune 10, 2026

Listen · 5:39 City Commission

Commission approves EMS rate increase, debates police staffing prioritiesJune 9, 2026

Listen · 11:52 Bozeman City Study Commission

Study Commission finalizes charter edits, sets public hearing for June 18June 4, 2026

Listen · 7:49 Economic Vitality Board

Economic Vitality Board approves backlog of meeting minutes, receives safety trainingJune 3, 2026

Listen · 4:01 City Commission

City Commission approves $609 million budget with rate hikes across utilitiesJune 2, 2026

Listen · 6:33 Community Development Board

City updates wireless facilities code for first time in 30 yearsJune 1, 2026

Browse the full archive — 69 articles →

Earlier in May

Bozeman City Study Commission

Study Commission advances charter draft ahead of June 18 public hearingMay 28, 2026

Listen · 6:44 Urban Parks and Forestry Board

Board reviews master plan for 3.5-mile Cattail Creek Corridor Park trailMay 28, 2026

Listen · 5:26 Bozeman City Study Commission

Study Commission adds human rights to charter preamble on 4-1 voteMay 27, 2026

Listen · 9:27 Downtown Area Urban Renewal District Board Meeting

Downtown Board approves $372,000 sewer grant for Bozeman Hotel projectMay 26, 2026

Listen · 6:09 Tax Increment Finance Advisory Board

Tax board weighs scoring criteria for stalled North Park industrial districtMay 21, 2026

Listen · 3:49 Bozeman City Study Commission

Study Commission settles on two-part ward election question for charter ballotMay 20, 2026

Listen · 5:51 Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board

Preservation board charts phased approach to landmark and design code overhaulMay 20, 2026

Listen · 6:03 Bozeman City Study Commission

Study Commission advances amended charter, defers election system decisionMay 13, 2026

Listen · 6:19 Sustainability Board

Sustainability Board approves two-year work plan focused on solar and EV chargingMay 13, 2026

Listen · 5:08 City Commission

Commission approves six tax district budgets, amends Midtown prioritiesMay 12, 2026

Listen · 12:00 Economic Vitality Board

Economic Vitality Board hears fiber network's $135M impact, explores affordable housing modelsMay 6, 2026

Listen · 6:13 City Commission

City Commission annexes Hanson Lane property, splits on zoningMay 5, 2026

Listen · 9:11 Community Development Board

Community Development Board advances Urban Forest Master Plan updateMay 4, 2026

Earlier in April

Bozeman City Study Commission

Study Commission creates independent Municipal Court in charterApril 30, 2026

Listen · 9:48 City Commission

Commission declines to advance interim zoning for conservation overlayApril 28, 2026

Listen · 13:19 Bozeman City Study Commission

Commission votes to release survey data in scrambled formatApril 24, 2026

Listen · 9:39 Urban Parks and Forestry Board

Parks and Forestry Board approves 2026-27 work plan unanimouslyApril 23, 2026

Listen · 7:12 Transportation Board

Transportation Board approves safety initiatives, signals Oak-Ferguson projectApril 22, 2026

Listen · 6:22 City Commission

Bozeman approves partnership with Ukrainian city KupchynskeApril 21, 2026

Listen · 9:13 Downtown Area Urban Renewal District Board Meeting

Downtown renewal board unanimously approves fiscal 2027-28 budgetApril 21, 2026

Listen · 7:14 Community Development Board

Community Development Board backs RB zoning for Harvest Creek parcel despite oppositionApril 20, 2026

Listen · 7:08 Tax Increment Finance Advisory Board

Tax board approves $2.5M renewal district budgets for 2028April 16, 2026

Listen · 8:45 Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board

Historic board backs public hearing on interim zoning ordinanceApril 15, 2026

Listen · 12:41 Bozeman City Study Commission

Study Commission reschedules May meetings, hires ballot education firmApril 15, 2026

Listen · 8:26 Bozeman Downtown Business Improvement District Board

Downtown BID reviews parking survey, MSU workforce needsApril 15, 2026

Listen · 6:56 City Commission

Commission backs doubling traffic safety funding after pedestrian crashesApril 14, 2026

Listen · 12:03 Inter-Neighborhood Council - Trim

Inter-Neighborhood Council tables bylaw vote over quorum concernsApril 9, 2026

Listen · 5:20 Custom Episodes

Publisher urges city to prioritize street safety after latest traffic deathApril 8, 2026

Listen · 5:11 Sustainability Board

City launches student seats on advisory boards, expands urban forestry planApril 8, 2026

Listen · 10:14 City Commission

Commission unanimously approves Bikeville Community Bike Park after 14 yearsApril 7, 2026

Listen · 9:30 Bozeman City Study Commission

Study Commission examines whether advisory boards adequately connect residents to cityApril 2, 2026

Listen · 15:47 Economic Vitality Board

Economic Vitality Board discusses affordable housing ordinance updatesApril 1, 2026

Earlier in March

Bozeman Historic Preservation Advisory Board

Bozeman explores Local Landmark Program to protect historic propertiesMarch 31, 2026

Listen · 7:26 Board of Ethics

Board of Ethics conducts full mock hearing to prepare for real complaintsMarch 30, 2026

Listen · 4:43 Urban Parks and Forestry Board

Parks board approves urban forest update plan with added review sessionMarch 26, 2026

Listen · 10:36

Earlier in December 2025

City Commission

Commission restores 90-foot downtown height limit in code rewrite voteDecember 16, 2025

Listen · 14:25

About The Bozeman Brief

The Bozeman Brief is the fastest way to keep up with Bozeman city government. Each week we transcribe and summarize every public meeting of the City Commission and its 13 advisory boards, then publish short conversational recaps so residents, journalists, and business owners can stay current without spending their evenings watching hours of council video.

Coverage is automated using the CivicCast AI platform — a podcast episode, written article, draft minutes, and searchable transcript are generated from each meeting within 24 hours. We link back to the source video and official agenda on bozeman.net so you can always verify the details.

What we cover

City Commission — regular and special meetings, budget hearings, and votes on ordinances and resolutions.
Community Development Board & Planning Commission — zoning changes, subdivision review, and land-use policy that shapes how Bozeman grows.
Transportation & Sustainability Boards — Streamline bus service, bike infrastructure, and climate-plan implementation.
Historic Preservation, Parks, Library, and other advisory boards — the full slate of citizen committees that advise the City Commission.
Downtown BID & URD — downtown economic development, streetscape, and parking.

Recurring topics include affordable housing, short-term rentals, growth policy updates, water-supply planning, and capital improvement projects. If it happens in a Bozeman public meeting, we cover it.

Why we built this

Local journalism has thinned out everywhere, and most residents don't have time to watch three-hour meetings. The Bozeman Brief turns those meetings into accessible audio so civic information stays within reach. It's not a substitute for the Bozeman Daily Chronicle — it's a complement, giving you the raw civic record in podcast form.

New episodes drop within 24 hours of each meeting. Subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, or follow the RSS feed.